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Publisher Seko Varner is making connecting with Black-owned businesses in the Hampton Roads area easier than ever. Varner, a multifaceted leader who serves as president and financial consultant for the entertainment and consulting company Positive Vibes Inc., has introduced The Hampton Roads Greenbook, a directory that spotlights and supports Black-owned businesses in the region. The Hampton Roads Greenbook was inspired by Victor Hugo Green’s Negro Travelers’ Green Book. Green, a postal carrier in Harlem, originally created the guide to help Black travelers navigate safely during segregation. Green’s original guide served as a crucial resource for Black travelers during the Jim Crow era, listing businesses, restaurants , gas stations, and lodging where individuals could safely stop without facing discrimination, the National Park Service reports. It remained widely used until the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed “discrimination on the basis of race, color,...
Welcome to HillmanTok University, where everyone is accepted, and TikTok is your classroom. Thousands of professors have taken their talents to TikTok, documenting their course offerings and allowing students, or users, outside the typical classroom setting to participate in the curriculum. The trend, known as “HillmanTok,” started with Dr. Barlow, an African American Studies professor, who utilized the social media platform to engage with her actual students. As her videos gained more traction, other minority professors followed suit. Now, teachers worldwide are helping students merge their love for TikTok with their desire to learn. TikToker @djneurospicy explained that the outpouring of support for Barlow’s efforts follows the decision of 92% of Black women who voted for Kamala Harris in the Nov. 4, 2025, election to not focus on Donald Trump’s second presidency. “Here’s how it goes: Trump becomes president, the 92% say they are minding their own business,” the TikToker said....
Like many people, Ayesha Curry doesn’t handle setbacks well — but she doesn’t dwell on them either. In an interview on Inc. “From the Ground Up” podcast with Executive Editor Diana Ransom and Editor Christine Lagorio-Chafkin, the businesswoman, chef, and restaurateur said she gives herself 24 hours to feel the emotions — anger, sadness, confusion — before moving on. “But I’m never going to suppress. It’s not my thing,” Curry said. “I’m going to let it out and feel my feelings and then move on.” Curry’s mindset has been a game-changer for her mental health and a key factor in her entrepreneurial success, Essentially Sports reported . In 2023, the United States had 33.2 million small businesses, which account for 99.9% of all companies in the country, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. As a successful entrepreneur, Curry’s ventures exemplify the resilience and drive required in this space. As previously highlighted by AFROTECH™ , Ayesha Curry, wife of NBA star Steph...
City Year Chicago, a chapter of the national nonprofit, is on a mission to ensure that every student, especially those in under-resourced communities, has the support they need to succeed. The organization deploys young leaders in collaboration with The Corporation for National and Community Service, through the AmeriCorps program, to serve as full-time mentors and tutors in schools across Chicago, IL , according to ABC-7 Chicago . Founded in 1994 by Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter, City Year Chicago members wear signature red jackets that have become synonymous with the organization’s mission. Valencia Koker, senior vice president and executive director of City Year Chicago, told ABC-7 that the organization works with 250 AmeriCorps members, aged 18 to 25, serving in 32 schools — 31 of which are part of Chicago Public Schools. “City Year Chicago exists to create the conditions for young people to reach their full potential, especially those further from opportunity,” Koker told...
The public release of ChatGPT in 2022 marked a massive milestone in the popularity and global interest in AI. It showed off impressive capabilities in natural language, and sparked hundreds of projects that fueled a boom in the advancement of artificial intelligence. It’s natural, with AI creeping into everything from online shopping to healthcare, that it would eventually find its way into education. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing education by enhancing teaching methods, improving accessibility, and personalizing learning experiences. As technology continues to advance, its integration into the educational sector has the potential to reshape how students learn, educators teach, and institutions operate. AI In Education Isn’t Exactly New The term ‘artificial intelligence’ was coined at Dartmouth College in 1953, but it wasn’t until 1960 that we saw the birth of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). These programs were built on the massive, expensive computer systems of...
The AFROTECH ™ community continues to push the mission and discussion of inclusivity in the tech space. As we gear up for AFROTECH™ Conference 2024, let’s dive into a session of the past. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH™ Conference (@afrotech.conference) On the Executive Stage at the 2023 AFROTECH ™ Conference, Kapor Capital’s founding partners Freada Kapor Klein and Mitch Kapor were part of the panel “Closing The Equity Gap: C reating Wealth and Fostering Justice in Startup Investing” — titled after their book, released in March 2023. Alphonzo Terrell, co-founder and CEO of social media platform Spill, moderated the panel, addressing equity gaps in the startup landscape and how to build a more inclusive future. Klein and Kapor shared that the company has invested more than $106 million into over 170 companies, 62% of which are women-led or underrepresented founders , according to their website . In addition, Kapor Capital has achieved an internal rate of...
Through their foundation, Stephen and Ayesha Curry plan to invest $25 million in Oakland, CA, over the next five years. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the couple are founders of the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, which is intended to improve the lives of children through increased literacy rates, healthy meals, and opportunities for active lifestyles. Their work is being carried out in their “adopted hometown” of Oakland. In 2022, the foundation committed to building 150 libraries across Oakland and bringing 30,000 books into the hands of the youth. Additional efforts over the years have included $5 million in grants to support tutoring across more than 20 elementary schools, $2.5 million in grants allocated to libraries and teachers, and the remodeling of two elementary school libraries, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™ . Photo Credit: Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation $25M Commitment Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation continues to scale its commitment in light of a $25...
