Moses West wants clean water to be accessible to all. Solving An Issue Impacting Billions The U.S. Army veteran and engineer has used technology to develop an Atmospheric Water Generator that turns air into clean water. This groundbreaking invention has the potential to address the needs of more than a billion people who currently do not have clean water. Forbes reports that while water covers 70% of our planet, only 3% is fresh, and the majority of this fresh water — two-thirds — is held in frozen glaciers. It also highlights that 1.1 billion people lack water access, 2.7 billion struggle to find clean water at least one month each year, and 2.4 billion face issues with insufficient sanitation. Despite these statistics, West is looking to change these outcomes through his Atmospheric Water Generator. “The one crisis that everyone says, ‘We’re going to run out of water,’ and I’m sitting here saying, ‘No you’re not. You’re walking around in it every day. T rillions of gallons of it,...

Usher’s nonprofit organization, Usher’s New Look, is working to make tech career paths more accessible for underserved youth. Essence reports that Usher’s New Look teamed up with IBM’s SkillsBuild program to provide young people who are supported by the nonprofit with free tech training including in AI. IBM’s free global platform provides educational pathways and content, particularly focused on career prep resources. “We serve more than 1,500 youth per year, and all the students we serve will have access to SkillsBuild,” said Usher’s New Look CEO and President Careshia Moore, according to Essence. “AI is being infused into every part of our lives, particularly the workforce. We want to make sure that our young people are prepared for what’s coming.” IBM Vice President and Chief Impact Officer Justina Nixon-Saintil chimed in, “In the United States, we very much focus on partnerships like Usher’s New Look, where we can to bring the free training, the expertise from IBM, even job...

Marcus Gram started from the bottom. Now, he is earning top dollars. CNBC Make It reports the 31-year-old started with $10,000 and a dream. Gram was making $30,000 per year and originally aspired to become a music producer. He later moved back home to find footing and saved money by living with his mother. He then moved to Philadelphia with aspirations to jumpstart an entrepreneurship journey. Marcus recalls seeing a woman retrieve money from a vending machine. That brief snapshot in time sparked his interest and his side hustle began. He invested $4,400 into two vending machines with two card readers in 2018. Gram earned $4,000 in his first year. Soon, his side hustle became a business, and Joyner Vending was born. One year later, his earnings soared to $25,000, and the year after that, $200,000. In 2021, Gram racked in $300,000. Fast forward to now, and Gram projects he is on track to earn half a million dollars this year alone. Gram shared his tips for success.

Google holds the throne as the leading search engine, but according to Insider, TikTok and Instagram might be coming for its spot. According to data revealed by the search engine, nearly half of Gen Z — whose ages range from seven to 25 — prefer to use TikTok and Instagram instead. “Something like almost 40% of young people when they’re looking for a place for lunch, they don’t go to Google Maps or Search, they go to TikTok or Instagram,” said Prabhakar Raghavan, Google senior vice president, per the outlet.  

Two students have made beauty supply products more accessible for their peers. While attending the University of Michigan, Mia Wilson and Rico Ozuna-Harrison recognized securing beauty products for people of color was far from easy. The nearest beauty supply store requires a 20-minute drive to Ypsilanti, MI, forcing students to purchase last resort products from nearby stores. “Supplies aren’t directly on campus and there are no stores or beauty supplies for students of color nearby. The stores on campus are just Walgreens and CVS,” Wilson told AfroTech. “So, oftentimes you can’t find the proper products that will best suit our hair types in those stores.” The inconvenience sparked the inception of YOUniversity Beauty Supply Machine through their business Innovending LLC, to ensure Black and brown students were represented at the University of Michigan. The beauty dispensary can be found in the basement of the university’s Union building and students can purchase hair oil, durags,...