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Kwame Christian leverages his expertise to inspire and equip professionals with the tools to succeed. Christian’s journey can be traced back to Tiffin, OH, where he was raised as a first-generation Caribbean American, often standing out as the only Black student in his classes. A defining moment in sixth grade shaped his path: being rejected and ostracized by peers on the playground. This experience ignited a deep desire for connection and acceptance. By high school, he channeled that drive into leadership, rising to become the captain of both the basketball and tennis teams. Reflecting on his journey in an interview with AFROTECH™, Christian admitted he adopted a “people pleaser” mentality, often prioritizing others’ approval over his authentic self. “I wasn’t my authentic self in many ways,” he said. “I still had really great connections, but when it came to difficult situations and difficult conversations, I would always agree, even if I disagreed, I wouldn’t speak up if I didn’t...
Lady London chose to pursue rap after being accepted into medical school. While speaking on Revolt’s podcast, “The Blackprint,” the rapper born Zaire Miylaun Stewart reflected on the pivotal moments that led to her transition into music. She boasts two degrees, starting with a bachelor’s from Howard University, where she double-majored in sports medicine and chemistry. Lady London holds her time at the Historically Black College and University in high regard. “I was a rambunctious teenager. I went away to school because I was always told I had to go to school..and if I was going to be a part of community it had to be the Black community. So I went to a HBCU. I wanted educational goals but I didn’t think I would come out with so much experience of life. I know there’s like this whole thing where they say like ‘PWIs are the real reality of school because 72% of the world is white. The reality is if you learn how to make it in these communities and at Howard, if you can make it at...
Nothing is more significant in this life than the love of a mother. Renowned musician will.i.am took a moment to shed light on how his mother’s sacrifices led to his success today during the AFROTECH™ 2024 Conference, Nov. 13-16. The innovative producer, visionary artist, and founding member of the Grammy Award-winning music group Black Eyed Peas opened up about his humble beginnings in a session on the main stage titled “CollaborA(I)te: Empowering Creative Connections.” “I remember my mom was like, ‘Wait, put your clothes on. You go up here to get our food stamps. Sit in this line to get this cheese.’ When you’re in the projects, and that’s your reality, standing in line to get government services, and you’re there and you’ve got dreams and you’re like one day, I want to move my mama out of these projfts, and you come outside, and your best friend that you grew up with is no longer with you because he got shot and you want to dream different — that’s where I get ambition from.”...
Ira Salls is an inspiration for her history-making role as a McDonald’s franchisee. Salls, a Cincinnati, OH, native, graduated from Northern Illinois University and later earned both an MBA and a master’s degree in public administration from Northwestern University. She secured her franchise title in 1991, as she explained during an interview with WHAS 11 in 2021. Before becoming an owner and operator, she first worked at the fast-food chain as an accountant. “I was hired by McDonald’s because I already had a degree and (was) a CPA. McDonald’s was forward thinking, and they wanted Black CPAs working in their accounting department,” she recalled to the outlet. Salls’ pivot to owning her own McDonald’s locations led her to become the first Black woman franchisee of the chain in Kentucky and Indiana in 1991, the Louisville Business Journal reports. She would go on to become one of the company’s most successful operators, managing six locations in Louisville, KY. She also understood the...
Sheryl Lee Ralph is among the greats who have lived to smell their roses. Today, she is widely recognized as an actress, but her journey began at Rutgers College. She initially enrolled at just age 16, the school shared, with plans to study pre-med before discovering her true calling in the arts. “I’m an immigrants’ child,” Ralph said, according to Elle. “My mother had very big dreams for me. In her words, it was, ‘Be a doctor or a lawyer, and if you can’t be either, marry one.’” Despite her mother’s desires, Ralph would pivot towards acting. She discovered her passion for the arts while working on a school play. “I found my passion on the stage of the Little Theater on the Douglass College campus,” she said, according to an article shared by the school. Based on an article from Philadelphia magazine, when Ralph was 20 years old, she landed her big break, featuring in the 1977 film “A Piece of the Action” alongside Sidney Poitier. Two years later, she made her television debut on...
