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Researchers have developed algorithms that accurately depict coily Black hair in computer graphics — a historic advancement for Black characters in media. According to The Guardian, AM Darke, an associate professor in the department of performance, play, and design at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and Theodore Kim, a professor of computer science at the Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science, co-authored the study. Despite increased representation and numerous papers published on computer graphics algorithms over the past 50 years — particularly regarding hair — Kim noted that representations of Black hair have remained relatively unchanged. Due to a lack of appropriate formulas, animators have struggled to accurately depict textures like type 4C hair , characterized by tightly coiled curls. “There’s only one or two hairstyles that people gravitate towards because they find that it’s culturally approved,” Kim said. “The vast diversity of type four hair is then...
Tracy McGrady has long aspired to team ownership, and now that he’s secured a stake in the NFL, he’s dedicated to increasing representation in the league. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the basketball icon was announced as a minority owner of the Buffalo Bills in December 2024. He joins his former Toronto Raptors teammate and fellow Florida native, Vince Carter, as part of a group of 10 limited partners, which also includes soccer star Jozy Altidore. This marks the first time the Bills, owned by Terry and Kim Pegula, have expanded their ownership group. “I’ve always wanted to be an owner of a franchise and really didn’t care whether it’s the NBA, a soccer league, whether it’s in the NFL,” McGrady explained in an exclusive interview with AFROTECH™ held at a private reception that was hosted by Diverse Representation and William Morris Endeavor (WME) on Saturday, Dec. 8 to honor Black professionals in sports. Kevell Byrd McGrady also reveals the backstory behind becoming a minority...
From one of the most impactful singles, “Where Is The Love,” to the catchy hit “Boom Boom Pow,” will.i.am has been an integral part of the music industry and still places a massive stamp on the world. As a member of the iconic music group Black Eyed Peas, the Grammy-Award winner has released many popular studio albums. Will.i.am has also played the role of record producer by working alongside other artists such as Michael Jackson, John Legend, Lady Gaga, Chris Brown, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few. Born William Adams, will.i.am grew up in Los Angeles, CA. He has always been encouraged to pursue music and stand out. His music career began in the eighth grade, performing with a group around the city. After becoming the Black Eyed Peas, their recognition continued to soar, which landed the group a contract with Interscope Records. The Black Eyed Peas released their first studio album, “Behind The Front” in 1998. With over 25 years in the music industry, will.i.am decided to expand...
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Dr. Jackie Jakes could not have even imagined the career he has today. That’s because cyber security, his field of expertise, simply wasn’t a thing at the time. Soon after he joined the military, however, he was introduced to cyber security in one of its most serious real life applications. “I started out as what we call an information system technician, doing traditional IT such as setting up networks. But then as our military networks started to be exploited, I was one of the people that was called upon because our leadership team thought I had the necessary skills and the ability to transition into this new field. “And it became real and personal for me once I started seeing that people were in effect being killed because of cyber attacks–whether it be an intel report being stolen or a malicious attack. So for me, it really became, ‘Hey, this is something we need to take seriously.’ And that’s when I developed a passion for it.” While the concept of...
With her dual roles as an investor and educator, Tiana Tukes is stretching her influence to the next generation. Tukes is the co-founder of LGBT+ VC, a nonprofit that is designed to provide support to college students interested in venture capital by connecting them with ally and queer venture capitalists, as well as industry professionals, its website mentions. During Tukes’ two-year post at the nonprofit, she immersed herself in efforts catering to the youth, including a partnership with the New York City, NY, mayor’s office to establish an employment program exposing queer and trans students of color to pathways in finance, philanthropy, law, and technology. “Students from immigrant families, first-generation families, who otherwise wouldn’t have had opportunity to see careers beyond working-class blue-collar jobs, because of our nonprofit, we were able to expose them to careers and high-paying, high-equity earning jobs,” Tukes told AFROTECH™. Furthermore, LGBT+ VC established a...
Kristel Bell is on a mission to empower students and educators in the classroom and beyond. Growing up, Bell was exposed to computer science early on since her mother worked in the field. Bell and her siblings were encouraged to consider engineering programs and coding classes throughout their education. Fast forward, Bell ultimately went on to pursue a business degree at Michigan State University. Yet, she never lost her passion for STEM. So, alongside her mother and sisters, they launched Black Girls Movement i n 2016. The nonprofit helps Black girls fight systemic racism by providing equal access to STEM education and resources. “We just wanted to create opportunities for young Black girls to learn because a lot of Black girls don’t have the financial resources that they need in comparison to others. We wanted to make sure that with our programming, we always paired them with financial support by giving out scholarships,” Bell told AfroTech.
