What would the music industry be without Black music? Or rather, what would it be without Black women ? Across eras in music, Black women — especially those more behind the scenes — have been the glue that holds things down. We love to sing along with our favorite artists. However, credit also needs to be rightfully given to the songwriters, producers, and composers who are a key reason why we blast our favorite tracks on YouTube, streaming platforms, and beyond. From infectious hooks to a catchy bass, it’s all a part of the formula to a smash record. Take a look at some of our favorite Black women behind the charts — who majority also have successful careers as artists — that AfroTech has our radar on.

We would love to see more people follow in the footsteps of this student! According to Today at Elon, Elon University student Eukela Little’s research project, which revolved around reframing the “strong Black woman” label, earned her one of the school’s $20,000 Lumen Prize awards. What’s more, the psychology major was one out of 15 students to be awarded the scholarship.

Women’s History Month may have concluded, but Black Girl Magic is still alive and well. Shannon Jackson made history in the Benson neighborhood of Omaha, NE by opening Heavi Hitters – the first Black fully woman-owned and operated barbershop . “We’re all different ethnicities, and we’re all women,” said Alia Jackson, a cosmetologist and professional makeup artist. “It’s given our clients, a different perspective of life, being in a male-dominated world,” hairstylist Ayanna Carfield said. According to local news outlet , KETV 7, the full-service barbershop has seen consistent growth since opening in 2019. Because of that rapid growth, Heavi Hitters ran out of space, which led to their move to their current spot-on Maple Street in the Benson community. Jackson and her team of cosmetologists are making sure that their space is inclusive for all no matter their background. This level of inclusivity is seen even in the type of services that Heavi Hitters offers. Heavi Hitters is not your...

From benefits to ballin’, this Black woman millionaire story is nothing if not inspiring. Arnita Johnson-Hall told her inspiring story to CNBC, and her achievements are nothing if not remarkable. The story begins in 2007, when she was a single mother living in Dallas, TX, and working a dead-end job making a measly $12/hour. Because she was making such a pittance, this future millionaire qualified for all sorts of public assistance programs — including Section 8 housing. And without it, there would be no way she’d have survived. “ My entire income went towards rent, gas, daycare, and, regrettably, payday loans in order to survive until my next paycheck,” she explained to the outlet. When Johnson-Hall was offered a $60,000/year job, it looked like there was a light at the end of the tunnel. But then, when the company ran her credit, she was denied for having a score below 400 (It’s worth noting that while some states — including Texas — permit employers to run credit checks on their...

Retirement isn’t normally a high priority on young workers’ lists. But this 41-year-old single mother not only secured her bag but did so in the biggest way possible. CNBC has the story of Lakisha Simmons, who retired with almost $1 million in her retirement fund ($850,000 to be exact), having worked since she was 14-years-old. Although she comes from a working-class family, Simmons worked as an associate professor at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Between her full-time job and her side hustles, Simmons was able to bring in $150,000 in 2020. But Simmons had set a goal for herself: retire by the time she was 45-years-old. So, she deployed what’s known as the FIRE Method — “financial independence, retire early” — which is also popularly known as an extreme saving method. Simmons sold her home (to get rid of her mortgage of $2,400/month), cut down on all her expenses (switched to a prepaid cell phone plan, made meals at home), and saved $100,000 in the first year. “Simmons keeps...

This Black woman took her last $10, invested it into NFTs, and now says she makes six figures. Now this is an inspiring story we can get behind! CNBC recently reported on the story of Brittany Pierre, a 36-year-old Black woman from Chicago, IL, who once lived paycheck-to-paycheck. She told the outlet that her financial situation was very “touch and go,” and that she struggled to pay rent and her other bills at times. But that all changed, she said, when she began investing in NFTs. “It was really hard to do $50 photoshoots, trying to peddle $30 prints. I’d have bookings here and there, but it wasn’t sustainable,” she said to the outlet. “That first couple of $200, $300 [NFT] sales was a lot for me. That’s exactly what I needed to pay rent.” Pierre also said that she was inspired by the work of Elise Swopes — a Black woman who also made it “big” with NFTs, and happens to be a friend of hers — which is why she felt comfortable investing her last $10 in the project. “Last year has been...

Pinterest has a new global head of diversity. According to AdWeek, Nichole Barnes Marshall has been named the company’s new global head of diversity. She comes to the company from Bath & Body Works, where she served as chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer. But as AfroTech previously reported, Marshall will undoubtedly have a long road ahead of her. In January 2020, Pinterest released its annual report, where they claimed they were reaffirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion. But the numbers told a very different story: white people make up most of the total company employees (45 percent), with Asians closely following (44 percent). The figures representing other racial groups remain paltry, with Hispanic or Latinx individuals constituting six percent, followed by Black people at four percent. Alaska Natives and Pacific Islanders and employees of two or more races represent one percent of employees. Amidst the backlash surrounding this annual report that prompted...

There is a shortage of Black women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), but this woman is on a mission to make a change that’ll make a difference. Diana Wilson created the nonprofit, Yielding Accomplished African Women (Yaa W) to discover and support Black collegiate women in tech and finance. Now, she’s raising $1 million to equip those same women with the resources that they need to be holistic leaders and achieve their STEM career goals.