Kristen Dunning has received a stamp of approval from Oprah Winfrey. The entrepreneur’s recognition is the result of her foray into entrepreneurship. As AFROTECH™ previously shared, Dunning’s journey as a founder began with a desire to create a soap for sensitive skin and people struggling with skin conditions. She has battled severe scalp eczema since the age of four, but prescribed remedies like creams and steroid shots continued to cause discomfort. According to her website, Dunning turned to medicinal plants and botanicals, deepening her knowledge while studying agricultural communication and horticulture at the University of Georgia. Under the guidance of faculty member Dr. David Knauft, she was able to discover botanical alternatives commonly found in anti-inflammatory treatments. Her first soap was created in 2019, and she developed more recipes during the COVID-19 quarantine. In 2020, Gently Soap made its official debut in the market and now offers four products, including:...
Kai Cenat plans to put his latest subathon to good use. Cenat is currently making a significant income as one of the most successful content creators. According to Forbes, he ranks No. 24 among top earners in the creator economy, with earnings totaling $8.5 million so far this year, as of Oct. 28, 2024. His recent accolades include: Setting Twitch’s North American viewership record through a stream with Kevin Hart and Druski First streamer to secure a partnership with Nike Multi-million-dollar deal with Rumble Deals with McDonald’s and T-Mobile View this post on Instagram A post shared by McDonald’s (@mcdonalds) Now, Cenat is fully immersed in Mafiathon 2, a nonstop, 30-day Twitch stream running 24/7 since it kicked off on Nov. 1, 2024. To boost visibility for the subathon, the streamer enlisted Kim Kardashian for promotion. Cenat hopes this event will serve as his redemption arc in reclaiming the title of the most-subscribed Twitch creator of all time — a record currently held by...
The NAACP has launched a “fund of funds” to scale impact within communities of color. According to a news release, NAACP Capital was formed with the support of Kapor Capital, the Kapor Center, and nine venture fund managers. It seeks to raise $200 million to fulfill its goal of investing in fund managers connected to sectors such as education, healthcare, and finance, with a focus on supporting underserved communities. Beyond capital, the initiative aims to close racial equity gaps and increase diversity within the tech industry. As part of this mission, resources and support will be provided to fund managers and founders. “As an ever-evolving legacy organization, the NAACP knows that innovation is borne out of inclusivity. Impact investing has the power to drive historic financial returns and uplift overlooked communities,” NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson said in a statement. “Right now, deeply entrenched systemic barriers are curtailing the innovative progress necessary to...
Will.i.am is officially a Harvard University graduate! As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the Black Eyed Peas member and founder of the tech platform FYI (Focus Your Ideas) enrolled in Harvard Business School and had his own dorm. “One year I woke up, and I’m like, ‘I wanna go to Harvard,’” Will.i.am explained on the “Jennifer Hudson Show.” “I’m doing all of this business stuff, and I wanna make sure that I’m not just taking advantage of success and not disciplining myself to have further success.” Will.i.am’s interest in college was also inspired by “A Different World,” a staple television show within the Black community that championed education and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. “I always liked watch #aDifferentWorld growing up…and when I was in the projects I never thought I would attend a college like @harvardhbs …being in Boston going to Harvard business school is a different world from where I come from…and I’m still dreaming and dreaming of even bigger worlds...
LeAnna Roberts is the embodiment of academic excellence! The 17-year-old received her master’s degree in business administration with a healthcare management concentration, from the University of Alabama on May 4, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, AL, WBRC-6 reports. “Looking back, four years ago when I started high school, I would have never have imagined. This was never a plan that I had or something that I had in the cards for myself,” she told the outlet. Two years prior, Roberts had earned an associate’s degree in science from Shelton State Community College while she simultaneously graduated from Central High School in Tuscaloosa. “When I started my 9th grade year, I knew I wanted a challenge, and I began to take dual enrollment courses at Shelton State Community College,” Roberts said, per WBRC-6. Roberts would then head to the University of Alabama as a junior at 16 years old, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology. Reflecting on her academic success, Roberts credits her parents for...
