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In case you missed it, AFROTECH™ Executive is heading to New Jersey. If you’re unfamiliar with the event, previous stops included Seattle, WA; Washington, D.C.; Brooklyn, NY; and more. As the event heads to Newark, NJ, on June 28, attendees will have the opportunity to explore topics like practical AI applications, equitable resources for entrepreneurs, tech advancements, and innovative economies. In addition, the highly anticipated AFROTECH Executive Newark will allow attendees to hear from speakers like A ngela Rye, principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies and co-host of the Native Land Pod. Her fireside chat will focus on bridging the gap for an equitable community. The conversation, moderated by Black Tech Green Money host Will Lucas, will explore a world where opportunities and access are endless, ensuring that entrepreneurs who represent the community are equipped with the tools needed to be successful and can inspire others to build a more accessible, diverse, and thriving...
The 2020 COVID pandemic reshaped many facets of our lives, including how we work. With enforced quarantine restrictions came more opportunities to work from home , many of which stayed in place long after the regulations eased up. This shift in workplace culture and rise of remote work has gifted many pros to the common employee, though it’s also birthed new phenomenons, including stealth PTO (Paid Time Off). This refers to employees taking time off work without formally notifying their employers. Instead, they manage their absences informally, blending their personal time with work hours in a way that goes unnoticed. Let’s explore exactly what stealth PTO is, its impact on businesses, and what its growing popularity among employees says about our workplace culture in America. What Is Stealth PTO? Stealth PTO refers to the practice in which employees take unofficial time off by leveraging flexible work arrangements, like working remotely. Unlike traditional PTO, which is documented...
When speaking on successful Black-owned businesses, Telfar sits gracefully in the top ranking. With each new release, the apparel brand’s popularity continues to spike in fashion. As previously reported by AfroTech, it became the “it” brand during the COVID-19 pandemic and has since gone on to collaborate with the likes of UGG and Moose Knuckles. The hype around Telfar has reached where many fans are left disappointed when they’re unable to secure their items during the online frenzy that occurs when there’s a drop. But according to Clemens, soon Telfar won’t only be available online. Essence reports that Clemens shared in an interview with The Breakfast Club that Telfar has its first physical store in the works. “There is one coming,” he said. “We’re opening a store this year in New York City. And we’re still deciding where that is going to be. I don’t want to say too much about it, but we’re opening a store this year.” The tidbit is all that has been revealed so far. Therefore,...
The CEO of Rolls-Royce has disclosed some interesting facts about his cars’ sales in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. And according to Business Insider, it’s all about the money for him — and others. “Quite a lot of people witnessed people in their community dying from Covid, that makes them think life can be short, and you’d better live now than postpone it to a later date,” Torsten Müller-Otvös said. “That also has helped [Rolls-Royce sales] quite massively.” To wit, Rolls-Royce sold nearly 6,000 cars in 2021, a record for the luxury car manufacturer. The most popular model for purchase was the so-called “Ghost” model, which has been named in countless Hip-Hop songs and featured in numerous films and television shows. And the car itself is not the only luxury item to see a spike in sales. According to the same report, sales of luxury items, in general, have spiked dramatically in the wake of the pandemic — and that number is only going to increase as time goes on. “The crisis...
Gunna and Goodr have returned for the greater good of the Atlanta, GA community. Gunna’s Great Giveaway Foundation and Black-owned sustainable waste management platform Goodr will be providing $150 gift cards for 750 families to shop at their local Walmart this holiday season. Beginning today (Dec. 23), families in College Park (6149 Old National Hwy, College Park, GA 30349) can tap in but must have already pre-registered. In addition to the gift card, Gunna will be handing out a special gift. “Gunna continually finds ways to give back to the community that raised him,” Goodr CEO Jasmine Crowe says, according to Hype Magazine . “We at Goodr value this partnership and look forward to helping Gunna’s efforts whenever we are called upon.” Registrations have closed for the drive-thru event, and for participating families attending, they must remain in their vehicles. Masks will be required. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ❕WUNNA❕🥷🏻✝️ (@gunna) As AfroTech previously told you,...