Black professionals will be taking root in the entertainment sector. According to a press release sent to AfroTech, Diverse Representation will host its second annual Black Entertainment Executives Pipeline program set to run from July 11-August 16, 2022. Twelve participants will have access to leading industry executives including Ty Cameron (President, Ebony Studios), Jelani Johnson (EVP, Content Strategy, MACRO), and Joe Aiken (Executive, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in addition to hands-on experience. The six-week program will be offered in-person for those living in Los Angeles, CA, and virtually to reach potential participants across the nation. “This first-of-its-kind program is an invaluable resource for any Black professional or creative interested in pursuing a career as an executive in the television or film industry,” said Jaia Thomas, Esq., founder and president of Diverse Representation, according to a press release. “This is the only program of its kind in the...
Women athletes deserve more representation in media. Echoing this stance, Just Women’s Sports (JWS) — a media platform dedicated to women’s sports — has raised $6 million. According to a press release, the round was led by Blue Pool Capital. Additional investors include tennis icon Billie Jean King, Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang; Bolt Ventures, SC Holdings, Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund; Muse Capital, and Dapper Labs. “The business case for women’s sports has never been clearer, and Just Women’s Sports is positioned to be the leading media platform in the space,” said New York Liberty owners Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, according to a press release. “We’re thrilled to partner with them as they enter this next phase of growth.”
There is a consistent conversation around the lack of diversity at the coaching and executive levels of sports. These disparities are even more apparent in the National Football League (NFL), where approximately 70 percent of its players are Black, and only 14 percent of 122 hires since 2003 were not white, the Wallstreet Journal reports. While much work is needed to increase diversity among the staff closest to the field, the NFL is making strides to ensure that diversity and inclusion are a part of the strategy. And, where is it being implemented? Sports medicine.
Living in a time where Black representation in media is still needed, we love to see the faces seated at this news station’s desk. BET reports that local Texas news station KCEN — an NBC affiliate — has a show where its hosts are all Black women. The show — “Texas Today” — is led by Jasmin Caldwell, Taheshah Moise, and meteorologist Ashley Carter, according to the outlet. Residents of Temple, Waco, Killeen, and surrounding areas are able to start their mornings by tuning into the show for the news. Although being a part of the trio herself, the hiring move from KCEN still feels surreal in a sense. “Growing up, I always saw all-white news anchors,” she said, according to BET. “I didn’t think that there would ever be Black newscasts. I knew there was always room for one, but I didn’t think that I would see three African Americans — male or female — permanently, all at one time. No way.” Being a part of a dream come true happened for Caldwell about five years after first joining KCEN,...
In 2018, the “Black Panther” had the world in a chokehold. Particularly for Black children, this was one of the first times they were able to see themselves on the big screen as a leading superhero. From the coveted Wakanda signal to the merch and apparel, children (and childlike people) everywhere were enamored by the glory of representation. As the world slowly progresses forward, there are clear examples of representation becoming more of the norm — for instance, in television shows (“Black-ish” and “The Wonder Years”) and video games like Fortnite.
In 2021, a Netflix series titled “Colin in Black and White” was released, which explored the life of Colin Kaepernick. Now, his journey of growing up being adopted has been transformed into a children’s book. People reports that the football player and activist’s book, “I Color Myself Different,” was inspired by a transformative moment in his childhood. View this post on Instagram A post shared by colin kaepernick (@kaepernick7) “When I was 5-years-old, I was given an assignment in school: ‘draw a picture of yourself and your family.’ I drew my white adoptive family with a yellow crayon and then picked up a brown crayon to draw myself,” he said, according to People. He continued: “This revelatory moment taught me an important lesson about embracing my Black identity through the power of self-love and eventually helped me to understand how my brown skin was connected to my Blackness. Above all, I hope that I Color Myself Different can inspire young people to embrace their power, love...
When you discover your passion as an adolescent, it often becomes something that never leaves you, regardless of where life takes you. From painting and making digital art to now recently creating non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Lana Denina has yet to shake off her adoration for art. Since she took her craft to a professional level at age 19, she has continued to find ways to bring Black representation into the space. Inspired by tribes around the globe and their features, Denina is all about showcasing their beauty in a field where for ages its mainstream art has been centered on European standards. “When I was young, I was telling myself that I wanted to be an artist. And I wasn’t seeing like a lot of Black artists in museums and art galleries,” Denina told AfroTech. “Growing up when I was exposed to a lot of art, I was living in France and it was really mainly white male French painters. I didn’t feel like it was representative enough of what art can be. So, that’s why I want to...