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Meharry Medical College will be broadening its reach to Memphis, TN. The Historically Black College and University (HBCU), based in Nashville, TN, has long-term plans to expand to Memphis, TN, as CEO and President James Hildreth told Commercial Appeal. Already, the school held a grand opening for a new medical training facility that will be located at the 23-acre mixed-use campus of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, launching its Office of Memphis Programs. “I see this as a wonderful opportunity to turn the tide on and bring about better health care outcomes in the city of Memphis,” said Rev. Jason Turner of Mississippi Boulevard Church, according to the outlet. The training facility will be timely as Meharry Medical College has often sent its students to hospitals in other states due to outstanding commitments local major hospitals already had to train students from other schools. “One of the things that the branch campus in Memphis will do for us is to allow us to have two...
In East Oakland, CA, a powerful coalition of Black-led organizations has secured $100 million to fund Rise East, a decade-long effort to transform 40 blocks into a model for what real community-led development can look like, Shoppe Black reports. According to the outlet, after decades of disinvestment and promises not met, the project marks one of the most significant grassroots investments in Oakland’s history, aimed at reversing long-standing patterns of displacement and economic exclusion. A Vision Rooted In Community At the center of Rise East is the 40×40 Council, a group of Black-led nonprofits working together to create long-term stability by focusing on three key areas: education, public safety, and housing. The 40-block area, according to Shoppe Black, spans from Interstate 580 to the San Francisco Bay and from Seminary Avenue to the San Leandro border. It’s home to Oakland’s largest concentration of Black residents, a community that has long endured the ongoing effects of...
Blavity Fest 2025 lit up Atlanta, GA’s Lee + White complex last weekend in celebration of Black innovation , cultural expression, and collective wealth-building. Attendees experienced inspiring panel discussions led by experts in entrepreneurship , personal branding, creative development, and financial empowerment, while hands-on workshops offered practical skills in areas including stock trading, book launching, and event planning. The event, held from May 31 to June 1, also featured networking opportunities at community meetups, a Black-owned small business market, and immersive installations designed to spark creativity and connection. The high-energy, high-stakes, and high-impact success of the 2025 Blavity Fest was no accident, as Atlanta is, for the third consecutive year, the nation’s leading hub for Black-owned businesses, as previously reported by AFROTECH™ . According to a LendingTree analysis, nearly 14,000 — or 11.3% of all businesses in the city — are Black-owned as of...
The NAACP is calling on Memphis, TN, officials to shut down Colossus, the controversial supercomputer facility operated by Elon Musk’s xAI, TechCrunch reports. Located in South Memphis, the facility, according to the outlet, is under fire for allegedly operating dozens of gas turbines without proper permits and releasing hazardous pollutants into surrounding communities. In a letter sent via email to the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) and Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), on May 29, 2025, NAACP leaders demanded an emergency order halting operations. If a full shutdown isn’t possible, they urged city officials to at least cite the company for violating clean air standards. The case, now known as the NAACP Colossus complaint, is gaining national attention and posing more profound queries regarding the relationship between environmental justice and high-tech development in Black communities. Pollution In A Historically Black Neighborhood Boxtown, a historically Black...
Martha’s Vineyard is a place of solitude for Black families during the summer. The island in Dukes County, MA, was recently featured in the popular Netflix series “Forever” directed by the legendary creator of “Girlfriends,” Mara Brock Akil. In the new show, characters Keisha Clark (played by Lovie Simone) and Justin Edwards (played by Michael Cooper Jr.) reconnect in Martha’s Vineyard after a breakup. Edwards’ family resides particularly in Oak Buff each summer. History Of Martha’s Vineyard Explained Furthermore, the location of their reconnection was intentional, per Brock Akil, who lives part-time in Martha’s Vineyard, according to Netflix. The series is adapted from Judy Blume’s 1975 YA novel of the same name, and Episode 5 takes viewers to Martha’s Vineyard, serving as a love letter to the island. “Understanding the essence of the island, even in the way it shaped the story, is important,” Brock Akil told Netflix. “You think you’re just arriving on the island, and you don’t...
