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Marche Robinson has advice for content creator seeking monetization. Robinson has worn many hats from attorney to content creator to founder of the vegan and cruelty-free haircare brand Isaline Beauty, which she launched in 2020. Having multiple streams of income has worked to her benefit, as she admits it has allowed her to take greater risks and be more intentional with the opportunities presented to her as a content creator, as explained on the âBlack Tech Green Moneyâ podcast hosted by AFROTECH⢠Brand Manager Will Lucas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marche Robinson (@marcherobinson)  âI worked for, I think, seven years before I went full-time with, or I wonât say full-time content creating, but before I left corporate America, one thing I loved when I worked my day job wasâŚI never felt the pressure to align with a brand that I didnât feel spoke to my life or resonated with my followersâŚ,â she explained. âIf you ask my managers, Iâm very rigid when it comes to...
Houston, TX, native Jennifer Fordâs passion for sneakers has led her to work with major apparel giants. Ford is currently the proud owner of Premium Goods, a sneaker boutique in Houston. The idea for opening the shop dials back to her days in New York, NY, following the completion of her economics degree from Emory University, her LinkedIn mentions. While in New York, it would spark her interests in womenâs buying departments and womenâs product development. However, it was not until she befriended Premium Goods-Brooklyn shop owner Clarence Nathan that Ford manifested her own sneaker boutique in 2004, located in her hometown. âItâs about being with other people who enjoy the same thing as me and [building] a community,â Ford told Vogue in 2023. With its opening in 2004, the Premium Goods Houston location reportedly became the first sneaker retail store in the United States led by a Black woman. Per Premium Goodsâ website, the shop features major brands like Jordan Brand, Nike,...
College football quarterback Shedeur Sanders still remains at the top of name, image, and likeness (NIL) earners. As AFROTECH⢠previously reported, Shedeur was listed at the top of the 2023 college football season, with an approximate $3.8 million valuation. This was also the highest NIL valuation at the time. In 2024, not much has changed. Shedeur â who now plays for the University of Colorado and is being led by his father and head coach Deion Sanders â has a NIL valuation that has soared to an estimated $5.1 million , according to the latest data from On3. He is joined by his teammate, Travis Hunter, who is ranked third with an estimated $3.1 million valuation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by On3 NIL (@on3nil) Signing To Nike The news follows just weeks after Shedeur made history as the first college football player to sign an NIL deal with Nike. His presence within the athletic apparel giant is now a family affair, as his father is also signed to a deal with the...
History is being made in the 2024-2025 NFL season. Diverse Representation shares on Instagram that the current season, which kicks off Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, reportedly has the most Black team minority owners in league history. The list is filled with various trailblazers across entertainment, sports, and business, which you can find below. Venus And Serena Williams Kicking things off are trailblazers Venus and Serena Williams, who made history as the first Black women to become minority owners in the NFL. As AFROTECH⢠previously told you, they became minority owners in 2009 when the team was reportedly worth $1.02 billion, per Statista. âI am honored to be a partner in the Miami Dolphins franchise and thankful to owner Stephen Ross for allowing Serena and I to be part of Miami Dolphins history,â Venus said at the time, according to People. Serena added, âI am so excited to be part of such a renowned organization. Having spent so much of my childhood in the area, being involved...
Charles Barkley is fulfilling his commitment to a school that has ties to a historic math discovery. As AFROTECH⢠previously reported, Calcea Johnson and NeâKiya Jackson, who attended St. Maryâs Academy in New Orleans, LA, at the time, found an alternative way to solve the Pythagorean Theorem during their senior year. Without using circular reasoning, they were still able to use trigonometry, which had puzzled mathematicians for over 2,000 years. âCalcea and NeâKiya explained it to me like this: Basically, trigonometry is based on Pythagorasâ Theorem (A^2 + B^2 = C^2, sound familiar?), so using trigonometry to prove Pythagorasâ Theorem is whatâs known as circular logic,â mentioned WWL-TV 4 reporter Sam Winstrom. The young prodigies had come to this conclusion following a math contest held at their school, which was attached to a $500 incentive. âThere was a bonus question that was to create a new proof of the Pythagorean Theorem,â Johnson told PEOPLE. âNeâKiya and I were the only...
