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The Trump administration has rescinded a historic settlement designed to improve wastewater treatment services for residents in majority-Black communities in Lowndes County, Alabama, where inadequate infrastructure has long led to raw sewage exposure. On Friday, April 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the termination of the 2-year-old agreement made with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) under the Biden administration , describing it as an “ illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.” “The DOJ will no longer push ‘environmental justice’ as viewed through a distorting, DEI lens,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “ President [Donald] Trump made it clear: Americans deserve a government committed to serving every individual with dignity and respect, and to expending taxpayer resources in accordance with the national interest, not arbitrary criteria.” On Jan. 20, 2025 — his first day back in office — Trump had signed an executive...
Time management has always been a critical skill, but as workloads increase and efficiency becomes more valuable, artificial intelligence has emerged as a powerful tool for optimizing schedules, automating tasks and improving productivity. AI-driven solutions help individuals allocate their time more effectively, eliminating repetitive work and streamlining decision-making. Unlike traditional time management methods that rely on manual input, A I leverages data and automation to create more efficient workflows , ensuring that time is spent where it matters most. The analytics that come from consistent use of tools like Gemini and ChatGPT provide a clear picture of how time is being spent across projects and teams, enabling businesses to streamline operations and eliminate unnecessary meetings. Predictive AI technology anticipates peak work periods and adjusts schedules accordingly, helping professionals prepare for heavy workloads in advance. This is especially useful in industries...
The Trump administration has repealed a Biden-era policy that guaranteed a baseline wage for workers on federal contracts, cutting the federal contractor minimum wage down from $17.75 an hour. However, the move still leaves an Obama-era rule in place that puts the minimum at $13.30 an hour. With that single change, hundreds of thousands of private-sector workers employed by federal contractors are at risk of wage reductions up to 25% — a shift that will disproportionately affect workers without college degrees and those already earning near-poverty wages, the Center for American Progress reports. The Federal Contractor Minimum Wage: A Lifeline Now Lost The now-defunct regulation, established under Executive Order 14026, raised the federal contractor minimum wage in 2021 to $15 and indexed it to inflation, bringing it to $17.75 in 2025. It was designed to ensure that janitors, cooks, maintenance workers, and other federal contract laborers earned a livable wage. More than 327,000...
Being a founder is not an easy journey. James Oliver who is currently behind Kabila, a company connecting underserved founders to co-founders, capital, and community, had his fair share of challenges prior to the venture. In fact, his first startup, WeMontage, failed while he was also navigating the early days of fatherhood — his twin children were born prematurely at just two pounds each via an emergency C-section. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, some of his difficulties were launching his company as a non-technical founder creating software. Two days after his children’s births, he had to attend an accelerator, led by gener8tor, which was a two-hour drive from where he lived in northeast Wisconsin. Ahead of a presentation on demo day, Oliver was greeted by an angel investor group, and they were willing to invest $250,000. “I dropped to my knees and thanked God because everything I was going through at that time was really hard. So that was my introduction to being a parent and...
Dove wants increased representation in the digital world, leading the global personal care brand to launch a guide to help designers create characters with Black hair textures and protective styles for video games. “Code My Crown” — created with the help of Black game developers, artists, academics, and stylists — features instructions, personal insights, detailed references, and complete open-source code. “In the real world, there is an incredible variety of Black hairstyles. But this is rarely reflected in the gaming world,” said Lead Guide Contributor and Founder of the Open Source Afro Hair Library (Osahl) A.M. Darke in the guide. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Prof. A.M. Darke (@prettydarke) Recent research indicates that 85% of Black gamers believe video games poorly represent Black hair textures, according to Dove. Additionally, around 80% of Black gamers report feeling excluded, discriminated against, or inadequate when they do not see accurate...
Charles D. King has changed the entertainment landscape for the better. The Journey Born in Harlem, NY, and raised on the outskirts of Atlanta, GA, he showed early signs of being a businessman by selling supplies at school and even cutting neighbors’ grass, CNBC reports . He says his inspiration was his father, who founded a medical practice as a pediatrician. According to Forbes, King originally intended to also pursue a career in the medical field. “Seeing him leave a job to start his own practice. My mother was the first receptionist. It was just amazing watching it, but the other thing was the freedom that he had,” he told CNBC. King would follow that blueprint of ownership, but within the entertainment industry. As a political science student at Vanderbilt University, he showed an interest in recognizing talent. However, his pivot into the entertainment industry came during a two-year stint as a law clerk with a music attorney while at Howard University School of Law between...
Yale University students Nathaneo Johnson And Sean Hargrow have launched what they call “the first AI social network.” Business Insider reports that the duo was inspired to found Series because vanity metrics, such as likes and follower counts, were becoming a barrier to connection on platforms such as LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. “I see it within our generation, the FOMO, the ‘I’m not good enough, I won’t reach out to that person, he’s better than me,'” Hargrow told Business Insider. “Forget your likes, forget your followers, let’s focus on who you are and what you can bring to the table and what you need, and what somebody else can bring to your table if it makes sense.” In 2024, Series was founded with a focus on student entrepreneurs . The platform allows people to chat with an “AI Friend,” whether they’re using an iPhone or Android, to gauge what kind of connections they’re looking for. From there, the AI agent matches them with another Series user who fits...
A group of students claims a New York school backed by Jay-Z underdelivered on its promise. According to the Gothamist, a group of students is alleging that the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at Long Island University (LIU) Brooklyn overpromised on financial awards to fund their eduction. Several offer letters the students have received from the school describe incentives such as a “full-tuition scholarship” and “financial grants” that would allow them “to graduate without debt.” However, the letters did not mention that the financial awards would not cover housing costs or certain academic fees, which can add up to more than $22,000 per year. “I am pleased to share that you have been awarded a Hope full-tuition scholarship… This scholarship, combined with financial grants will allow you to graduate without debt. As a Hope scholar, you don’t have to worry about tuition charges,” an email from the school’s academic adviser read. One student, Justice Stephenson,...