Chief Administrative Officer Corenza Townsend has opened a hospital in Louisville, KY. According to CBS News’ “Eye On America,” the idea was first planted eight years ago when Townsend was working as a nurse manager at a hospital in the Norton Healthcare system. She boldly pitched the concept of opening a hospital in Louisville’s majority-Black West End neighborhood to Norton Healthcare’s CEO. “We had this plan,” Townsend explained, according to the outlet. “It wasn’t in writing yet. We happened to see Russ Cox, our CEO, walking to the bathroom. So we stalked him outside the bathroom… Nobody thought he would actually say yes. He said, yes. He just listened to us and he said, ‘Let’s do it. What do you need?'” In late 2024, the Norton West Louisville Hospital reached the finish line after a two-year-long process. Its opening is especially timely, as the area had been without a hospital for over 150 years. “The life expectancy in West Louisville is about 12-and-a-half to 15 years...
Entrepreneur Kiara Imani Williams claims she was dropped from Target on short notice. Williams is an attorney with a decade of experience in entertainment law, a writer, and the co-founder of the card game LikeU, which is designed to spark conversations among family and friends. LikeU made its way onto Target shelves during a period when many companies were pledging to support diverse brands as a result of George Floyd being murdered at the hands of police brutality. Williams believed Target’s commitment was genuine and would endure, but has been mistaken. “LikeU cards were born out of the conversations that emerged after George Floyd’s murder—a time when so many people were searching for ways to connect, to listen, and to understand,” Williams said in an email interview with AFROTECH™. “Target made a pledge to support diverse communities at that moment, and it was that commitment that made me believe they were the right fit. But since then, like many other organizations, they’ve...
Howard University graduate Olympia Auset is combating food deserts in South Los Angeles, CA. Auset launched SÜPRMARKT, a grocery store that began as a pop-up and subscription service in the area, Forbes reports. Its inception was the result of her reaching a breaking point when traveling over two hours by bus to find affordable organics grocery products that would adhere to her vegan diet. At the time, South L.A. had 1.3 million residents and only 60 grocery stores, classifying it as a food desert. “It became difficult to eat healthy simply due to access,” she told the outlet. In 2016, SÜPRMARKT launched as a pop-up in Leimert Park with community support, according to its website. Four years later, Auset purchased land that would become SÜPRMARKT’s first brick-and-mortar location thanks to assistance from partners Open Architecture Collaborative Los Angeles and Engineers Without Borders. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LOCALE (@localemagazine) The grocery store prides...
Rap duo Krept and Konan are giving back to their community by opening a supermarket. BBC reports the pair will open a 15,000 sq ft. supermarket in Croydon, a diverse area that includes Black and Asian populations, with the help of their business partner, Kaysor Ali. “It’s an honor for us to partner up on this venture,” Krept and Konan said in a statement, per All HipHop. “We are all about representation in the community and finding solutions; we are all from underrepresented communities, so this is a perfect partnership. Saveways is game-changing for our community, and we are excited to bring this vision to life.” Krept reflected on his personal connection to supermarkets, drawing on memories of his upbringing and the frequent need to visit multiple locations to shop for groceries — a reality that remains all too familiar for many in the South London town of Croydon. “Having the experience of going shopping and having to go to multiple places, have to go here for my meat, here for...
The AFROTECH™ 2024 Conference took Houston, TX, by storm from Nov. 15 to Nov. 17, uniting Black innovators worldwide to connect, discuss trends, and network with industry leaders and recruiters. A highlight of the conference was the Women in Tech Luncheon, presented by Yahoo. This event brought together an inspiring group of pioneering Black women in technology for an empowering and supportive celebration. Celebrity wellness and lifestyle expert and birth doula Latham Thomas, known as Glow Maven, opened the luncheon with welcoming remarks. She has been recognized as one of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul 100 and named one of Mindbodygreen’s “Top 100 Women to Watch in Wellness,” according to her Instagram profile. Notable speakers included Giselle Battley, head of global emerging careers and learning & development at Yahoo. According to her LinkedIn profile, Battley was recognized as one of Women We Admire’s Top 50 Women in Business for 2024. The luncheon opened the door for Black women...
