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Common is ready to “ Stand Up To Cancer. ” In a new PSA put out by Bristol Myers Squibb, the rapper-turned-actor and activist is helping the pharmaceutical company spread awareness about lung cancer. The disease is on the rise amongst Black men and is the cause of nearly 25 percent of all deaths in the United States. “In 2014 my father died after his battle with cancer,” said Common in a press release. “He was truly someone who inspired me and made me want to be better. I believe that we can do better for ourselves – especially as Black men when it comes to health. I’m honored to support Stand Up To Cancer’s campaign to bring awareness to lung cancer research.” For its part, Bristol Myers Squibb gave Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) a $5 million grant to help fund research and education efforts aimed at achieving health equity for underserved lung cancer patients, including Black people and people living in rural communities. In 2020, Bristol Myers Squibb awarded Stand Up To Cancer a total...
Allen Iverson has made history in the world of memorabilia. Iverson is recognized as a legend in the NBA. He retired from the league in 2013 and was later inaugurated into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. His name remains influential today, extending his impact beyond the court. The Virginia native currently serves as Vice President of Reebok Basketball (as of 2023), working alongside the President of Reebok Basketball, Shaquille O’Neal, to shape the next generation of the game. “We gonna do big things. We gon’ work hard. We gon’ give people what they want. We gonna take care of our youngsters,” he said in an interview uploaded to YouTube. Iverson’s involvement with Reebok also includes a lifetime deal. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, he initially signed a 10-year deal valued at $50 million when he was drafted to the league, securing a spot with the Sixers. In 2001, he earned a lifetime deal after the team made its way to the finals and earned MVP. He now receives...
Derrick Rose is truly living up to his name. The former NBA point guard is hosting a pop-up flower shop in Chicago, IL, on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. Rose’s Flower Shop will be open for “one day only,” from noon until 4 p.m., according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Welcome to Rose’s, the No. 1 flower shop in Chicago . How can I help you?” Rose teased in an Instagram reel announcing his venture. “A dozen roses? Coming right up. … We’re open for business. We can do that. We got you. It’s on the house. We appreciate your business.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Derrick Rose (@drose) Rose, a Chicago native, began his NBA career with the Bulls , where he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 Draft. He made history as the youngest MVP in NBA history, winning the award in 2011 at 22 and 6 months old, the Commercial Appeal reported. While Rose is giving the community their flowers in the city where it all started, the Bulls are honoring him in return. The Bulls shared...
Jerseys worn by LeBron James and his son Bronny performed exceptionally well at auction. On June 27, 2024, Bronny James made headlines when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, selected as the 55th overall pick in the second round of the NBA Draft, notes USC Athletics. Shortly after, he signed a four-year rookie contract worth $7.9 million guaranteed, per ESPN. This historic move placed Bronny on the same team as his legendary father, LeBron. “Bronny is, first and foremost, a person of high character,” Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka said, according to the NBA. “And second, he is a young man that works incredibly hard. Those are the qualities we look for in drafting players and adding to our developmental corps at the Lakers.” Speaking to his potential, Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick commented, per Sports Illustrated: “We view Bronny as case study No. 1. Because his base level of feel, athleticism, point-of-attack defender, shooting, passing — there’s a lot to like about his game. And...
Houston, TX, native Jennifer Ford’s passion for sneakers has led her to work with major apparel giants. Ford is currently the proud owner of Premium Goods, a sneaker boutique in Houston. The idea for opening the shop dials back to her days in New York, NY, following the completion of her economics degree from Emory University, her LinkedIn mentions. While in New York, it would spark her interests in women’s buying departments and women’s product development. However, it was not until she befriended Premium Goods-Brooklyn shop owner Clarence Nathan that Ford manifested her own sneaker boutique in 2004, located in her hometown. “It’s about being with other people who enjoy the same thing as me and [building] a community,” Ford told Vogue in 2023. With its opening in 2004, the Premium Goods Houston location reportedly became the first sneaker retail store in the United States led by a Black woman. Per Premium Goods’ website, the shop features major brands like Jordan Brand, Nike,...
Big Sean has never been one to shy away from showcasing the love he has for Detroit, MI. He knew very early on that he was called to not only put on for his city but also put on for others along the way. He isn’t the only one who sees something special in Detroit. Dubbed one of the Blackest cities in America, Detroit has a population that is 76% Black, according to the United States Census Bureau. Among its other attributes, the Motor City got its nickname for being the center of the U.S. auto industry for more than a century. Detroit is also home to Motown, one of the culture’s most revered musical styles and Black-owned music labels, founded by Barry Gordy in 1959. It served as the catalyst for Black music becoming some of the most popular music, not only in America but also across the globe. Throughout his music, Big Sean has always amplified his city’s stance in the world and its impact on culture. Now, he’s taking it a step further, partnering with Pensole Lewis College of...
Gabby Thomas is a force to be reckoned with. Olympic Champion The track star and Harvard University alum just won her first gold medal at the 2024 Olympics for the 200-meter sprint on Aug. 6, 2024. She finished with an impressive time of 21.83 seconds, NBC News mentions. “You prepare for this moment and train so hard for this moment, but when it actually comes, it’s indescribable,” Thomas, 27, told the outlet. “I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would become an Olympic gold medalist, and I am one. I’m still wrapping my head around that.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gabby Thomas (@gabbythomas) Making History As A Harvard Alum This isn’t Thomas’ first medal on the global stage. She has also earned a silver medal in Budapest, Hungary, at the 2023 World Championships and ahead of the Paris Olympics she won the 2024 London Diamond League, running a time of 21.82 seconds. In 2021, she earned a Bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, making history as the...
