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The beautiful thing about fine art, specifically music, is that it speaks to the issues of the time. Often, those songs are made to address certain historic moments but end up being a case study of sorts for the future. It can be seen across genres in songs such as Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” or Walter Hawkin’s “Thank You Lord,” where in one of the verses he sings, “economies down, people can’t get enough pay.” Although some of these songs were produced well before the issues of today, they are perpetual concerns that society has found itself facing again and again. Those same messages are on par with the pain points many people feel and are going through. One of those pain points is the economy’s impact on the job industry, and it has now impacted what is known as the happiest place on Earth. According to The Wall Street Journal, Disney is part of the long list of employers recently announcing layoffs. The Florida-based company eliminated its entire Metaverse division. At its...
Mar 29, 2023
It’s no secret that Silicon Valley companies don’t support their workers unionizing, but employees have been pushing back recently. After the civil unrest last summer following the death of George Floyd, employees across the nation have been calling on their leadership to make actionable changes on the front of diversity, equity and inclusion. By definition, labor unions are organized associations of workers, often in specific trades, companies or professions, formed to protect and further their rights and interests from pay to benefits, working conditions and beyond. Unions are especially unusual for big tech companies. However, after years of confrontation between management and workers, more than 400 engineers and other personnel at Google recently unionized to apply pressure on their leadership, according to The New York Times. That may seem like a big union to you but to put the numbers into perspective, the internet giant employs more than 260,000 full timers. The Alphabet...
Feb 12, 2021
Black women in tech are coming after big tech companies to be the new contenders in the market. Parent company Urrgent Technology — led by founder Shantell “Charisma” Graham — recently announced a huge launch into the big tech market, unveiling two inaugural digital platforms — StoopUp and Urrgent.com — according to a press release . StoopUp — a free social networking app that allows users to create a digital “Neighborhood” based on shared and given support from others — and Urrgent.com — an online platform for freelancers that creates more opportunities for people of color — are both a part of Graham’s mission to uplift underserved communities and push consumers to accrue economic wealth in the sector. “We’re not reinventing the wheel but we are headed in a more positive direction for the end-users, said Graham in a press statement . “Two separate platforms – each bringing a conscientious, user-first standard, because we have to work and uplift each other as a whole.” According to...
Sep 8, 2020
Black professionals in any industry have faced their challenges trying to fit into spaces that weren’t designed for us. So, it’s always great to see young, successful Black entrepreneurs paying it forward by creating opportunities for people who look like them – starting with the youth. For Black college students interested in getting involved in the tech industry, YCombinator funded startup company Edlyft is here to help equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to succeed: “Edlyft is creating 1 million new computer science college graduates over the next decade. We help college students pass their most challenging computer science classes by offering group tutoring, connecting them to study groups, and passing down guidance from peers who’ve done it before.” I spoke with Erika Hairston and Arnelle Ansong, co-founders of the newly funded startup, to hear their story behind building this company that’s catering to Black college students interested in joining tech. Origin...
Mar 13, 2020
Since I was a teenager, I always dreamed of working on the cutting edge of technology. I wanted an exciting career path that would allow me to explore the world’s fastest-growing industry and grow as a professional. Luckily, I found that and more at HPE. My career with Hewlett Packard Enterprise started in May 2012 at age 18. I just finished my freshman year of college at Prairie View A&M University, a Historically Black College, located 45 minutes outside of Houston, TX. I attended a conference for NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) and landed my first technical internship as a Consumer Notebook Test Intern. As a young minority, working for one of the world’s largest technology vendors was initially intimidating. I was the youngest person on a team of middle-aged, seasoned professionals. In addition, I was the only person in my family who worked in corporate America, let alone the IT field. With this in the back of my mind, I wondered how I would be perceived by my team and...
Nov 26, 2019
Last year, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation officially went into effect after a two-year transition period. The regulations make up some of the strictest data laws in the world. So, it’s no surprise that the EU has placed tech companies under increased scrutiny. Tech giants like Google have received multiple fines from the EU for antitrust behavior. Now that seems to be rubbing President Trump the wrong way, but not because he doesn’t think the fines shouldn’t be happening. In an interview with CNBC on Monday , Trump said: “Every week you see them going after Facebook and Apple and all of these companies … The European Union is suing them all of the time. Well, we should be doing this. They’re our companies. So, [the EU is] actually attacking our companies, but we should be doing what they’re doing. They think there’s a monopoly, but I’m not sure that they think that. They just think this is easy money.” Trump calls for the federal govt to sue tech & social...
Jun 11, 2019
It seems Elizabeth Warren has no plans to back down from her calls to break up Big Tech. Recently, the presidential candidate took her message to the tech industry’s hub — San Francisco. At 4th and Townsend, Warren posted a billboard calling for Big Tech’s breakup. The location happens to be right next to the city’s Caltrain stop. For those who are unaware, that’s a station where a huge chunk of tech workers commute in and out of. In a tweet , Washington Post reporter Cat Zakrzewski described the location as “typically prime real estate for tech startup ads.” Warren is pictured on the billboard next to text that reads: “Break up Big Tech.” It also urges people to “join our fight,” by texting the number listed. Elizabeth Warren's campaign is out with a new billboard in San Francisco today about her plan to breakup Big Tech. It's near the Caltrain station at 4th and Townsend — typically prime real estate for tech startup ads. pic.twitter.com/jCpwhSsYQS — Cat Zakrzewski...
May 30, 2019
After the Christchurch shooting was allowed to livestream on Facebook and subsequently spread across social media , governments around the world have put pressure on big tech companies to answer for it. Now, it seems advertisers have lost their patience and are calling for companies to present solid plans for change. Recently, Mastercard’s CMO and president of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) Raja Rajamannar called on the group to put pressure on tech companies to prevent platforms from being “hijacked by those with malicious intent,” as reported by CNBC . The WFA is a massive player in the marketing world. The group — whose buying power nears a trillion — contains members like PepsiCo, P&G, and Diageo. Rajamannar says the call is about more than just a “brand safety issue.” In an interview with CNBC, he explained, “It’s a societal safety issue, and as marketers we have a responsibility to society.” Rajamannar also told CNBC: “Do you want live streaming of a shooting...
Apr 22, 2019
Today, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, wrote letters to executives from tech companies — including Facebook and YouTube — over their response to the Christchurch shooting and how video of the horrific event was able to spread online. “I was deeply concerned to learn that one of the shooters live-streamed this terror attack on Facebook, and the video was subsequently re-uploaded on Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms,” Thompson said. “This video was widely available on your platforms well after the attack, despite calls from New Zealand authorities to take these videos down.” “You must do better,” Thompson added. “It is clear from the recent pattern of horrific mass violence and thwarted attempts at mass violence — here and abroad — that this is not merely an American issue but a global one.” Thompson’s letter called for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, to...
Mar 20, 2019
A new U.K. government report has found that big tech companies — like Amazon, Google, and Facebook — are in need of some serious new antitrust rules. Commissioned by Britain’s finance minister, the Digital Competition Expert Panel’s report pushes back against the idea that digital platforms produce “natural monopolies.” Instead, the report points out how big tech companies are stifling competition and innovation, calling for the U.K.’s laws to be “updated for the digital age” because competition among digital platforms is “not only necessary but also possible.” Jason Furman, former chief economic advisor to Barack Obama, chaired the group behind the report. He told CNBC , “The digital sector has created substantial benefits but these have come at the cost of increasing dominance of the few companies which is limiting competition and consumer choice and innovation.” Take some of the recent mergers in big tech as an example — Amazon now owns WholeFoods plus Facebook acquired both...
Mar 13, 2019