StockX has appointed Robin Washington as its new audit committee chair, the company shared in a press release. Detroit-based StockX is known for its online marketplace featuring luxury sneakers, apparel and accessories, electronics, collectibles, and trading cards. The five-year-old company, which only allows sellers to list new items in original packaging, also has a rigorous authentication process to ensure products are real. Washington joins StockX’s board with a wealth of experience advising tech and life science companies. In her new role, she’ll advise its leaders as StockX plans for international expansion and diversifying its catalog. “Robin is a proven and dynamic leader, with deep experience as an operator and board member at some of the leading global organizations of our time. Today, we’re thrilled to welcome her to the StockX board as the Chair of our Audit Committee,” StockX CEO Scott Cutler said in a statement . “Robin’s perspective will be invaluable to our...
QuickHire, led by sisters Deborah Gladney and Angela Muhwezi-Hall, broke barriers becoming the first Black women in Kansas to raise over $1 million in funding. In a seed round led by MATH Venture Partners, the career development platform raised $1.41 million. Sandalphon Capital (Chicago), KCRise Fund (Kansas City), October Minority Impact Fund (Kansas City), Tenzing Capital Ventures (Wichita), Accelerate Venture Partners (Wichita), Sixty8 Capital (Indianapolis), Ruthless for Good (New Orleans), Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund (D.C.) and ETF@JFFLabs (Boston) also participated in the round. Gladney told AfroTech exclusively that it’s easy for investors to focus on what makes a Black startup different. However, they felt it was important to seek out synergies with investors who focused on what brings them together. Doing so brought their search to investors in the Midwest region and venture capital firms who have shown support for minority and underserved founders. The ideation...
Mastercard is putting small businesses in the spotlight in their latest campaign, and one of them is Black-woman-owned. As the official payment service for the New York Road Runners, Mastercard launched “50 Years and Running” to highlight their support of the TCS New York City Marathon. Captured by documentary filmmaker Nick Heller, the campaign features three small businesses along the marathon route , including Black woman-owned Grandma’s Place — founded by Dawn Harris-Martin, “lovingly referred to as ‘Grandma Dawn'” Davey’s Ice Cream and Bronx Native. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Grandma Dawn (@grandmasplaceharlem) “The issues facing small businesses have changed radically in the 50 years since the TCS New York City Marathon began, and the impacts of the pandemic have only amplified and evolved these challenges,” said Heller in a press release. “Running a business takes the same dedication, hard work and grit it takes to run a marathon. We’re proud to pay tribute...
Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and REFORM Alliance have partnered to bring thousands of job opportunities to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18. The news comes in light of a needed revitalization of New York’s economy following the alarming impact of COVID-19, which according to reports, may take years to recover from. The “Team Roc New York Job Fair” hopes to provide New Yorkers with relief by providing opportunities of all levels. “The Team Roc New York Job Fair is a real opportunity for socio-economic mobility for New Yorkers – those who want to work, yet have not had the exposure or connections to the right-fit jobs, or to the support services that can strengthen their prospects for employment,” Dania Diaz, Team Roc managing director, said in a press release. “It is also a chance for us to work together – public, private, nonprofit sectors – to address the state’s labor shortages in a meaningful way.” The Team Roc New York Job Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET and open to the general...
Imagine earning a living doing something that you actually love to do! As the founder of her very own business, Lara Adekoya doesn’t have to imagine, she’s living the dream. Fleurs et Sel is a baking company that was launched by Adekoya during the pandemic and combines her two favorite things — flowers and salt. Adekoya spent most of her teenage years living in France, so Paris became a second home to her. With the French language holding a special place in her heart, it was only right that it influenced the name of her brand too. Adekoya’s vision for Fleurs et Sel came from a hobby that she revisited during the height of the pandemic to keep her spirits lifted and bring back some of the joy she felt during her childhood. “I wasn’t working the typical corporate job when the pandemic hit, I actually worked at Nordstrom and so when the stay-at-home orders kicked in, my day looked very different from my sister and boyfriend who spent a lot of their time on Zoom calls and meetings all...