If you watched the animated version of Disney’s “The Lion King” from 1994, you are familiar with Jason Weaver, or at least his singing voice, which he lent to the role of Simba. Since then, the actor and singer has appeared in several movies and television shows — many of which have won awards. The 45-year-old actor and Chicago native is a shrewd businessman. Even as a child, he had the wherewithal (or great advisors that guided him) to turn down a $2 million flat fee for his role in The Lion King , instead favoring a flat upfront payment along with royalties to be paid for his lifetime. As a result, he still enjoys Disney checks to this day. So, with a business acumen like that, and a career that shows no signs of slowing down, how much is Jason Weaver worth today? Jason Weaver’s Early Life Jason Weaver is someone that can say entertainment literally runs in his veins. He was born in 1977 and is the son of Marilyn “Kitty” Haywood, who is a member of the Chicago-based all-female...
As an innovator of the culture as we know it today, Pharrell has racked up quite the collection over the years. Now, the 49-year-old entertainer says everything must go in an exclusive auction of some of his most personal valuables. “My business manager was like, ‘Hey, at this point, you have 11 different storage units,'” said Pharrell in an interview with Financial Times. He has keepsakes that include everything from a leather jacket featuring “Women’s Rights” across the front to a gold-plated Blackberry.
When your father is Steve Jobs, you may be a little analytical about the evolution of the iPhone. This is true for Eve Jobs, who appears to not be a fan of the iPhone 14 design. However, she isn’t the only one because Twitter users are not feeling the update that the renowned tech company unveiled during an event on Wednesday (Sept. 7). Eve Jobs, the daughter of Steve Jobs and Laurene Powell Jobs, reacts to today’s iPhone announcement on her Instagram. pic.twitter.com/bfn2VtbpsA — Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) September 7, 2022
One thing about Kanye West, he’s going to make sure you know his worth. In an interview, the rapper corrected Jason Lee on Hollywood Unlocked and said he wasn’t just a “billion-dollar man” but a $10 billion man. Kanye West said that he’s worth $10 Billion on Hollywood Unlocked. pic.twitter.com/rU8LOUwXHM — Networking The Streets 🌎 (@ntsmonopoly) January 29, 2022 And, that’s because, according to HipHopDX, Kanye West is selling off parts of his Wyoming assets, which are said to be netting him a small fortune. “The Yeezy visionary has sold his Ripsaw EV2 combat vehicle to David “Heavy D” Sparks and David “Diesel Dave” Kiley, stars of the Discovery Channel series Diesel Brothers. Kanye West originally purchased the tank for a reported $500,000, although it’s unclear how much Sparks and Kiley paid him for it. However, Sparks says Ye “gave them a sweet deal,” reports the outlet. Of course, Kanye West wasn’t hurting for money prior to these sales. The value of his various business deals —...
The future of sports and technology is here. As the two worlds continue to collide thanks to advancements in tech, leaders in the sports industry are continuing to emerge with digital collectibles like non-fungible tokens (NFTs). On Dec. 13, Arizona Cardinals’ offensive tackle, Kelvin Beachum, became the first professional athlete to do a live NFT drop during a professional football game. And, AfroTech has all of the details. In a live auction held during the game hosted on OpenSea, fans had the opportunity to bid on a 68-piece open edition and a limited edition four-piece auction curated by Beachum in collaboration with the South Carolina-based company, BandwagonFanClub, Inc. “When it comes to following our favorite entertainers, teams, and athletes, there are lots of opportunities for collectibles,” said BandWagonFanClub, Inc. CEO Harold Hughes in an official press release provided to AfroTech. “From tickets to memorabilia, the ability to collect artifacts is endless. Still, as we...
Boris Kodjoe is on a mission to help more men take action when it comes to their prostate. For Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the veteran actor teamed up with Depend for their Stand Strong for Men’s Health campaign as they aim to change the stigma surrounding men and their health. “In 2020, Depend introduced the Stand Strong for Men’s Health initiative with two goals: driving awareness around the link between prostate cancer and incontinence, and helping consumers take action through their purchase,” said Drew Phillips, Senior Director for the North American Depend Brand, in a press release. “We look forward to expanding those efforts this year through our partnership with actor and health advocate Boris Kodjoe and an increased donation goal of $350,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.” For Kodjoe, this initiative — which launched in September 2021 — has a deeper meaning after watching a loved one struggle with prostate cancer. “This partnership hit home on a very personal level...
Black engineers made up for only six percent of computer programmers across the nation in 2020, compared to white engineers accounting for 68 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Karat, a technical interviewing company, released a new research report in partnership with Howard University (HU) that explores the job access barrier for Black software engineers. The pair teamed up to host focus groups earlier this year to survey 300 Black computer science students and alumni from Howard University, Morehouse College and University of North Carolina Charlotte. The Interview Access Gap for Black Engineers report is co-authored by Dr. Legand Burge, III, a computer science professor at HU; Dr. Katherine Picho-Kiroga, assistant professor of educational psychology at HU; and Portia Kibble Smith, head of diversity and inclusion at Karat. “There’s been a lot of research conducted on STEM education and the opportunity gaps that exist for Black students,” Kibble Smith told...
The players of the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) have long since been vocal on behalf of the sports organization, calling attention to social issues that tackle racism, sexism, and more to demand change in the league and beyond. According to NewsOne, the WNBA recently launched an initiative that aims to directly address systemic inequities that contribute to the racial health disparities among Black women and girls. Ahead of the upcoming season, the organization, alongside the WNBPA (Women’s National Basketball Players Association) Social Justice Council — a collective of athletes and activists that was formed following last summer’s Black Lives Matter protest — will use this initiative as a vessel to highlight the socio-economic factors that significantly impact COVID-19 care for Black women and girls and offer educational tools about the vaccines. It will also promote the importance of prioritizing mental health in communities of color. As part of the initiative,...