Magic Johnson now has five teams in his investment portfolio. As AFROTECH⢠previously reported, the NBA-legend-turned-serial- entrepreneur has ownership in the MLBâs Los Angeles Dodgers, MLSâs Los Angeles Football Club, WNBAâs Los Angeles Sparks, and NFLâs Washington Commanders. Now, he is announcing his involvement with a fifth team. âCBS Morningsâ reports he joined the investor group for the National Womenâs Soccer League (NWSL) team Washington Spirit , which is led by Michele Kang, the first woman of color to have majority ownership in the NWSL. The pair first met in Los Angeles, CA, and immediately connected over a shared excitement for the growing popularity in womenâs soccer in the U.S. âIâm so excited to join the Washington Spiritâs investor group at such a pivotal time in the clubâs history! Partnering with a visionary like Michele Kang and her team to advance the growth of the Washington Spirit and the NWSL is an incredible opportunity,â Johnson wrote on Instagram. View...
The founders of Eastside Golf continue to build on their momentum in the golf apparel space while staying true to their roots. As previously reported by AFROTECHâ˘, Morehouse College graduates Olajuwon Ajanaku and Earl Cooper founded the brand without a fashion background in 2019 after working full-time in corporate America. The company boasts products such as polo shirts, sweatshirts, pants, shoes, and accessories including bags, all tailored towards men and women. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Eastside Golf (@eastsidegolf) Beyond the product offerings, the founders have continued to pave their own way through their mission that centers moving the sport forward among the youth and non-golfers while increasing diversity in a predominantly white sport. Their vision has led to an increase in support as they scaled their annual revenue from $100,000 in their first year to $4 million in 2023. They kicked off 2024 with a $3.4 million raise led by EP Golf Ventures, and the...
Former Morehouse College President Dr. Robert Michael Franklin Jr. once called the institution the âInternational Headquarters for Black Male Excellenceâ during a school-wide address. As the president at the time and an alum, many could argue his opinion was slightly biased. However, the institution makes a solid case for the claim when considering notable alums like Spike Lee, P.J. Morton, Samuel L. Jackson, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Morehouse College, one of many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), develops young Black men who impact industries and make waves across various sectors. One of those individuals in this emerging vanguard is Atlanta, GA-based creative Cam Kirk. Cam Kirkâs Big Move Cameron Kirkland, a native of Prince Georgeâs County, MD, moved to Atlanta, GA, to pursue a business degree from Morehouse College. This decision, however, eventually led him from his initial goal of becoming a music executive and into visual storytelling. âI moved to...
Elise Smith is helping to create better outcomes for diverse employees. She is the co-founder and CEO of Praxis Labs, an âimmersive practice-based platform that drives inclusive, engaged, and higher-performing teams,â a press release mentioned. The platform offers has assisted companies including Google, Uber, and ServiceNow to help achieve benchmarks that boost engagement and lead to retention, enhance company culture, and increase equity and inclusion. âFor me, itâs how do we use technology to help us become even better humans, to help us be able to give feedback across differences, to navigate difficult conversations, to provide performance feedback and expectations with accountability and care in a way that actually serves us all better, that creates more value for everyone, doesnât cause harm,â she told AFROTECHâ˘. âWeâre seeing our workplaces need that more than ever.â To date, Praxis Labs has raised $23 million, per digitalundivided. As AFROTECH⢠previously reported, Praxis...
Ancestry.com has been helping families trace their roots for nearly three decades. Now, the genealogy company is using technology to further assist Black Americans in discovering their ancestry. On June 11, 2024, Ancestry announced the publication of a free collection of 38,000 newspaper articles related to more than 183,000 enslaved people in the U.S. from 1788 to 1867, according to a press release. Ancestryâs mission in launching the new newspaper article collection is to help descendants expand their family history research and discover connections. âGreater access to these records on Ancestry will enhance understanding of how chattel slavery and the forced movement of enslaved people became normalized in the United States,â said Dr. Karcheik Sims-Alvarado, assistant professor of Africana studies at Morehouse College, per the press release. âThis collection is invaluable for providing descendants of enslaved individuals with insights into their ancestral histories and their...