Live Nation wants the artists to have a choice. In a statement released by the company’s CEO — and obtained by Revolt TV — it was revealed that the concert promoter is leaving the onus on the artists, themselves, to issue a vaccine mandate at their concerts. “It has been great to see events make such a strong return across the U.S., with demand for concerts and festivals continuing to outpace expectations,” wrote CEO Michael Rapino, in the announcement. “We are working to ensure we are reopening in the best way possible for staff, artists, crew, fans, and communities at large. Our teams have worked together to put new processes in place so artists doing shows with Live Nation in the U.S. can require all attendees and staff to be fully vaccinated or show a negative test result for entry where permitted by law. We know people are eager to return to live events, and we hope these measures encourage even more people to get vaccinated. That is the number one thing anyone can do to take...
A Black woman has just won $302,000 in Delaware’s vaccine incentive program. According to the local ABC affiliate in Delaware, Sophie Poindexter got entered into the lottery after signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine. The Newark, DE native was automatically entered into the program, which is called DE Wins! “They told me, ‘You’re going to need to sit down for this because you’re the big winner,'” she said to the outlet. Poindexter also said that she plans to use some of the money to book a trip. Congratulations are in order, then, for Poindexter! Delaware is one of many states that have a vaccine incentive program. The ABC affiliate in Missouri is also offering a similar vaccine incentive program, where residents of the state who get the COVID-19 vaccine are automatically entered to win cash prizes. Prizes in Missouri include $10,000 cash or $10,000 toward an education savings account. 900 winners total will be selected to win that money. And the National Governor’s Association has a...
2021 NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball is taking his talents off the court with a brand new unique sports partnership. Today, POWERHANDZ — the only Black woman-owned global athletic training and rehabilitation product tech platform in existence — announced its merger with PH Innovation Holdings, Inc. and partnership with Ball where the Charlotte Hornets guard will serve as a general partner, brand ambassador and board member of PH Innovation Holdings, Inc. and The Power to Give Foundation, a press release reports. Ball has been using POWERHANDZ’s products since 2019 and his affinity for the brand is what helped him and his manager find a way to become a part of the company’s success. “Training is my lifestyle. Using POWERHANDZ during training and pre-game warm ups, just activates everything. I feel more explosive on the court,” Ball said in a statement. “I liked the overall vision so much, I didn’t want to just be a customer, I wanted to be a major partner, have ownership to create...
For over a year now, the connectivity gap in American homes and schools has been jarring to see as many students all over the country have struggled to gain access to educational tech devices and strong internet connections. In an effort to close the connectivity gap amongst U.S. students, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced the launch of a $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund to help schools and libraries purchase technology and resources like laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers and broadband connections for schooling. According to a press release, this marks the agency and country’s largest effort to close the homework gap and connect American students to the tools they need to support their education. “Even before the coronavirus pandemic upended so much of day-to-day life, seven in ten teachers were assigning homework that required access to the internet,” FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel shared in a press statement. “But data...
Brooklyn Nets owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai are trying something ground-breaking that’ll change the game for Black business-owners looking for financial assistance. According to CNBC, as part of their $50 million commitment to help minority communities, the sports owners have launched “EXCELerate,” a $2.5 million Black business loan program to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funds for the program will come from the Tsai foundation’s Social Justice Fund — which was started last year to help resolve economic inequities in Black communities. “We know that there is no social justice without economic opportunity,” Tsai said in a statement, “which is why we are so excited to launch the Brooklyn EXCELerate Loan Program aimed at elevating Brooklyn’s BIPOC [Black, indigenous, and other people of color] business owners post-pandemic and doing our small part to overcome barriers this community faces in accessing capital.” What’s unique about the program is that instead of...