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As new skincare brands continue to enter the market, there’s been a gaping void of products that cater to Black skin. Noticing the lack of Black female founders in clinical skincare, specifically, is what got Ciara’s gears moving for her own, On A Mission (OAM) Skin. What started as a budding vision — launched in September 2022 — turned into two and a half years in the making to create a line that made clinical skincare both simple and accessible for all skin tones and types.
Reclaiming master recordings is a celebratory moment for every artist. The feat empowers artists by reclaiming ownership of what is rightfully theirs as they now own the copyrights to the original sound recordings of their favorite tunes. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, “‘By definition, that makes it the most authentic superior sonic account of the song.'” Not only that but owning one’s masters can be the stepping stone to creating wealth for future generations, thanks to royalties earned each time a song is played or duplicated. Although there is no fine print to the accomplishment, artists including Anita Baker, Rihanna, and Frank Ocean, have used their voices to earn back their master recordings. Here’s AfroTech’s inside look at their journeys.
Ciara and Russell Wilson are the perfect depictions of what it looks like to create an empire for your household. The power couple has successfully conquered a plethora of ventures ranging from their own fragrance line, R&C The Fragrance Duo, to opening up a clothing company, The House of LR&C. Building with one another through their shared serial entrepreneurship, the duo also makes it their duty to take time to support others with their Why Not You Foundation — a non-profit that aims to fight poverty, increase access to education, and empower youth. AfroTech previously shared that Ciara and Russell invested $1.75 million in funding to rebrand a Seattle charter school, as well as more recently, donated over $35,000 to Seattle students. With the mission to further pour love into families, the Wilsons have released their new children’s book, “Why Not You?” — a title tied with their foundation — according to NBC. The book is inspired by the couple’s own upbringing of learning to have...
Aliyah Kamala has a lot to celebrate! Kamala — the boss behind Kamala Enterprises — was recently selected by global superstar Ciara to participate in the Meta Elevate program. The Meta Program, as AfroTech previously reported, consists of 10 small business owners who will be supported by Meta for six weeks to ensure they have a pathway to success. And f or Aliyah Kamala, the news came as a shock. Just within the last year, Aliyah Kamala left her position as a school teacher to scale Kamala Enterprises. Aliyah Kamala’s recent victory proved her new direction had a purpose. In addition, the realization that Ciara believed in her entrepreneurial vision fueled a fire within her soul to continue leveling up! The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was made possible thanks to Elevate’s Facebook group. Aliyah Kamala joined the Meta Elevate Facebook group following a hunt for community, resources, and organizations offering support to Black and brown entrepreneurs. “I’ve been in that group for...
Ciara hopes to see improved health narratives for Black women, starting with cervical cancer. The music legend recently penned a letter for NBC News to advocate for cervical care. According to a recent study, Black women die from cervical cancer at a higher rate than any other racial or ethnic group in the nation. The reality is jarring as the cancer is preventable and treatable. However, due to medical bias and racial disparities, Black women are more likely to be left in the dark. “The common narrative around Black women and cervical cancer is that we are ‘disproportionately’ affected by it. Astonishingly, Black women are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer than white women, but it’s not because of biology — it’s because of health care disparities, systemic racism and long-held inequities,” Ciara wrote. “This must change. It’s time for us to champion a new narrative — one driven by confidence and strength that extends, rather than ends, a healthy and joyful life.”
Ciara and Meta Elevate are back to support small Black-owned businesses! To ensure businesses will receive support and prosper amidst the pandemic, entrepreneurs were encouraged to apply to Meta’s newest program in the fall of 2021. Now, Ciara has personally selected 10 Black-owned businesses that will participate in the inaugural cohort. “The ten businesses I’ve nominated are dear to me because they embody determination, community, empathy and empowerment. The success of Black-owned small businesses is key to wealth building in our community, which is why connecting Black owners to these opportunities is so important to me,” Ciara said in a press release sent to AfroTech. As AfroTech previously told you, nominated businesses will receive marketing mentorship and six weeks of support. Businesses will have the opportunity to create powerful marketing campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, Meta will distribute $100,000 in ad credits and creative support for businesses to...
NFL fans have been watching Russell Wilson for many years. He went from graduating from NC State with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast/communications, then a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin to becoming a football player like no other. He’s one of the richest NFL players in the league today and has the third-highest salary. He has been named to eight Pro Bowls, and starred in two Super Bowls (ultimately leading his team, the Seattle Seahawks, to a Super Bowl XLVII win over the Denver Broncos). He holds the record for most wins by an NFL quarterback through nine seasons and is one of four quarterbacks in NFL history with a career passer rating over 100. It’s no wonder, then, that Russell Wilson has a net worth of $135 million and an average annual salary of $35 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Celebrity Net Worth and Forbes have both gone into extensive detail about Russell Wilson’s NFL contract, career, and...
According to a report , Black business ownership rates declined by about 40 percent between February and April 2020, which was the sharpest decline of any racial group. In response, Meta — formerly Facebook — has big plans this holiday season that involve amplifying small Black-owned businesses. To kick it off, during the inaugural Forbes Next 1000 Summit, the company announced a partnership with Grammy award-winning artist Ciara, as they plan “to redistribute the energy of the biggest physical retail day” to spotlight Black-owned businesses impacted by COVID-19. “In the US, Black-owned businesses have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, and this holiday season will be ‘make or break’ for many,” said Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg. “One way we can all make a difference is through conscious shopping, which is why I’m thrilled to partner with Ciara to support #BuyBlack and do what we can to help Black-owned small businesses.” Under the partnership, starting Nov. 22,...
Ciara Princess Wilson is the perfect example of what happens when you never give up. She got her start in the entertainment industry as a pop princess, with a string of hits that seemed to define the early 2000s era of pop-crunk music. Thanks to her collaborations with Jazze Pha and Missy Elliott, Ciara became a household name with such hit songs as “Goodies.” Crowned The Princess of Crunk&B, her influence on today’s artists — from Normani to Tinashe — cannot be denied. Today, though, Ciara spends less time in the music studio and more time being a wife, mother, philanthropist, and businesswoman thanks to her successful marriage to Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. Together, the pair share two biological children, and Wilson has all but adopted her first child, Future, whose father is the rapper Future. Though she has certainly had her fair share of challenges in both the world, and the industry, her tenacity and dedication have helped her turn lemons into lemonade....
One thing about Ciara Princess Wilson? She’s going to forever reign as a hardworking multi-hyphenate entertainer. It seems as though AfroTech has been reporting on the serial entrepreneur’s business moves all year — from launching her clothing line — LITA — earlier this year to her multiple business ventures under The House of LR&C with her husband Russell Wilson. Plus, with her latest partnership, she’s continuing to be a business mogul in the making. Forbes reports that Ciara has recently joined Ten To One Rum’s founder and CEO Marc Farrell as an investor, co-owner and director for the brand. “When I get a chance to do things and projects like this, I’m pretty involved,” Ciara told Forbes. “I look a step before the actual product to work with really great business partners. For me all the boxes were checked. This is a space that not too many women occupy, and I saw a tremendous opportunity as an entrepreneur, and as a woman of color.” Ciara’s new roles for Ten To One Rum entails...