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The date Sept. 22 marked AFROTECH closing out the AFROTECH Executive series for 2023. Held in Brooklyn, NY, the event was an opportunity for people to gain insights about creating wealth, fintech, and tech innovation. Speakers that graced the stage included Arian Simone, co-founder and CEO of Fearless Fund, Wemimo Abbey, co-founder and co-CEO of Esusu , and Abim Kolawole, chief audit executive at Northwestern Mutual . The first fireside chat of the day was titled “Corporate Responsibility in Closing the Wealth Gap: The Blueprint, Presented by NorthWestern Mutual” with Kolawole. The discussion, moderated by Co-founder and CEO at Zirtue Dennis Cail, was about the critical role of corporate responsibility in addressing the wealth gap through real-time examples of NorthWestern Mutual’s initiatives. There was also a fireside chat with Abbey centering on “The Importance of Investing in Innovative Fintech.” Moderator Ollen Douglass — who is an investor in Esusu — and Abbey spoke about the...
As summer 2023 is coming to an end, so is AFROTECH Executive. On Sept. 22, the multi-city series is making its last stop in Brooklyn, NY at The William Vale. The event will feature conversations with Arian Simone, co-founder and CEO of Fearless Fund, Abim Kolawole, chief audit executive at Northwestern Mutual, Wemimo Abbey, co-founder and co-CEO of Esusu, and more. Closing out the event, there will be a networking reception presented by Remitly. To secure last-minute tickets, click here. While you’re in the city of Brooklyn, below are Black-owned businesses to pay a visit to.
New York has always been a central part of Robert Cummins’ life and career. As a music executive in the 1990s and early 2000s, the Brooklyn, NY, native worked alongside New York’s finest such as Jay-Z, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Mary J. Blige, The Notorious B.I.G, and also discovered Foxy Brown. After finding great success in the music business, the former executive vice president of MCA Records went on to pivot into hospitality and business.
In 2020, COVID-19 hit the block and stayed a while to let the people know it was here for the long haul. And while much of the world attempted to move forward as if the viral infection didn’t exist, its impact is still felt by people everywhere. From the uptick in remote work to the choices around vaccination, decisions based on the pandemic are real, and NBA star Kyrie Irving is a living testament. As the league decided how to implement its COVID-19 protocols, a decision from the NBA Player’s Association ruled that the NBA could not make the vaccine mandatory for players. However, staff and players must adhere to state laws and protocols associated with the pandemic. And since Kyrie Irving is a member of the Brooklyn Nets franchise and opposed to the vaccination, New York state protocols determined he was ineligible to play. According to CBS Sports, any player that decided to go against their local protocols would not play in home games and not be paid for any games missed. “Any...
Young Black tech entrepreneurs in need of inspiration, these two brothers have got you covered. Rusty and River Fields have launched “R-House” — the first Black residency hacker house right in their city of Bedstuy, Brooklyn — News 12 reports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by RHouse (@rhouse.nyc)
Instagram is back with its ongoing initiative to invest in emerging Black artists and designers. As previously reported by AfroTech, in 2021, the social media giant partnered with the Brooklyn Museum in a joint effort to launch the #BlackDesignVisionaries. This year, the grant program is back and bigger than ever.
When it comes to ice cream, not only is it important that the delicious treat is packed with flavor, but it’s an added bonus when the designs that make up the packaging are full of flavor, too! Last year, graphic artist Jade Purple Brown worked with Häagen-Dazs during their Tastemakers program. The goal was to help the brand find its footing across platforms like Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jade Purple Brown (@jadepurplebrown) At the time, she worked alongside the team to launch #ThatsDazs, an initiative used to bring more visibility to underrepresented communities and the work of creatives who dream big much like the Brooklyn artist. This year, her role has elevated. As the popular ice cream brand prepares to launch its new national collection of ice cream starting today (April 19), Jade is now behind the designs for the “City Sweets” collection — ice cream that’s inspired by renowned street foods like soft pretzels, waffles, churros, and more.
