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Pharrell Williams is teaming up with fashion house Chanel to take his nonprofit organization to the next level. As previously reported by AfroTech, the super-producer and entrepreneur launched his nonprofit, Black Ambition, back in December to help support underserved entrepreneurs with startups across tech, design, healthcare and consumer products/services. According to Complex, now he’s upping the stakes with Chanel by launching a two-part mentorship program in addition to sponsoring two competitions this summer with prizes for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs as well as emerging talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). “Chanel’s support of Black Ambition is a cornerstone of Black Ambition’s mission and is vital to the success of the next generation of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs,” Williams said in a statement, “to honor their commitment to investing in human potential and advancing greater representation in culture and society, Chanel has put together an...
The fashion industry is a massive global market that relies on consumer demand to shape trends and production. Every purchase a consumer makes influences how fashion brands operate, from luxury houses like Dior to fast fashion retailers like SHEIN . Consumer responsibility plays a major role in the ethical, environmental and labor aspects of the fashion industry. Trends change quickly, and consumers are always looking for the next big style. Social media and celebrity culture drive these shifts, making people want to buy new clothes frequently. For fast fashion this means the priority is to create low-cost, trendy clothing at a rapid pace. Companies like Zara, H&M and Forever 21 design and produce new styles in just weeks, while SHEIN keeps a stable of designers on hand to release new looks daily. This ensures that customers always have something new to buy . However, this system comes with significant consequences. The Environmental Impact Of Fast Fashion (Fernand De...
A hub geared towards Black business owners has opened in Madison, WI. The Black Business Hub is made possible through the efforts of The Urban League of Greater Madison (ULGM), which was established in 1968 to educate and empower the Black community both personally and professionally, per its website. Their programs have been geared towards the youth, families, job seekers, and employers. The enterprise center aims to reduce the disparities faced by Black entrepreneurs. In 2022, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $2.9 million to The Urban League of Greater Madison — bringing the project’s total raised to $22 million at time — and a portion of the proceeds was used to support its development. “We’re honored and grateful that Ms. Scott and her team have recognized the Urban League’s value and impact to the community,” Ruben L. Anthony, Jr., president and CEO of ULGM said in a statement, per Chanel 3000. “By placing racial equity and social justice at the forefront of her...
With the National Center for Health Statistics reporting that the maternal mortality rate for Black women is roughly two times the rate of their white counterparts, BirthFUND is on a mission to change the narrative. Created by award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author Elaine Welteroth, the BirthFUND program has raised a total of more than $1.2 million and is working toward its mission to provide “a direct solution to combat the maternal health crisis by raising funds and awareness for midwifery care.” “Every day, I am motivated to make a difference on this issue because of the unfathomable loss of life too many families experience during and after childbirth in this country and all across the world,” Welteroth told AFROTECH™ . “The preventable deaths of mothers like April Valentine and Kira Johnson — both due to gross medical negligence — are constant reminders to me of the urgency and importance of this issue. The devastating reality is that they could have...
Whether you know her for her music or her “Patti Pies,” Patti LaBelle is an icon. Originally coming to prominence thanks to her musical stylings with LaBelle (originally known as Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles), the fierce songstress first began making headlines when one of her original bandmembers — Cindy Birdsong — departed the group to join Diana Ross and the Supremes. But it wasn’t until the release of the original “Lady Marmalade” in 1975 — and an appearance on the cover of Rolling Stone — that LaBelle began hitting the mainstream. Today, as a respected R&B diva, she has diversified her business portfolio. In addition to a prolific acting career that took her everywhere from Broadway (in “Fela!”) to primetime (thanks to her role in “Empire”), LaBelle gained a whole new fan base — and became an LGBTQIA+ icon — when, in 2015, social media personality James Wright Chanel recorded a video singing the praises of her “Patti Pies.” The video subsequently went viral, and LaBelle...
Chanel E. Martin is a force in the entrepreneurial world. At an early age, Chanel E. Martin recalls having two passions in the world of theatre and business. One passion has proven to be a long-term fixation as the former Georgia Tech student has grown to become the leading face of Kingdom Business Network. Before the launch of the faith-based network, Chanel E. Martin was a chemical engineer who became interested in deciphering the best methods for the hair and skin of people of color. In 2013, she became a co-founder of Myavana, a web and mobile-based platform using scientific analysis for Black hair care. While serving at Myavana , Chanel learned the entrepreneurial ropes to establish a successful company.
Nonprofit CodeHouse has received $1 million in funding from Google.org to continue its mission to combat the diversity gap in technology. Morehouse College alumni and Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. brothers Ernest Holmes and Tavis Thompson founded the 501(c)(3) nonprofit to encourage Black and Latinx students to pursue careers in STEM. Honoring its commitment, CodeHouse has launched various Tech Exposure days to provide educational resources to high schoolers. It also recently launched the CodeHouse Scholars Initiative in March 2021. Through the newly launched four-year program, students receive mentorship, networking opportunities, and technical training, alongside the scholarship. The opportunities afforded to students will fulfill the nonprofit’s goal to strengthen and diversify the pipeline between minority students and industry-leading companies, according to the nonprofit’s website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CODEHOUSE (@codehouseorg) “As a Morehouse College graduate...