When it comes to having a lucrative business, it’s crucial to be descriptive when selecting a name; being descriptive can be effective in appealing to the fantasies of your audience. A descriptive name clearly explains what your business does, making it easier for potential customers to remember your brand identity and envision its value. Take a cue from successful businesses in the same industry and follow how they use descriptive names and wordplay to name their brands and businesses. Your business name should remind your target market of your brand promise and provoke the right emotions toward your business. For example, “Crunchies” for a snack brand resounds the promise of an ever-crispy savory fresh snack that keeps giving. With that in mind, let’s explore some unique business name ideas across industries to inspire creativity as you coin yours. Tech Startups The tech industry is about innovation, reliability and continuous product delivery, so the name should align with your...
One of the challenges entrepreneurs encounter is finding a location to situate their business. There is a lot of processing and costs that go into securing a business location or outlet, but not all businesses require a physical location. Rather than waiting for your customers to walk in, you can take your services to them. A mobile business is not bound by space; it assumes the space of its clients. It offers flexibility and minimal startup costs. Here’s a list of mobile business ideas you can create today. 10 Mobile Business Ideas Food Truck Food trucks have become a popular and trendy way to serve delicious food. Whether it’s gourmet burgers, tacos, or ice cream, a food truck allows you to move to different locations, reaching a broader customer base. Plus, you can participate in events and festivals to increase your exposure. Pet Grooming Pet owners love the convenience of mobile pet grooming. You can offer services like bathing, trimming, and nail clipping right at the...
Some people know the moment they enter the workforce that, they are meant to be their own boss. Others may have known from the beginning but are waiting for the right idea to ignite a fire within them. However, waiting too long can just as easily stifle that fire. Aspiring entrepreneurs often find themselves throwing up their hands in defeat saying, “I want to start a business but have no ideas.” Most successful entrepreneurs share that it is not always about having an original idea that gets one started in business, nor does that original idea automatically equate to success. For many, it was taking an existing idea and iterating upon it; making it more efficient and polishing it. In other words, it was about starting rather than waiting for just the right moment with just the right idea. With this in mind, here are ten tech business ideas for those who want to start a business but have no ideas. Each one of them capitalizes upon existing tech that is popular and becoming more and...
This startup is on a fast track to success. Despite only launching two months ago, edtech startup Teesas has secured $1.6 million in a pre-seed round to enhance Nigeria’s education sector through tutoring. TechCrunch reports that the round was led by Haresh Aswani, Tolaram Group’s Africa managing director, and included others like Olivegreen Advisory Partners plus more. The funds will propel the edtech startup into additional markets throughout Francophone, East, and Southern Africa. The investment will also create a marketplace to connect learners to more private lessons with tutors and integrate other products on the platform.
To provide a space for Black talent in tech, OneTen — a group of industry executives aiming to hire and build Black individuals to create an equitable and inclusive workforce — has launched its inaugural scholarship program to provide support for over 3,500 students over the next two years, a press release states. The program was created to spearhead underserved Black talent toward the tech industry — with a focus on four core tech competencies: digital marketing, business analytics, front end developer, and predictive analytics — despite not acquiring four-year degrees. “By investing in talent transformation, we can help remove the barriers to diversity in tech. By providing access to resources that are designed to nurture and develop people’s skills, we can help get more Black talent into the technology space,” Dennis Schultz, Executive Director of the BIT Foundation, said in a press release. As a contribution toward OneTen’s commitment, Udacity and Blacks In Technology will lend...
Musician and tech entrepreneur will.I.am is taking his love for robotics to the next level with his co-created robotics program. The Black Eyed Peas band member has a goal to ease the struggles of the next generation in terms of accessibility to educational resources. With that said, his i.am Angel Foundation is partnering with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to expand their robotics program to what could be 12,000 students throughout the entire district. According to an announcement from the Foundation, the LAUSD has witnessed the positive impact the organization has had on local neighborhood Boyle Heights for the past 11 years, serving close to 1,400 students in their STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) education. This summer, the two entities want to continue this community work and bring STEM skill sets to more than 400 new robotics clubs from middle and high schools and sign up as many students as possible for the FIRST Robotics program ahead...
Google’s Tech Exchange program made many promises to invest in more Black engineers, but has the big tech company been delivering on them? Not quite, and Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students and faculty who have been a part of the program have stepped forward to express their disappointment. In the summer of 2017, Google teamed up with Howard University (HU) to launch Howard West, the first ideation of what the Google Tech Exchange program is today. Howard West started as an exchange program that allowed accepted HBCU computer science students to study at Google’s Mountain View campus for a semester. While Google promised to bring 700 HBCU students to its West Coast campus to participate in the Tech exchange program in the first five years, CNBC reported that the company is far behind that mark since less than 200 Black students have been welcomed to participate. While Google has been failing to reach the goals it set with this program, it seems like...
This Nigerian teenager is setting the bar high for herself before she even begins her college career. A report from CNN shared that 17-year-old high school graduate Victory Yinka-Banjo counted 19 full-ride scholarship offers from the many colleges she applied to, in total worth over $5 million for an undergraduate program from universities across the U.S. and Canada. “It still feels pretty unbelievable. I applied to so many schools because I didn’t even think any school would accept me,” she told CNN. Yinka-Banjo — who was born to professional Nigerian parents — was granted several pending full scholarships from the Ivy League schools such as Yale College, Princeton University, Harvard College, Brown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Virginia. She also received offers from Canadian colleges such as the Lester B. Pearson scholarship from the University of Toronto and the Karen McKellin...