All results
Although you may have come across some must-watch movies and TV series while scrolling through Netflix, one hit show you won’t see is Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You.” Coel took her dramatic comedy series to BBC and HBO after turning down a $1 million deal with the popular streaming service. According to Pop Sugar , Coel, who’s the show’s lead actress, creator, writer, and director, rejected the deal with Netflix after a disagreement over ownership, in which Netflix denied Coel’s request for a percentage of the copyright. Corel’s moment of clarity came during a call with a Netflix representative where she asked for five percent of her show’s copyright. “There was just silence on the phone,” Coel told Vulture . “And she said, ‘It’s not how we do things here. Nobody does that, it’s not a big deal.’” Vulture reports Coel’s negotiation with Netflix went as low as 0.5 percent ownership of the copyright. Yet, the Netflix representative told Coel she’d have to run it past her...
The modern workplace is becoming much more diverse, equitable, and inclusive . However, neurodivergent individuals — those with conditions such as autism , ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences — still face significant barriers to employment . Despite their skills and potential, many struggle to secure jobs or advance their careers due to systemic challenges, bias, and a lack of accommodations. Research shows that unemployment remains a pressing issue in the neurodivergent community. Up to 85% of adults with autism in the U.S. are unemployed, according to Golden Steps ABA . This statistic highlights the urgent need for more inclusive hiring practices and workplace policies that recognize neurodivergent talent. A Misunderstood Segment Of The Workforce Although “neurodivergent” is gaining recognition, many Americans still lack a clear understanding of what it means. A recent YouGov poll found that only 32% of Americans can define the term without prior explanation, while 56%...
If you’ve ever hesitated at checkout, wondering whether you need that grocery haul, electronics upgrade, or self-care splurge—you’re not alone. And Klarna, the AI-powered payments and commerce platform, is betting big on that exact moment of hesitation. Klarna has joined forces with DoorDash and Walmart to give shoppers flexible pay options. These strategic partnerships don’t just mark a shift in how we handle money at checkout—they reflect a deeper story about consumer habits, trust, and the evolving economy in 2025. Klarna And DoorDash Team Up According to an announcement from Klarna, DoorDash customers in the U.S. will soon see Klarna listed as a payment option when ordering from the app or website. This will make it even easier to snag groceries, electronics, beauty items, and even the DashPass Annual Plan without having to pay the full amount upfront. The options? Pretty straightforward and stress-relieving: Pay in full at checkout Pay in 4 equal, interest-free installments Pay...
Nearly a week after laying off 1,750 employees, or about 8.5% of its workforce, Workday has announced a new system to manage and deploy a range of artificial intelligence agents. On Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, the HR software maker announced its Workday Agent System of Record — which allows organizations to manage their AI agents — including those from Workday and third-party providers, all in one place, according to a news release. The system also now offers role-based AI agents — including contract, payroll, financial auditing, and policy — that companies can deploy and manage. The AI agents will have skills that provide them with greater autonomy, more effective user support, and the ability to perform hundreds of tasks. In a statement, Aneel Bhusri, co-founder and executive chair of Workday , expressed confidence that the company is well-positioned to lead a new era of workforce management in a trusted and ethical manner. “The workforce of the future will include both humans and AI...
South Africa’s first Black-owned bank has hit unicorn status, POCIT reports. Tyme Group, founded in 2019, is majority-owned by billionaire Patrice Motsepe, notes Bloomberg. The platform was designed to make digital banking more affordable and accessible, and it has been an overwhelming success with online and physical banks throughout South Africa and the Philippines. According to TechCrunch, it has attracted 10 million users since its inception and reached an additional 5 million users through its Philippine brand, GoTyme. GoTyme allows users to create an account via its bank app. Customers can then receive an ATM debit card instantly and retrieve it at a kiosk. Tyme Group says it has allocated $600 million in financing to support small businesses and has raised $400 million in customer deposits. Now it is seeking to extend its reach in new markets, which include Vietnam and Indonesia by 2025. This will be made possible in light of a $250 million round led by digital bank Nu...