The Toronto Raptors are creating a promising future for emerging BIPOC artists under their Welcome Toronto Creators program. In partnership with Drake’s OVO, the program supports three emerging artists between the ages of 16 and 29 who exemplify “the multicultural DNA of the city of Toronto,” according to the Raptors’ website. Finalists will have an opportunity to receive mentorship and networking opportunities with the Raptors’ resources. In addition to these perks, the chosen artists will be designated to one “Welcome Toronto” game and their art and journey will be featured during the NBA broadcast and across the Raptors’ social media platforms.
Pharrell Williams’ Black Ambition is certainly living up to its name. A $100,000 award has reportedly been granted to Spelman alumna Mya Havard and her co-founders Ibrahim Conteh, Nashawn Chery, Faisal Gedi and Simrun Mannan from Williams’ Black Ambition. As AfroTech previously reported, the Black Ambition, and Black Ambition HBCU, created in 2020, partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to provide resources for Black and Latinx current and former HBCU students with startups in tech, design, healthcare, and consumer products or services. The initiative also provides entrepreneurs mentorship opportunities, capital gain, and pitch feedback along with prize money of up to $250,000. “With Black Ambition, the goal is to help strengthen the pipeline of talented entrepreneurs and close the opportunity and wealth gaps derived from limited access to capital and resources,” Williams stated in a press release. The funds will be allocated to support Shea.d, which...
Ryan Leslie could teach us a thing or two about investing in stocks! The iconic singer/songwriter/producer, responsible for hits like Cassie’s “Me & U,” is also quite the entrepreneur and businessman with an eye for investments. Leslie must’ve known that Apple would become the tech giant that it is today, having first invested in the company back in 2009. In 2018, Apple became the first trillion-dollar company. According to Complex, the “Addicted” singer’s initial stake of $100,000 reached millions of dollars thanks to a wise lesson from his mentor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Earn Your Leisure (@earnyourleisure) Leslie detailed exactly how during an episode of the “Earn Your Leisure” podcast stating: “I remember a conversation I had with my mentor. I said, ‘Hey look, man. I took your advice and man, $100,000 to $350,000. I’mma cash out and get something nice for my mom.’ And he gave me the ultimatum at that time– he said, ‘Ryan,listen. You can go ahead and cash...
Earlier this year, Pharrell Williams’ nonprofit YELLOW joined forces with Amazon Music and Georgia Institute of Technology to launch a new educational coding and music remix competition. After months of listening to over 1,500 student applicants across the U.S., five winners have been chosen. According to a blog post from Amazon, the “Your Voice is Power” program was created to encourage students to use their voices through music to amplify issues centered around social justice and equity while also learning how to code. The music competition instructed students to create their own remix to Pharrell and Jay-Z’s “Entrepreneur” song using music coding platform EarSketch. As a result of the contest, five grand prize winners from schools in Georgia, Illinois, Florida, Texas, California, and Ontario were awarded either a $5,000 scholarship or grant to start their own business. Five teachers were also awarded a $1,000 cash reward for going above and beyond in teaching the program to their...
Today, Black Ambition founder Pharrell Williams announced the winners of the Black Ambition and Black Ambition HBCU (Historically Black College and University) Prizes during the initiative’s Prize Celebration. “These are the founders I dreamed would represent Black Ambition. Today we celebrate their determination, resourcefulness, and creativity. Because of Black Ambition, the world will be much more equitable. More people of color can pursue their ventures and get what they need to thrive,” said Pharrell Williams. “There’s been too much disparity and discrimination. Black Ambition will continue to create and push for more seats at the table, so that your talent, not your color, determines your results.” The winner of the $1 million grand prize, according to Billboard, is Livegistics, which features a collective of software developers, accounting professionals, and former construction managers that used their combined expertise to create a new cloud platform for civil projects....
Google is committed to investing in the future of tomorrow’s Black leaders and professionals, and its latest initiative is directly addressing the diversity gap in tech. Today, the tech giant has announced a new $50 million grant for 10 chosen Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to help fund scholarships, invest in technical infrastructure to support in-class and remote learning, as well as develop curriculum and career support programs for these students. “As Google’s Chief Diversity Officer and an HBCU alum, I am proud to continue our long-standing partnership with HBCUs and help provide Black students with access to opportunities in tech,” Melonie Parker told AfroTech exclusively over email. “This work is deeply important to me and the amazing talent, unique perspectives and lived experiences of these students embody the true meaning of diversity. This grant will help to fund the important work needed to further prepare students for the tech industry.” HBCUs have...
Rap icon Nicki Minaj has once again used her worldwide influence to break the internet. This week, Minaj — who’s also dropping new music on Friday — made her grand return to Instagram after a four-month hiatus to show off in a post wearing nothing but her pink Crocs blinged out with bedazzled Jibbitz and Chanel-jewels. Nicki Minaj also posed for the photo using only two pink heart-shaped pillows to cover herself, while sporting several diamond necklaces, bracelets and anklets in a decked-out all-pink office. While it’s unclear if Minaj will be formally partnering with Crocs in the future, her single post still shook fans to their cores as they scoured the internet to find the now almost sold-out pair of shoes. According to Google Trends, “pink Crocs” and “Nicki Minaj Crocs” became the breakout searches of the internet, and fans reportedly crashed the retailer’s website with their searches as well. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Barbie (@nickiminaj) Minaj’s...