These new astronauts are “preparing for takeoff” in NASA’s Astronaut Office. On March 5, 2024, NASA held a graduation ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX, as 10 new graduates, “The Flies,” crossed the stage after completing two years of training, per a news release. Among the graduates are Andre Douglas and Christopher Williams — representing for Black astronauts. The monumental milestone is a dream come true for both Douglas and Williams. However, the two each had to make crucial decisions along their career paths that ultimately led to turning their dreams into reality. Following NASA’s graduation ceremony, Douglas recalled in an interview with AFROTECH™ about his journey of leaving the U.S. Coast Guard to pursue becoming an astronaut. While it became a great part of the Virginia native, and his father, who was also in the service, he knew he wanted to be in aerospace. Douglas’ curiosity for the industry began at age 7 when he looked through a telescope for the...

There’s no doubt that “Girls Trip” was a box office hit during the summer of 2017. Starring Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Regina Hall, and Tiffany Haddish, it became the first film with “an all-black creative team in front of and behind the camera to earn $100 million at the box office,” per The New York Times. What’s more, Tracy Oliver became the first African-American writer to cross off that milestone.

When people think about building wealth, many are drawn to the immediate gratification that they may see via social media, celebrities, etc. And many are consistently looking at diverse ways to increase their current worth, from earning a top salary, strategically investing, to starting a business or side hustle. And rightfully so. Today’s job market and economy are in flux. With major layoff announcements occurring almost weekly, earning all you can seems to be at the top of people’s minds. Considering the aforementioned, having a wealth building plan is crucial to the pathway towards building and maintaining financial wellness that leads to creating generational wealth. It all starts with developing positive savings habits and learning how investments and insurance can be wealth-gaining tools, providing security for the future – for yourself and for those you love. What is important for many is breaking down the stigma that financial health and generational wealth are only...

Oscar-winning actress Regina King is lending a big hand to improve financial literacy in underserved communities. According to a press release announcement, the Oscar winner is partnering with banking giant Wells Fargo to promote financial literacy. King is also featured in their latest campaign “Real Life Ready,” which promotes Wells Fargo’s Active Cash Visa card and rewards system that suits the consumer’s daily needs. “We are thrilled to be working with Regina King, whose own authenticity is showcased in our campaign, as she demonstrates through her genuine life experiences how Active Cash is a straightforward credit card that makes it easy to earn 2% cash rewards on purchases,” Krista Phillips, Wells Fargo’s head of branded cards and marketing, said in a press statement. “I was drawn to Wells Fargo given the bank’s continued commitment to underserved communities,” King said in the same press statement. She is also the first major face to partner with the banking giant. As an...