Chris Paul can now add “HBCU graduate” to his name!

Chris Paul is still working to create a brighter future for Historically Black College and University (HBCU) students. The NBA star has once again joined forces with Koia — along with Support Black Colleges — to provide students with healthier alternatives, according to Koia’s website. As AfroTech previously told you, Paul, who is also currently a student at Winston-Salem State University, first partnered with the plant-based line in 2021 to introduce Koia vending machines at the HBCU.

Supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) appears to be a unified effort. Joe Biden is set to appoint “qualified and diverse” leaders in education, sports, and more to the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The responsibilities of the board members will be to “increase the capacity of HBCUs to provide the highest-quality education to its students and continue serving as engines of opportunity,” according to the press release from the White House. Actress Taraji P. Henson and NBA All-Star Chris Paul are expected to be on the board. They will be joined by Makola M. Abdullah, Javaune Adams-Gaston, Paige Blake, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Willie A. Deese, Patrick Cokley, Monica Goldson, William F. L. Moses, and more. The new additions come after President Biden named Dr. Tony Allen as chair and Dr. Glenda Glover as Vice Chair of the President’s Board of Advisors on HBCUs in 2021. Dr. Dietra Trent was also named executive...

Billionaire Michael Jordan has marked himself as a shrewd investor. Now, the National Basketball Association (NBA) legend is investing in his passion for luxury collectibles. WatchBox, an e-commerce platform for collectible luxury watches, has secured a $165 million round of equity capital, according to a press release. It was led by The Radcliff Companies and The Spruce House Partnership. Other participants include CMIA Capital Partners and NBA stars such as Michael Jordan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Paul, Karl Anthony Towns and Devin Booker. “Our investors and partners hail from a wide range of industries, from consumer to technology, finance and professional sports, yet we are all bound by our love of watches. When we founded WatchBox, our vision was to build a brand that would engender trust so that we could unite a passionate network of enthusiasts. With that foundation we are now able to use technology to create the best customer experience in the industry,” said Justin...

Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul is one of the newest faces to join digital media startup Greenfly’s latest funding round, and the perks come with some new titles. TechCrunch reports that the NBA All-Star’s investment will have him serve as a strategic investor and partner in the company through its $8.4 million strategic growth round. Existing investors in the round include Go4it Capital, Elysian Park Ventures, Alpha Edison and Iconica Partners, as well as others like Verance Capital, Higher Ground Labs, DD Venture Capital, SW19 Ventures, LinkinFirm and Allievo Capital. Greenfly’s new funding round puts the company at over $23 million raised since it was first founded by former Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Shawn Green and his cousin Daniel Kirschner — who previously served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Communications Commission and Activision Blizzard. Greenfly is a company that considers itself a “leader in digital media monetization,”...

Remote learning has taken on a whole new meaning amid the pandemic, but audio-learning platform Knowable is taking it a step further to bring their educational experiences to life. Knowable — a first-of-its-kind platform teaching through a robust library of original, expert-led audio courses — has recently partnered up with Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul to lead a course about switching to a healthier diet and the importance of nutrition in Black communities. Throughout the exclusive course, Paul shares his personal experiences with plant-based eating and dives deep into how it’s transformed his game as an athlete. “My plant-based diet has completely changed my life in ways that I never could have imagined,” Paul told AfroTech. “Food has the power to affect every aspect of our lives. Since going plant-based, I’ve been in the best shape of my life, physically and mentally. Changes to my diet had a real impact on my game by aiding in reduced recovery time and inflammation.” In addition...

It’s always good to see athletes using their platforms to fight for justice and change. This week, NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade launched the Social Change Fund to offer more financial support and resources in the Black community while also addressing issues like public safety and criminal justice reform, according to The Hollywood Reporter . https://www.instagram.com/p/CC8fyvdHqcJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The three athletes have banded together to put their money behind concrete action. “Our mission is to address social and economic justice issues facing Black communities and break down the discriminatory barriers to success,” Paul said in an Instagram post . “The Social Change Fund will help advance racial equality and opportunity.” Additionally, the fund is acting on behalf of the Black community in America who has gone unheard and mistreated in response to our demands for justice. “When all else fails to organize us, conditions will,” Anthony said in...