Black women dominate every space they enter. Therefore, it’s only right that we continue to uplift, support, and equip them with the keys that they need to win. To take things beyond just highlighting women across the AfroTech platform during Women’s History Month, the brand took things a bit further and ended March with a bang. The AfroTech Executive Brooklyn event was a one-day, in-person leadership summit dedicated to addressing the lack of representation in boardrooms across America, the wage difference that women are up against, and the actions that need to be put into motion to lead more Black women to the wealth that they more than deserve. Held in Brooklyn, at the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge on March 25, the experience included sessions from boss women like Ursula Burns, the first Black woman CEO in the Fortune 500; Merline Saintill, Fortune 500 board director and lead director of Rocket Lab; Heather Hiles, entrepreneur, technologist, and investor; Samantha Tweedy, the inaugural...
Not only is media personality Angela Yee making moves on the airwaves, but she is building an empire, one business at a time. When she isn’t being a voice for the culture, whether it’s on the nationally syndicated show “The Breakfast Club” or through her own podcast, “Lip Service,” Angela is driving change in the community. From Juices for Life to Coffee Uplifts People (CUP), as an entrepreneur, Angela is intentional, which is why she is on a mission for each business to serve a greater cause. Through her businesses, the community has access to nutrition, financial literacy and more. Angela Yee stopped by AfroTech to dish on her journey to entrepreneurship, how the culture and community always come first, and more!
The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports, and Entertainment continues to grow! Billboard reports that 9th Wonder will join the school as a visiting professor and artist in residence. As an acclaimed R&B/Hip-Hop producer, 9th Wonder will teach courses in Hip-Hop history along with the making of an album utilizing his current research in connection with the Loeb Library at Harvard University. He also brings a plethora of personal experiences to the table for the role. “Music changed my life and opened doors for me in ways that I never could have imagined, so it’s only right that we impart our knowledge to help the next generation of ambitious leaders,” said 9th Wonder in a statement to Billboard. “I’m truly honored to teach at the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment and look forward to equipping these students with the tools to break barriers in their own lives and careers.” Some of his early credits include production work on Jay-Z’s “The Black Album” and Destiny Child’s...
Paris McKenzie is making boss moves at the age of 16! Black Business reports she just made history after opening her own beauty supply store called Paris Beauty Supplyz — in Brooklyn, New York — making her the youngest Black owner to ever do it. I just became the youngest black owner of a beauty supply store at 16 years old! A simple retweet or like can help support♥️🥰 pic.twitter.com/hljSkNyXmc — Paris Kenzie (@parisjmck) September 5, 2020 McKenzie is not new to this, she’s true to this as she’s already equipped with business experience. “I’ve been helping my mom run her business since I was very, very young. So I know how to handle finances and how to market products in the store,” McKenzie told CBS News. “I had enough money saved to invest in this.” While she may be young, she has already earned the respect of her relatively older staff which includes 22-year-old Giselle Ashby who says Paris is “like a little sister to me. I respect her. It’s fun.” According to The African...
Father-son business partners Osei and Nadir Rubie are developing a new affordable housing project amid the U.S. housing crisis. According to Shoppe Black , the Rubies closed a $30 million real estate deal through their title insurance agency, National Standard Abstract (NSA) , one of the largest Black-owned companies in the industry. “In our five-plus years of operation, a common question posed to us is ‘how do we engage National Standard Abstract to provide title insurance for our project or transaction?’ As an MBE NYC Certified firm, our credentials are inclusive of City-funded commercial real estate projects as well as market-rate development projects,” said Nadir Rubie. Overseen by CB Emmanuel Realty, LLC, the project will be a seven-story residential building with 71 units— 55 studios, 14 one-bedroom, and two two-bedroom apartments—in Brooklyn, New York’s Brownsville neighborhood. The residences will be economic-friendly and provide upscale amenities including tenant and bike...