Scrum masters are an essential part of agile teams, often with tech companies , guiding the process and ensuring that everyone stays on track to meet project goals. If you’re interested in entering the world of agile project management, this post will explain what a scrum master does and how you can become one. What Is A Scrum Master? A scrum master is a facilitator who helps a team use scrum, a ‘lightweight’ framework for Agile project management. While they are called “masters,” their role is more about guiding and serving the team than leading in the traditional sense. Scrum masters work with development teams, product owners, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth collaboration and project delivery. When one is endeavoring to become a scrum master, forming a commitment to the foundational elements of the agile framework while still managing to be flexible and adaptable in an ever-changing workplace is important. Key Responsibilities Of A Scrum Master One of the chief...
Michael Jordan is moving forward with a lawsuit demanding better outcomes from NASCAR. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Jordan became an owner of a NASCAR team, 23XI Racing, in September 2020 . According to NBC Sports, Jordan’s team — also owned by driver Denny Hamlin — operates under NASCAR’s charter system, which demands its 36 charter teams compete in all events. For their participation they are granted incentives such as payments, but this is contingent upon the team’s presence, performance in that event as well as over the course of the most recent three seasons, and the season-ending points fund. Despite the listed incentives, teams are not fairing well under the current structure, per AP News. In fact one team, Furniture Row Motorsports, was led to sell its charter for $6 million just a year after becoming the Cup Series winner in 2017 because it could not make a profit. Despite concerns, 13 organizations moved forward to sign NASCAR’s 100-page renewal contract on the...
A’ja Wilson does not take the sacrifices of her parents for granted. Growing up, the Las Vegas Aces player credits her dad for encouraging her to practice shots on the court, she tells ESPN. Her father, Roscoe, would make her wear a weighted vest while she scored layups. The South Carolina-born athlete describes this time period as “the hell part” of their relationship, but it also helped to improve her skills. “Left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand,” Roscoe told ESPN. “I’d tell her to always know where her feet should be, don’t bring her hands down below her shoulders. Now, it’s second nature.” A’ja saw her improvement too. “…The heaven part was that as I grew, I started to see my game change. I realized my dad was just being my coach. As I got older and basketball got more serious, I saw that, ‘This man may know some things, A’ja, so I suggest you listen to him.'” Roscoe’s passion for the game was reflected in his own life. While he never made it to the NBA, the former...
The implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at medical schools is currently in danger. In March 2024, Congressman Greg Murphy (R-NC) introduced the Embracing anti-Discrimination, Unbiased Curricula, and Advancing Truth in Education (EDUCATE) Act. The proposed bill aims to prohibit race-based mandates at medical schools and accrediting institutions, per a news release. In addition, it would stop federal funding to medical schools that “discriminate” against races and ethnicities, have DEI offices, and “force” students and school faculty to assimilate to particular beliefs. “American medical schools are the best in the world and no place for discrimination,” Murphy shared in a statement. “The EDUCATE Act compels medical schools and accrediting agencies to uphold colorblind admissions processes and prohibits the coercion of students who hold certain political opinions. Diversity strengthens medicine, but not if it’s achieved through exclusionary practices. Medicine is...
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) hopes to inspire people to look into the skies and to their communities. Recently, Black individuals in NASA’s workforce took social media by storm after sharing their headshots from the independent agency. The heartwarming posts reminded everyone of the importance of representation and fostering inclusivity, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Joining #BlackAtNASA . After 15 years this is my headshot. pic.twitter.com/qDTMbGprZ2 — K Renee Horton,PhD (@Reneehortonphd) March 17, 2024 Despite the fleeting nature of viral moments, NASA’s efforts for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are far more than just a snapshot. In 2023, the agency released an equity action plan supporting a presidential executive order focused on dismantling “inequitable barriers and challenges facing underserved communities.” “We at NASA, as an administrator, never tell our story,” Shahra Lambert, NASA’s...