A teenager is on his way to making history in Indiana. ABC-7 in Chicago, IL, reports that at age 15, Khaya Njumbe is set to become the youngest college graduate in Indiana. As the first generation of his family born in the U.S., the teen lives in Gary, IN, and attends Indiana University Northwest. He will cross the graduation stage in May 2024 â making him the first to do so in his family. The outlet details that to get a head start on the achievement, Njume took dual-credit courses at 21st Century Charter High School. Theresa Canady, a social worker at the charter school, shared that he initially started taking college courses at age 11. âWhen I was younger, I had a lot of ambition,â Njumbe told the outlet. âI always just wanted to do more, impress my parents mainly. I was always an overachiever in school.â Jack Bloom, one of Njumbeâs professors at Indiana University Northwest, shared, âItâs pretty amazing. Obviously the stuff he can do is beyond what most people can do.â He added,...
The production tagline on Metro Boominâs beats, âIf Young Metro donât trust you, Iâm gone shoot you,â is more than a cultural statement â itâs rooted in the long-time friendship and business partnership he has with Atlanta, GA, rapper Future. Emerging from St. Louis, MO, Metro Boomin, born Leland Tyler Wayne, has carved his name in the annals of Hip-Hop history. His talent and ingenuity have propelled him to the forefront of the industry, with his production credits and collaborative acclaim spanning chart-topping songs with Drake, Travis Scott, Gucci Mane, Big Sean, and The Weeknd, among others. Itâs About More Than Rap For Metro Boomin While Metro Boominâs catalog is predominantly rooted in Rap and Hip-Hop, his music is a testament to his diverse range of influences. From the Pop icons that shaped his early musical journey to the eerie soundscapes of horror movies, his unique blend of inspirations is a fascinating insight into his creative process. âMichael Jackson. He was always...
The four-day work week is a new workplace disruptor that is gradually taking over the contentious discussion of working remotely. The idea is gaining momentum as a result of multiple significant experiments conducted in the US, UK, and Canada. Letâs examine the chances of states and businesses being open to implementing a four-day work week and the potential implications for you. What Is A 4-Day Work Week? Although the five-day workweek is widely used today, it wasnât until Henry Ford introduced it in his factory in 1926 that it became popular and was made official by legislation in 1940. According to a press release from the office of Sen. Bernie Sanders , a new bill being introduced into the U.S. Senate would reduce the standard U.S. workweek to four days, while retaining the same five-day pay wages for workers. This marks the anniversary of Fordâs decision to reduce the workweek for his employees by nearly a century. Although the idea is not new, there has never been a greater...
Kanye West is convinced he will recover his losses from the severed Adidas partnership. As AFROTECH⢠previously told you, the apparel giant severed its ties with the rapper and record producer in 2022 due to antisemitic remarks West made at the time. As a result, Adidas paused the production of all Yeezy-branded products and froze payments to West and his companies. âAdidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Yeâs recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful, and dangerous, and they violate the companyâs values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect, and fairness,â the company declared in a press release . âAfter a thorough review, the company has taken the decision to terminate the partnership with Ye immediately, end production of Yeezy branded products, and stop all payments to Ye and his companies. Adidas will stop the Adidas Yeezy business with immediate effect.â In May 2023, Adidas softened its posture, announcing the company...
The legacy of the late Bob Marley remains prevalent. Bobâs musical influence extends globally, with Rolling Stone recognizing âExodus,â his ninth studio album with the Wailers, as No. 48 on its list of âThe 500 Greatest Albums of All Timeâ in December 2023. Whatâs more, his story is currently being told in a biopic across movie theaters. âBob Marley: One Loveâ has earned $71.1 million domestically and $120.5 globally, according to Entertainment Weekly and Comscore (at the time of this writing). Though his life was cut short at 36, following a battle with malignant melanoma, t he Marley family continues to carry the torch of their father while also carving their own paths. At the time of his death, Bob did not have a will, and his inheritance was given to his wife, Rita, and 11 children. As AFROTECH previously told you, with that financial investment in each of his children, many have built on that foundation with net worths now reportedly set in the multi-millions. This includes...