Harvard University is searching for a new president and has tapped a Black woman business executive to assist with the “challenges and opportunities facing the University.” According to The Harvard Crimson, Vivian Y. Hunt was appointed as the new president of the board of overseers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Harvard Crimson (@theharvardcrimson) For the 2024-2025 school year, the Harvard Business School alumna, who has been described as “a voice for diversity and impact at scale” by the school, is set to lead the board. The outlet details that three overseers serve on Harvard University’s presidential search committee and the president of the overseers has been one of the three in the institution’s past five searches. Tyler Jacks, the founding director of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and fellow Harvard University alumna, is joining Hunt as board vice chair. Jacks was a member of the presidential search committee that selected former...
At just age 14, a New Orleans, LA, native has created an innovation for the medical field. When Naya Ellis was 7 years old, she supported her mother who was battling breast cancer, The74 reports. Merging her passion for helping others and for science, she went on to design WingItt, a stroke-detecting watch for adults. The outlet details that WingItt works to detect nerve impulses and heartbeats to identify strokes apart from the physically visible signs. After learning that the medical condition greatly affects people who are 55 and over, Ellis created the device with that age group in mind. What’s more, she aims for WingItt to be more on the affordable end in comparison to other smartwatches currently on the market. “I want to do something I’m interested in, that will also change the world,” Ellis said. The John F. Kennedy High School student’s inspiration for the invention came while attending STEM NOLA’s STEM Saturday. In a last-minute decision, she switched from creating a watch...
Following his success with the legendary Hip-Hop group Public Enemy, Flavor Flav gained even more fame on television. Beginning with the reality TV shows “The Surreal Life” and “Strange Love,” Flavor Flav went on to star in his own series titled “Flavor of Love,” which aired on the VH1 network from 2006 to 2008, according to IMDb. Now, almost two decades later, Flavor Flav is making his way back to reality TV. However, this go around isn’t to find love — it’s to cross off an educational milestone. During an interview with TMZ, Flavor Flav revealed that he has an upcoming show focusing on him earning his high school diploma. “I’m going back to high school to get my diploma,” Flavor Flav told TMZ. “That’s what my show is going to be about. Flavor Flav goes back to high school.” He added, “And I’m getting it for real. Not a GED, bro, I want my diploma.” While Flavor Flav is aware that high school has completely changed since adolescence, he is adamant about staying the course. “If I...
Co-hosts of the “Earn Your Leisure” (EYL) podcast are bringing more financial education to the masses, and it’s a full-circle moment. During an interview with Bloomberg, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings revealed they are piloting financial literacy courses in 10 public high schools in the Bronx neighborhood in New York City. Reflecting on their own adolescence, they recalled the lack of exposure to such education. They have also observed minimal change in the schools today, reinforcing the importance of the curriculum. “If you think about New York City, the capital of capitalism, but financial literacy is not mandatory in schools, and the school that we went to, there was no financial literacy 20 years ago, and there’s no still financial literacy to this day,” Bilal, a financial advisor, explained, according to Bloomberg. “So, we developed a financial literacy curriculum for different modules: investing and financial literacy; entrepreneurship; savings; investing; credit.” EYL’s...
Taco Bell aims to shake up the drive-thru line as we knew it with a new tech-driven concept! The Verge reports that the fast-food chain has opened the door to its latest restaurant in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. It is a digital-driven, two-story restaurant that allows consumers to treat the drive-thru line much like a bank having their orders completely delivered to them within minutes thanks to a vertical lift (or in this case food tube). Taco Bell Defy was launched with a “bold goal of creating a 2 minute or less drive-thru experience for customers of this concept,” per reports from Taco Bell President Mike Grams. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taco Bell (@tacobell)