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For the first time in American politics, we are seeing a plethora of Black women rise and carve their own paths as powerful politicians. Kamala Harris, though her presidential race was cut short, helped start a conversation about Black women candidates who are leading the charge for their peers and aspiring politicians to make a real impact. “She broke a glass ceiling for women of color,” said Rep. Karen Bass to The New York Times in regards to Harris’ race. According to her, “there will be more African-American women running in the next presidential race. Maybe it will even be Kamala herself.” Harris and many others of her stature have made great strides for Black women in politics. The list below spotlights a handful of those Black women who are making noise in the political realm. Rep. Val Demings Photo Credit: Brian Stukes/Getty Images Florida Rep. Val Demings is a second-term congresswoman. She gained national attention as one of the House impeachment managers that presented...
Timnit Gebru is shaping the future of tomorrow. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH (@afro.tech) Non-Linear Career Journey Gebru has always loved math, science , and music. She attended Stanford University from 2008 to 2017, earning a bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. in electrical engineering—the same field her father worked in. She combined her interests to launch her career at Apple, first as an audio hardware intern in 2004. A year later, she was hired as an audio systems engineer and worked part-time as an audio engineer from 2007 until her departure four years later. Gebru’s professional journey has not been linear. In 2011, she co-founded Motion Think, a company that leveraged design thinking to create solutions for small businesses. While pursuing her Ph.D. at Stanford, she co-founded and became president of Black in AI after attending one of the largest academic conferences in 2016. At that time, she realized that Black professionals were significantly...
You can now file reports of discrimination based on race or sex to the U.S. Department of Education. According to a press release by the U.S. Department of Education, it has launched a portal called EndDEI.Ed.Gov , which parents, students, teachers, and community members can use to report incidents of “illegal discriminatory practices” at K-12 schools funded by the government. The form requires an email address, the name of the school and district, and a description of the incident. The aim is to ensure that “students have access to meaningful learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination.” “For years, parents have been begging schools to focus on teaching their kids practical skills like reading, writing, and math instead of pushing critical theory, rogue sex education and divisive ideologies—but their concerns have been brushed off, mocked, or shut down entirely,” said Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty in a news release. “Parents, now is the time that you...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Over the past week, Los Angeles County has been battling wildfires that have devastated the city. Although some of the fires can be attributed to worsening climate conditions, some politicians blame artificial intelligence. While AI has proven to be a useful tool for wildfire prediction, the substantial amount of energy and water it amasses for its use raises concerns for a state already facing water scarcity. Wildfires aren’t a rare occurrence in California. The state has always experienced either naturally occurring wildfires or arson-related ignitions. But over the past few years, worsening climate conditions have led to more frequent and increasingly destructive fires. As of the most recent occurrence, neighborhoods in Altadena, Malibu, and the coastal Pacific Palisades have sustained the most significant damage. Reports confirm that over 20,000 acres have been burned, and more than 120,000...
Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly known as Metta World Peace, has entered the world of venture capital by launching his own VC firm. The former Los Angeles Lakers player expanded his focus to the VC sector after retiring from the NBA in 2017 after 17 seasons in the league. According to Sportico, Sandiford-Artest pursued a deeper understanding of private equity and finance by enrolling in digital analytics courses and working toward a master’s degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). “I told people that I didn’t want my face to add value,” Artest told Sportico. “I wanted that to be my word and my (mind). That took a long time. There’s just so much that goes into that, especially how people perceive you. You’ll go into a meeting (before) and they’re just waiting to talk basketball.” In December 2024, Artest launched Tru Skye Ventures — in partnership with former Boost Mobile CEO Stephen Stokols. The collaboration builds on their existing business relationship, which...
A Black woman is leading the establishment of New York City, NY ‘s first HBCU Early College Prep High School, a groundbreaking initiative developed in partnership with the historically Black college from which she graduated. Dr. Asya Johnson, chancellor’s master principal of NYC Public Schools, is a passionate advocate for racial justice and educational equity with over 16 years of educational experience. A proud Delaware State University alumna , she stated that the prep high school aims to “bridge the accelerated academics of a rich tradition of HBCU experience,” Waymaker Journal reported . She is now paving the way for a new generation to follow in her footsteps. The HBCU Early College Prep High School will open in Southeast Queens in September 2025, fast-tracking NYC Public School students’ path to college. They will be able to start receiving college credits as early as ninth grade and graduate high school with a diploma, a tuition-free associate’s degree, and guaranteed...
Maxine Waters is an American politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for California’s 43rd congressional district. A member of the Democratic Party, Waters has been in office since 1991, and she is one of the seniormost African-American women in Congress. Known for her outspoken nature and advocacy on issues such as social justice, financial reform, and civil rights, Maxine Waters has built a formidable reputation in U.S. politics. As of 2024, Maxine Waters’ net worth is estimated to be around $2 million. This wealth is mainly derived from her salary as a congresswoman, real estate investments, and other assets. Early Life And Career Beginnings Maxine Waters was born on August 15, 1938, in St. Louis, Missouri , and she grew up in challenging circumstances, raised by a single mother along with her siblings. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, where she began her career in public service as a teacher and later worked with the Head Start program. Her passion for...
Arsenio Hall is an American comedian, actor, and talk show host who gained national prominence through “The Arsenio Hall Show” in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His groundbreaking late-night show brought a fresh and diverse voice to the talk show format, which helped establish him as a household name. As of 2024, Arsenio Hall’s net worth is estimated to be around $20 million, a testament to his enduring success in the entertainment industry. Early Life And Career Beginnings Arsenio Hall was born on February 12, 1956, in Cleveland, Ohio . From an early age, he displayed a love for entertainment and performing, which eventually led him to pursue a career in comedy. Hall began his career performing stand-up comedy at various clubs, gaining experience and developing his unique comedic style. His early appearances on shows like “Soul Train” and “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” helped him make a name for himself in the comedy world. Rise To Fame: The Arsenio Hall Show Arsenio...