A Black-owned plaza is making its way to Quincy, FL, in Gadsden County. According to WCTV, a variety of Black-owned businesses will be joining Seaboard Plaza. The plaza’s purpose is to increase the economic activity locally and create more jobs. Seaboard Plaza will feature the following types of businesses: Food court Barber shop Hair salon Dry cleaners Construction and real estate offices Full-scale restaurant with a private bar room Event venue “This helps to employ local people. This helps keep local money local and not take it out of town. This also provides convenience to people,” Gadsden County Economic Development Director T.J. Lewis told the outlet. General contractor Latasha Murray, a Gadsden County native, commented: “We considered what other people in Gadsden County wanted. The restaurants was one of the main ones and the cleaners ’cause we don’t have a cleaners here in Quincy as of now.” Furthermore, Seaboard Plaza is being built on the same land as the former Seaboard...
Flowing with Blessings Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Atlanta’s homeless population, has teamed up with industrial design students from Georgia Tech to develop an innovative Mobile Laundry Bus, according to the university’s News Center. Founded by Nicky Crawford in February 2022, Flowing with Blessings provides essential services such as showers and clean clothing for those in need. Georgia Tech reported that Crawford’s commitment to alleviating the daily struggles of those they serve — by helping individuals preserve their cherished belongings and maintain personal hygiene without the stigma often associated with homelessness — inspired the creation of the mobile laundry bus. Crawford bought a school bus to convert it into a mobile laundry service, going to Georgia Tech for help with the process. The initiative, led by Steve Chininis, professor of practice at the School of Industrial Design, involved students Zaria Hardnett, David Hounyo, Lily Liang, Claudia Ross, and...
According to Jamé Jackson, whether you recognize it or not, you are a brand. Jackson, the founder of the entrepreneurship website and podcast “TheBlondeMisfit,” serves as LinkedIn’s community manager of community segments, overseeing over 17,000 individuals. Her tenure with the social networking platform for professionals has centered on scaling its video content and viewership. According to her LinkedIn, coaching, workshops, and initiatives have led to an increase of 0.05% in video creation and attracted VIP and executive clients from tech companies to the platform. “My contributions have positioned LinkedIn as a leader in video-first professional storytelling, further reinforced by my role in ramping the video tab beta to over 10 million members, resulting in a 16% month-over-month expansion within just 12 weeks,” she describes on her LinkedIn profile. Jackson joined the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast, hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucas, where she emphasized the...
Community is essential for Black professionals. Among the annual events that center Black audiences, the AFROTECH™ Conference has rightfully earned the title of “Black tech Mecca.” Each year, leaders that have included Robert F. Smith, will.i.am, Beatrice Dixon (The Honey Po co-co-founder and former CEO), and Colin Kaepernick (Lumi Founder) have taken to its programing stages to offer industry insights. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH (@afro.tech) In attending the AFROTECH™ Conference, attendees have the opportunity to explore the expo floor, which features over 200 tech and enterprise companies actively recruiting, product demonstrations, and event activations both within the conference venue and in the surrounding area. The conference has made its way to Austin, TX, in previous years but has transitioned to Houston, TX, for the 2024 and 2025 years. Transforming Your ATC™ Experience As An Insider Among the list of ATC 2024 attendees was Jade C. Williams, a...
A Michigan-based venture capital fund focused on investing in businesses owned by people of color has joined forces with a renowned investment firm, paving the way for expanded growth and a more significant impact for both organizations. According to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business, the New Community Transformation Fund has partnered with Michigan Capital Network, which will manage fund’s, daily operations, and offer strategic guidance. Discussions between the two Grand Rapids firms began months ago. Paul D’Amato, CEO and managing director of Michigan Capital Network, said it “made sense” for both organizations from the start of the process. “We share their goal of creating access to capital for people of color because we know that business growth, entrepreneurship and capital investment strengthens our economy and makes our state more attractive to other businesses looking to relocate,” D’Amato said, Crain’s Grand Rapids reported. Through the affiliation, which gives the venture...