The late Dr. Patricia Bath is a distinguished Black woman in the science and medicine field. Early Days Dr. Bath, born in Harlem, NY, on Nov. 4, 1942, is recognized as the inventor of laser cataract surgery — her road to the groundbreaking feat dates back to her childhood. Young Bath’s early exposure to science and medicine was when she learned about Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s impact on lepers in the Congo, according to a biography shared by Changing the Face of Medicine. Dr. Bath’s father, Rupert, was New York’s first Black motorman. Her mother, Gladys, was a housewife and house cleaner who led Dr. Bath to become interested in science by buying her a chemistry set, Biography reports. Both parents would motivate her to pursue academics, which paved the way for her educational success at age 16. Education The Lemelson-MIT Program notes Dr. Bath performed well in biology and served as Charles Evans Hughes High School’s science paper editor, earning various awards. According to the...
Fans of comedy have probably heard of the name Mike Epps. The stand-up comedian and actor has appeared in countless films including “Next Friday,” “The Friday After Next,” “The Hangover” and even “Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.” The 52-year-old entertainer honed his skills as a stand-up comedian before shifting to movies and television. These days, Mike Epps is a main cast member on shows like “I’m a Virgo,” an Amazon Prime Video series. With a career spanning decades, many people might be curious how a man from Indianapolis became one of the most recognizable faces of comedy in the Black community. More importantly, just how much is Mike Epps worth? Mike Epps’ Early Life While Mike Epps might seem like a man from the coast, he was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. Born into a large family in 1970, not much is known about his childhood except that his social circle — family and friends — encouraged him to grow his natural comedic ability. He started working as a stand-up comic...
ComplYant is here to help small businesses with their tax needs. And thanks to a recent seed funding round, they’re able to help now more than ever. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the company closed a seed funding round of $5.5 million led by Craft Ventures with participation from Mucker Capital, Slauson & Co., and Techstars. ComplYant was founded by Grid 110 and Techstars alum Shiloh Johnson. There are more than 31 million small businesses in the United States, and they pay billions in tax penalties every year for filing forms or making payments late. Some businesses just forget while others don’t understand enough about the taxes they owe to know that they owe them. ComplYant’s digital platform solves this problem by streamlining workflow, providing a savings wallet for taxes, and allowing accountants to collaborate with client accounts – all right in your browser. Using ComplYant, U.S. small business owners easily manage and take charge of income tax, sales...
In August 2021, Simone Biles released her first NFT collection with the platform Autograph of 10,000 non-fungible tokens (NFTs), AfroTech previously reported. And might we add, the collection proved to be successful and sold out within minutes. Now, she’s back, and this time the GOAT is paying homage to some of her most famed moves as a part of Autograph’s Mystery GOAT collection. The Olympic athlete’s latest collection will mark a new direction for Autograph NFT’s, as they will be debuting 8-bit style animation highlighting the very moment when Simone Biles’s mother realized the blooming star needed to join gymnastics. Fans can also look forward to seeing Biles’s legendary moves such as the Double Double Beam Dismount, Double Layout Half and Triple Double. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Autograph (@autograph.io) “This collection was co-authored by Simone and it pays homage to trends that we’ve seen in the crypto space and that the existing crypto audience have enjoyed...
Ahead of Juneteenth weekend, Western Union (WU) is pledging a commitment to two new programs supporting Black and brown communities. A press release reports that in partnership with the Western Union Foundation, the financial services company is launching two initiatives that aim to uplift both current and future business leaders across communities of color — including Project Finish Line, an extension of the Foundation’s WU Scholars program, and Sistahbiz, a Black women entrepreneurship program. The former initiative will be offering scholarships to Black and brown students working to finish their higher education — many of those who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) — while the latter plans to fund Black women-owned businesses and provide leadership development. Both of these programs are in response to the racial disparities that exist for Black, Indigenous and People of Color across educational institutions and the business world. “Social exclusion,...