Black Girl Magic is real, and Coco Gauff is evidence of this phenomenon. Born in 2004, Cori Dionne “Coco” Gauff is an American tennis player who comes from an athletic family. According to PEOPLE, her parents, Corey and Candi, were on the road to becoming professional athletes as well. Gauff’s dad, Corey, played college basketball at Georgia State University, while Candi was an accomplished track and field star at Florida State University. Though the two don’t take full credit for Gauff’s athletic prowess, they acknowledge that their own experiences as athletes provided a solid foundation for understanding the dedication and discipline required to perform at a high level. Their support and guidance have been instrumental in creating the atmosphere for her to succeed. “I think it helps parents when they have played as high as college or even pro,” Gauff’s father told The New York Times in 2019. “You better understand the process and so you don’t get too jittery about it. You don’t...

Melissa Joyner has worn a myriad of hats, but she has now added another layer to her repertoire, stepping into the role of a first-time virtual reality (VR) director. According to information provided to AFROTECH™, the actor with screen credits including the FX network’s miniseries “Mrs. America” and Spectrum Originals TV series “The Bite” has reimagined the Southern Nigerian folktale “The Woman with Two Skins.” The original tale follows the story of Adiaha, a Spider’s daughter who is given two skins. One is her external skin, perceived as unpleasant to the eye and a way of protection, and the other is her inner self, later revealed as beautiful. Joyner drew many questions from the original storyline that transformed it into a source of inspiration. “I dove deep, searching for an African-American ‘fairytale’ and was graced by ‘The Woman with Two Skins’ from Nigeria. Immediately struck, first by the title, then by the premise,” Joyner told AFROTECH™ in an email interview. “We all...

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds has written the soundtrack of our lives. As the founder of LaFace Records — a label that has launched the careers of Usher, TLC, and Toni Braxton — Edmonds knew how to spot quality talent, nurture it, and help it grow. And as a singer-songwriter of his own, Babyface has written some of the most romantic songs of the 20th and 21st centuries. From “When Can I See You Again” to “Nobody Knows It But Me,” to “Every Time I Close My Eyes,” he’s known how to hit people right in the feels with each recorded note. Naturally, with this level of talent, it’s no wonder that he’s earned a most impressive $200 million net worth, per Celebrity Net Worth. But the benefactors of his impressive net worth are his three children — two sons and a daughter — who are following in their father’s footsteps with careers in the entertainment industry of their own. Let’s take a look at how Babyface’s talents have passed on to the next generation. Editorial note: The net worth listed...

The untimely passing of Florence “Flo-Jo” Griffith Joyner was a tough loss in the sports industry, especially for her husband Al Joyner. In remembrance of his late wife, the track and field Olympian recently received a special surprise. Atlanta Black Star reports that “Storage Wars” host Rene Nezhoda gave Joyner the opportunity to buy back Flo-Jo’s memorabilia. After buying the rare items from the owner of Bargain Hunters thrift store, Nezhoda’s initial plan was to put the items up for auction. According to the TV star, many of Flo-Jo’s family members and friends reached out to him, which resulted in him ultimately making a deal with Joyner. “I want to be very clear. This is not charity; I am making a profit. Al knows what I paid for it and he is the only person that knows what I paid for it,” Nezhoda stated, according to Atlanta Black Star. “I told him the profit I want to make. It’s like a track runner, you want to win.” He added: “We worked out a deal where I can give it back to...

The kids are alright! Lil Dee is the eight-year-old behind “Our Brown Boy Joy,”  the company created to both empower and inspire brown boys across the country by showing them just how special they are. Recently, he’s announced the launch of “My Friend,” a plush doll line designed to be both a tool and a toy that promotes positivity. “Brown boys should know they are wonderful, just the way they are!,” shared Lil Dee. My Friend plush dolls were created with Lil Dee’s mantra in mind and each doll speaks positive affirmations like “Brown boy, you are joy.”   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Brown Boy Joy (@ourbrownboyjoy) “Our latest product resonates with young black and brown boys because we have intentionally designed them to be representative of our boys,” said Lil Dee’s mother, Luciana Gilmore in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “From the clothing to the message, My Friend Plush looks like our brown boys, dresses like our brown boys, and speaks like our brown...

Representation really does matter. For Joy Whitt, a Presidential Innovation Fellow working with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, such representation meant learning about computer programming from a diverse group of individuals and organizations committed to serving women,  people of color, and LGBTQ communities — a rare opportunity in an industry that’s still largely male and white. As a data analyst, Joy has worked to pay it forward, rising in the ranks as a Presidential Innovation Fellow inside of Technology Transformation Services (TTS). Finding her niche within the Justice Department, Joy currently helps the Civil Rights Division build bridges by developing software and tech intended to advance civil rights. “I do a lot of data visualization and data analysis for good. So I work with federal agencies, including all of their employees, and we try to make civic innovation happen on a government level,” says Joy. At this point in her tech journey, TTS’...

Joy Buolamwini — the coding expert known for highlighting the social implications of Artificial Intelligence — has just inked a deal with Random House for her book “Justice Decoded,” according to The Hollywood Reporter . . @jovialjoy , founder of Algorithmic Justice League @AJLUnited , has signed a deal with Random House for her book #JusticeDecoded https://t.co/QYuZeXmlE2 — The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) June 18, 2020 Face 2 Face Africa reports that her book will take an “investigative look into the harms and biases of AI and other technologies, from racial bias in facial surveillance to gender bias in voice recognition and more, which argues that social justice requires algorithmic justice in a world increasingly dependent on Big Tech.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, Random House’s Marie Pantojan is credited with the deal for the publisher. The Ghanaian-American computer scientist is widely known for her TED Talk about algorithmic bias titled “ How I’m Fighting Bias in...

Tom Joyner, the host of the show that bears his name, put down his microphone Friday. After 25 years on-air, the veteran radio host of the “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” began his retirement from a job he never imagined leaving. In a recent CBS News interview conducted by Jericka Duncan , the Alabama native described his auspicious start at a local radio station. After protesting that the station failed to play Black music, despite being situated in an all-Black community, the station owner relented. Joyner took the mic, and he never looked back. In 1994, he began hosting “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” on ABC Radio Networks with a focus on empowerment. Setting that unique tone paved the way for transparency on the program, giving rise to discussions about real-life topics, such as voter advocacy and health awareness, peppered with humor and social commentary. His direct, down-to-earth approach is associated with galvanizing Blacks to vote . Ten years later, with a greater following,...