Growth Warrior Capital has raised new funding to support enterprise companies being fueled by artificial intelligence (AI). The operator-led venture firm, which invests in early-stage Enterprise AI companies, was created by Promise Phelon, a former Silicon Valley tech CEO with more than 15 years of experience as an angel investor. According to a news release shared with AFROTECH™, her career trajectory has led to an expansive network , some of whom have now invested in Growth Warrior Capital’s first fund, which totals $26 million. Limited partners include Ho Nam and Han Kim (Altos VC) and well as Seth Levine and Brad Feld (Foundry). Amazon Catalytic Capital, Bank of America, Bessemer Venture Partners, Pivotal Ventures, and more are also listed as limited partners. “My goal is to be the first VC fund of significant scale run by a woman of color,” Phelon, founder and managing partner, said in a news release. “We have the backing of VC industry legends, and their support is proof of...
The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), dedicated to expanding opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in Atlanta, GA, and beyond, has received a $2 million donation from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. According to a news release, Blank’s donation will help the center move forward with RICE 2.0, a hub for innovation, collaboration, and economic empowerment that will provide essential resources for Black business founders, including small business grants, expanded programming, and mentorship opportunities. “This investment reflects our chairman’s entrepreneurial journey and his commitment to giving back to Atlanta, a city that has given him so much,” Blank Foundation President Fay Twersky said. “RICE’s extraordinary work supporting entrepreneurs creates pathways to economic mobility and opportunity. By investing in entrepreneurs at all stages, we’re fostering collective thriving where individual success strengthens entire communities.” In 1978, Arthur Blank...
The U.S. job market is sending mixed messages — and workers are caught in the middle. On one hand, employers are adding jobs at a pace that suggests economic growth. On the other hand, unemployment is rising and confidence in long-term stability is shrinking. It’s a win-loss moment for the American workforce: The numbers are up, but the foundation feels shaky. According to CNN, the U.S. economy added 228,000 jobs in March, beating expectations and extending a 51-month streak of job growth — one of the longest in U.S. history. Yet, in the same report, the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, indicating that while more people are entering the labor force, not everyone is finding a place in it. The Strengths And Limits Of The Job Market March’s numbers were encouraging in many ways. Job creation exceeded expectations, and average wages rose 0.3% for the month, slowing to a 3.8% year-over-year increase. Economists had predicted slower growth — around 130,000 new jobs — but the market...
CoCo Gauff is on a mission to “take greater ownership” of her tennis career, starting with launching her own management agency. On Wednesday, April 2, Gauff, describing herself as an “athlete, entrepreneur, and changemaker,” announced the launch of Coco Gauff Enterprises. The initiative is supported by talent representation agency WME (William Morris Endeavor), which Gauff asserted has the “vision and resources to help me explore all of the opportunities ahead.” “From the moment I first picked up a tennis racket, I’ve always believed my purpose extended far beyond the court,” Gauff’s post said. “Today, I’m thrilled to announce CoCo Gauff Enterprises, a venture that reflects my passion for making an impact—not just in tennis, but in business, philanthropy , and beyond.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coco Gauff (@cocogauff) The venture marks the end of Gauff’s partnership with Team8, the boutique agency co-founded by former Swiss professional tennis player Roger...
While fans are focused on new music, Cardi B is focused on creating generational wealth. Cardi B has aligned herself with various endorsement deals over the years from Pepsi, Reebok, NYX Professional Makeup, and Fashion Nova, which she worked with earlier on in her career. As AFROTECH previously told you, Fashion Nova paid the rapper $200 for every post back in 2016, two years before the release of her successful debut album “Invasion of Privacy.” That number went as high as $20,000 per month, according to Vox. In April 2024, she revealed she was earning over $5 million from brand deals. Cardi B has proven she is able to bring in the dough for companies, and over the past couple of years she is now doing the same on her own terms. In 2021, Cardi B launched Whipshots in partnership with Starco Brands, which sold 5 million cans within three years, a press release mentions. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Whipshots ™ (@whip_shots) Launching Apparel And Beauty Brands Cardi...
Apple faces its largest decline since 2020, leading the race of significant drops in technology stocks as President Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff on all imported goods and higher duties targeting specific countries, according to CNBC. Trump shared the news about tariffs from the White House’s Rose Garden after the market closed on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, raising concerns about a potential global trade war . According to a White House fact sheet, the tariffs will take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on Saturday, April 5, 2025. “Today, President Donald J. Trump declared that foreign trade and economic practices have created a national emergency, and his order imposes responsive tariffs to strengthen the international economic position of the United States and protect American workers,” the fact sheet read. On Thursday, April 3, Apple stock declined by over 8%, Meta Platforms and Amazon each dropped about 7%, and Nvidia and Tesla experienced declines of over 4%, per CNBC. The...
Costco’s consumer base is on the rise. According to Retail Brew, the retailer has continued seeing an increase in its foot traffic, having reached its 13th consecutive week during the week of March 17. Costco’s influx of customers is in part due to its decision to uphold diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It sparked a “buy in” led by Civil Rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton in January 2025 at Costco Wholesale, 1055 Hudson St., in Union, NJ. “We are planning to release a boycott list in the coming days,” Sharpton told TMZ at the time. “But in the interim, we are going to do a ‘buy-cott,’ which means we are going to support those who support diversity.” As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Costco’s board of directors requested for its shareholders to vote against a proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) that would dismantle its DEI programs. “Our success at Costco Wholesale has been built on service to our critical stakeholders: employees, members, and...