Julie Wenah doesn’t necessarily want to address the elephant in the room about Facebook, but she knows she has to. “When it comes to the product, itself, I know there’s a lot of work to be done,” she told AfroTech. “Leaving aside the privacy concerns, there is also no shortage of safety concerns, as well. The trust in our brand is lost amongst a certain segment of the population — we understand that, and we appreciate that. But more than anything, we’re doing everything we can to re-establish the trust in the brand, in the product — and we thank people, in advance, for their patience.” The shattered trust in the Facebook brand, of course, comes from a combination of sources. Black people in general — and Black women, in particular — don’t feel safe in the space; according to Pew Research, almost 60 percent of all Black Internet users say they have experienced a form of online harassment — and social media platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram could be incubators for such...

The leading U.S. wholesaler of branded cannabis products just leveled up its board of directors! Cresco Labs has appointed seasoned executive Tarik Brooks to its board of directors effective immediately, Business Wire reports. Brooks is the current President of Combs Enterprises where he is responsible for overseeing all business operations and investments owned by Sean “Diddy” Combs. The diverse portfolio includes moves in the spirits industry through CÎROC Vodka and DeLeón Tequila, media through REVOLT TV, music through iconic label Bad Boy Records, consumer packaged goods with the AquaHydrate brand and education through the Capital Preparatory Schools. Brooks is also responsible for new business development activity which includes the launch of “Our Fair Share,” a platform designed to help minority-owned businesses gain access to capital through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Tarik Amin (@tarikamin) “I’m thrilled to welcome...

M·A·C Cosmetics, a leading global provider and purveyor of health and beauty products, has announced that it has named Aïda Moudachirou Rebois as the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that Moudachirou Rebois will oversee the Consumer Marketing and Product Marketing teams with a dotted line management responsibility for Product Development to drive global Consumer Engagement strategies and deliver breakthrough Product Innovation in order to maximize consumer connection to M·A·C Cosmetics. “Aïda has an innovative and flexible leadership style, cross-industry experience and global brand-building expertise, which combined with her multilingual, multicultural background, will undoubtedly help to drive the global M·A·C  business forward in our complex fast-changing environment,” said Philippe Pinatel , Global Brand President of M·A·C Cosmetics, in the press release announcement. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome her to the...

Black women in media are taking over in more ways than one. Today, news broke that producer and former Netflix and AMC executive Tara Duncan will be joining Freeform as their new President, according to Deadline . Duncan is set to replace Tom Ascheim as the network’s new chief starting June 8. Freeform chose Duncan as their President, who’s closer in age to their target audience demographic (18-24). “Tara is an exceptionally skilled executive and a seasoned producer who is bringing a wealth of experience, across linear channels and streaming platforms, to her new role,” said Disney TV Studios and ABC Entertainment chairman, Dana Walden, in a statement . “Her background, great taste and reputation make her the perfect choice to lead Freeform and its original programming that entertains viewers across its linear channel and distribution on Hulu. Tara and I met for the first time a little over a year ago, and I was truly taken with her vision and understanding of the creative process....

When Horace Williams left his executive position at Oracle, he wanted to create something that could have a huge impact on his community. The New York-native began developing his own platform focused on civic engagement in 2013 and Empowrd was born. Empowrd is based in Atlanta where the startup scene is taking off for Black entrepreneurs. Williams said the city has become communal space for Black founders and many leaders are leaning on each other to foster success. Empowrd is an app for individuals and organizations to stay informed and to motivate political action. Users can access news, contact elected officials and find ways to get engaged within their communities. Organizations use the app to conduct surveys on their constituents, build partnerships with influencers and political leaders, and access data analytics. Photo: Empowrd AfroTech had a chance to chat with Williams about Empowrd and the problem he’s trying to solve using tech. This interview has been lightly edited for...