All results
The NAACP plans to sue Elon Musk ‘s Memphis, TN-based AI company, xAI, over concerns about air pollution stemming from a supercomputer facility allegedly operating gas turbines without proper permits. Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the NAACP filed its legal challenge on Tuesday as the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) reviews xAI’s permit application, according to The Associated Press. Activists and opponents say the facility is polluting predominantly Black neighborhoods in South Memphis. The NAACP sent a letter to the SCHD and Memphis Light, Gas, and Water on May 29, demanding an emergency order to halt xAI’s operations or, at the very least, cite the company for violating clean air standards, AFROTECH™ previously reported. “While data centers are becoming more prevalent across the country, there is a growing need to guarantee transparency regarding environmental and climate concerns, the burden these centers have on communities, and ensuring...
Cities across the U.S. have a clear opportunity to boost their economies by increasing the number of Black-owned businesses that serve as employers. Recognizing this potential, The Brookings Institution’s Metro Center for Community Uplift initiative is on a mission to help communities, policymakers, and grassroots organizers understand the crucial role of Black entrepreneurship. In June 2025, Brookings launched the Black Business Parity Dashboard. The dashboard shows the number of businesses and jobs, as well as the potential revenue and payroll generated if Black business ownership were to match the Black population in metro areas, according to a Brookings news release. Brookings’ research indicates that Black Americans outperform the national average in entrepreneurial traits tied to business success. However, systemic financial barriers — such as limited access to credit and the long-standing denial of wealth-building opportunities — have hindered growth. Centuries of denying...
Amazon is facing a lawsuit involving two predominantly Black neighborhoods, according to WTOP. The lawsuit was filed in the Washington, DC, Superior Court. It points to the Amazon Prime membership, which costs its customers $14.99 monthly or a flat rate of $139 annually. Zip codes 20019 and 20020, with 50,000 Prime members who have contributed to 4.5 million orders since 2020, claim Amazon began to rely on UPS and the U.S. Postal Service in 2022 in replacement of their own services. “Amazon is charging tens of thousands of hard-working Ward 7 and 8 residents for an expedited delivery service it promises but does not provide,” Washington, DC, Attorney General Brian Schwalb said in a statement, according to the outlet. Amazon admits the changes were a result of safety concerns. “There have been specific and targeted acts against drivers delivering Amazon packages” in the two ZIP codes, and the company made the change to “put the safety of delivery drivers first,” Amazon spokesperson...
If you’re a fitness nut, you’re likely already aware of the El Segundo, California-based multi-level marketing company Beachbody. The company, which operates a number of affiliate entities including Shakeology and Beachbar supplements, as well as Beachbody On Demand and MYXfitness live-coaching has recently announced a major shift in their business model. The company’s new approach sees them moving full-steam ahead towards profitable growth , as they eschew their MLM framework for a more streamlined single-level affiliate program, in a bid to appeal directly to their highest-spending consumers. Essentially, this cuts out the middle man, and allows those interested in taking video courses or purchasing supplements to meet their corporate supplier right at the source. Given that the company is projected to experience exponential growth with their new streamlined approach, it only makes sense to examine Beachbody’s history, current net worth, and plan for the future. This should give...
What started as a hobby during the pandemic quickly launched Lara Adekoya into entrepreneurship, selling cookies to consumers in Los Angeles, CA, including some of Hollywood’s hottest stars, including Issa Rae, Lena Waithe and others. Today, Adekoya is taking things one step further by launching her very first brick-and-mortar for Fleurs et Sel. “I’m really happy and I’m just ready,” Adekoya told AFROTECH™. “I feel like I’ve been ready to make this jump or transition for a while. As you know, it’s not something that’s happened overnight.” In a previous interview with Adekoya, AFROTECH™ learned the backstory to how she launched her business, which has grown rapidly over roughly four years. Fast-forward to the present day, she says there wasn’t a specific incident that encouraged her to open a bakery, but it will be in a historically Black and brown neighborhood in Los Angeles. “I’m opening in West Adams, which is a historically Black and brown neighborhood in LA that has been...
Tiger Woods has chosen loyalty over a hefty offer. The legendary golfer reportedly turned down an offer in the $700 to $800 million “neighborhood” to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series, ABC News reports. Greg Norman confirms #LIVGolf offered Tiger Woods in the $700-$800 million range to join the tour while on Tucker Carlson. "Tiger's a needle mover." pic.twitter.com/i1Tl0yUMoD — LIV Golf Nation (@LIVGolfNation) August 2, 2022
HBO and Issa Rae’s “Insecure” isn’t going out without a bang! AfroTech first told you about Glow Up Games, an all-women of color founded game studio on a mission to create games made with Black and brown joy in mind, in March 2020. “Glow Up Games is a research and development studio centered around using AI, AR/VR, games, and other innovative technologies to tell diverse stories,” we reported at the time. “The tech company is founded by three women of color including Mitu Khandaker, Tara Mustapha, and Latoya Peterson. Glow Up Games prides itself on creating experiences that are relatable to players of diverse backgrounds.” Now the founders of color have announced that they’re ready to launch their free-to-play mobile game “Insecure: The Come Up Game” alongside HBO as viewers are halfway through the final and fifth season of the hit series. Glow Up Games The game, which brings the friendships, drama and misadventures of “Issa Dee” and her friends to life is now available after the...
For many Black-owned and family-owned businesses, their missions are often rooted in stories of community, unity and perseverance through life’s obstacles. In the case of Flight — the newest and only state licensed cannabis dispensary in San Francisco’s Park Merced — cousins Eric Grayson, Keena Middleton, and Charles Toney II all teamed up to launch a business that could set an example for their community and honor their family all at once. “It means a lot because we’re from here, but it means a lot more because it took so much effort to even get to this point,” Middleton tells AfroTech. “[Flight] is not your regular business by any means, you can open up a million [other] things before you open up one of these [dispensaries]. It has a lot to do with being Black as well, but to be able to do it with family members means the world.” The dispensary’s name itself is a tribute to Grayson’s mother, Clara Grayson, who passed away from cancer after the family pooled money together to fly...