Kevin Burnett has transitioned from the football field to help families create wealth. Burnett, an Inglewood, CA native, was drafted in 2005 as a 42th draft pick in the second round to the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN. He was signed to a 4-year deal valued at $3.31 million with the team, which included a $1.15 million signing bonus and $1.15 million guaranteed, Spotrac notes. Burnett played for four teams throughout his career, ultimately retiring with the Oakland Raiders in 2014. He earned a total of $20.57 million. In retirement, Burnett took some time to water into his wife and four kids, per Equities.com. He became more immersed in his children’s worlds, which also included sports. This led him to coach his older kids’ football and baseball team, sparking a newfound purpose. “Hey, this is where I see my purpose,” Burnett explained. “It’s where I see my angle.” In 2020, he secured a position at McArthur High School in Hollywood, FL, as a football coach. With poverty and...
For most college students, school’s been back in session for a few weeks and the fall semester is well underway. While some are just starting out and others are wrapping up their academic career, this is still a period that marks endless possibilities as students everywhere are laying the foundations for their career paths. Although it’s always easy to look to people with a decade or more of experience in their field for inspiration, it’s equally impressive to see how recent graduates are faring — especially those who’ve spent nearly their entire lives in the spotlight. In particular, Malia Obama is a Harvard University graduate who’s made a name for herself so that she stands separate from her famous parents, Barack and Michelle Obama. Malia is the couple’s oldest daughter and is making a name for herself as a film director. But how did she get here, and what was her academic journey like? Malia Obama: A Look Back On Her Journey Photo Credit: Ralf-Finn Hestoft/Corbis Malia Obama...
The Israeli government reportedly commissioned a campaign in 2023 that included social media accounts targeting Black U.S. lawmakers. The New York Times reported that, in October 2023, Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs paid $2 million to Stoic, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based political marketing firm, to push pro-Israel content on social media at a time when many Americans were concerned for Palestinian civilians during the war in Gaza. The outlet details that Stoic created fake accounts in support of Israel across X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram that focused on over a dozen majority Black and Democrat U.S. lawmakers, including Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York and U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia. ChatGPT was mainly used to create the fake accounts’ posts, which asked for the politicians to fund Israel’s military, per the outlet. In addition to fake social media accounts, Stoic reportedly created fake websites and articles. In May 2024, NBC News reported...
For decades, America has dealt with the horror of systems that plague the progression of certain groups. No matter the issue, there has been little shortage in the struggle to fight for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across a spectrum of sectors. Like any system riddled with backward thinking, the people impacted the most grow tired of the struggle and gain the strength to fight for what is owed to them. From slave revolts to the Civil Rights Movement to Women’s suffrage to the Stonewall Uprising — when people have had enough, they come together to demand change. Although the systemic oppressive nature of America has not been alleviated, the work of those who fight to dismantle said systems has caught the attention of certain politicians, policymakers, and companies. While some are just catching on, many have been side by side in the fight, creating space for equality to ring free. Although Meta doesn’t claim to get it all right, the tech giant is working to create a culture...
Michelle Obama is nothing if not a legend. According to Forbes, she has “been busy cementing her legacy as an advocate for the arts, education, and, above all, nutrition. Among the initiatives from her eight-year stint as First Lady is Let’s Move, a nationwide campaign to combat childhood obesity, which included revamping school lunches, and the Partnership for a Healthier America, which will remain in effect after the Obamas leave the White House. Obama’s Turnaround Arts program, which brings art instruction to underperforming schools, will also continue, under the mantle of the Kennedy Center. But perhaps her most lasting legacy is, by appearance at least, the smallest: the label attached to food packaging.” But more than being a legend as a First Lady, Michelle Obama is an accomplished lawyer and public speaker. She’s an Ivy League graduate — a Princeton University alumnus who graduated cum laude — and an advocate for Black women. And according to Celebrity Net Worth, Michelle...
For decades, Black people have been a force in the sports industry, yet when it comes to making a profit from the game, the coins are far and few unless we’re athletes. And, Kai Bond says it’s time we change that. Bond — a partner at Courtside VC, a company that focuses on sports, gaming, and fitness verticals — says the time is now when it comes to sports innovation that can lead to something huge for the culture. “Sports used to be a game, and now it’s culture,” said Bond during the latest Black Tech Green Money episode with host Will Lucas. “When you think about the power of sports in society, it’s one of the things that can bring us together; it’s one of the things that divide us. Sports figures, athletes, you see it today in social media, their influence is outsized, and you know the ‘shut up and dribble’ conversations that have happened. We’re talking about individuals who are transforming society at a faster pace; I would argue than politicians because they’re at the...
While the historic news of Eric Adams being elected as New York City’s second Black mayor is still fresh off the press, the politician is already ten steps ahead with his set game plan. On Nov.4, Eric Adams tweeted that he plans to take his first three city paychecks in bitcoin. The tweet came in after Miami’s mayor Francis Suarez shared that he would take his next paycheck 100% in bitcoin in response to a Twitter user asking who would be the first American politician to do so. “In New York we always go big, so I’m going to take my first THREE paychecks in Bitcoin when I become mayor,” Adams tweeted. “NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovative industries! Just wait!” In New York we always go big, so I’m going to take my first THREE paychecks in Bitcoin when I become mayor. NYC is going to be the center of the cryptocurrency industry and other fast-growing, innovative industries! Just wait! — Eric Adams (@ericadamsfornyc) November...