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Stephen A. Smith has officially signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension with ESPN, solidifying his role as the face of “First Take” while also gaining greater flexibility to expand his presence beyond sports. According to Sports Illustrated, Smith confirmed the extension on First Take, expressing gratitude for the deal while acknowledging the lengthy negotiation process. “It took too d-mn long,” he remarked with a smile, adding that he remains proud to be part of the “Worldwide Leader in Sports.” His co-host, Molly Qerim, responded lightheartedly, “Yeah, you’re telling me! I saw those mood swings.” Evolving Role at ESPN Under the new agreement, Smith will continue as the primary voice of “First Take” but will scale back appearances on other ESPN programs, including a reduced role on the network’s NBA pregame show, The Athletic noted. This shift allows him to explore additional media opportunities, including political commentary, a space he has engaged with more...
After receiving major backlash, President Donald Trump is now less likely to dismantle the Department of Education. ABC News reported that an executive order had been drafted requiring Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take any measures as permitted by law “to close the department, according to sources familiar with the matter.” “My vision is aligned with the President’s: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children,” McMahon said in a memo, according to the outlet. Officials allegedly scheduled the executive order for signing on Thursday, March 6, 2025. However, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, President Donald Trump will not sign the order. “This is a tremendous victory for those of us who are standing up and holding the line and pushing back against the endless chaos that we are seeing from the Trump administration,” an education leader said, according to ABC News. The decision not to...
Dr. Bernard Harris will be inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The Temple, TX, native graduated from the University of Houston in 1978 with a bachelor of science degree in biology. He then attended medical school at Texas Tech University and completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic in 1985, followed by a fellowship at NASA’s Ames Research Center, according to a news release. Dr. Harris joined NASA as a clinical scientist and flight surgeon. He remained with the agency from 1990 to 2010, and during his tenure, he became an astronaut and served as a mission specialist on STS-55 (1993) and the groundbreaking STS-63 flight in 1995, which made him the first African American to walk in space. In total, Dr. Harris has spent 18 days in space and has flown seven million miles, he notes on his LinkedIn. “Space exploration has always been about pushing boundaries, inspiring future generations, and proving that the impossible is achievable,” Dr. Harris said in a news release. “I am...
You can now file reports of discrimination based on race or sex to the U.S. Department of Education. According to a press release by the U.S. Department of Education, it has launched a portal called EndDEI.Ed.Gov , which parents, students, teachers, and community members can use to report incidents of “illegal discriminatory practices” at K-12 schools funded by the government. The form requires an email address, the name of the school and district, and a description of the incident. The aim is to ensure that “students have access to meaningful learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination.” “For years, parents have been begging schools to focus on teaching their kids practical skills like reading, writing, and math instead of pushing critical theory, rogue sex education and divisive ideologies—but their concerns have been brushed off, mocked, or shut down entirely,” said Tiffany Justice, co-founder of Moms for Liberty in a news release. “Parents, now is the time that you...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. The heart of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is about creating equitable access to opportunities, but unfortunately we are seeing the ladder of opportunity be systematically pulled up ever since President Donald Trump started his second term. Once he was sworn in, a slew of companies in the private sector, including large tech companies like Amazon and Meta, rolled back their previous commitments to DEI, with some in the financial sector like banks JPMorgan Chase and Citi Group following suit. This focus on the rollback of DEI is not only impacting the private sector but the world of education as well. Through Critical Race Theory (CRT), which started as a legal topic back in the 1970s and 1980s at Harvard Law School, Derrick Bell argued that racism appears in policies, even when these policies seem neutral. He stated that they are not just on the individual level but are present institutionally...
Beatrice Dixon does not want to police how shoppers spend their dollars, but she acknowledges the risks of neglecting business owners on shelves. Dixon is the co-founder, CEO, and chief innovation officer of The Honey Pot Company, which is a plant-based feminine-care company that sells washes, wipes, and pads. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, she experienced chronic vaginal issues, which prompted her to create a vulva-safe formula that she grew into a business in 2014 with the support of a $21,000 loan. The company scaled to more than 33,000 stores across the nation, including retailers like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. In January 2024, the company was acquired by Compass Diversified in a deal valued at $380 million. Dixon maintains a significant minority stake in the business. Part of The Honey Pot Company’s success can be attributed to its strong presence in retail stores. However, there is a shift among consumers to be more strategic about where they spend their dollars...
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have been wreaking havoc on the American people, from their quest to gain access to sensitive information within the government to assisting President Donald Trump with his plan to lay off federal employees and dismantle government agencies like the Department of Education . Federal jobs were once a symbol of stable employment, but with mass layoffs and confusion surrounding what jobs still exist, that sentiment may not exist anymore. So far this year, about 200,000 federal workers have had their roles eliminated and 75,000 federal employees have been laid off, with more to come as DOGE continues to comb through federal agencies. Agencies have done hiring freezes, offered buyouts, and mass-fired workers. Some workers doubt that they will even receive the settlement that the administration is offering. Many of these attempts to cut down...
Student loan borrowers may be experiencing whiplash this year, as the rules and guidelines for repayment have continued to see massive sweeping changes. If you’ve been following along with political news in recent months, you’re likely already aware of the fact that president Donald Trump has plans to dismantle – and perhaps entirely abolish , the Department of Education. This is a far cry from Joe Biden’s economic plans , which included wiping out millions in student loan debt over the course of his term, and setting the stage for additional loan forgiveness down the line. Whether you’re a borrower concerned about your financial future, or just a passive onlooker questioning the economic impact of Trump’s many executive orders , you may be interested in what happens to unpaid student loans when and if the Department of Education goes the way of the dodo bird. Luckily we’ve got you covered, with a comprehensive look into the history of the Department of Education, what Trump is...
President Donald Trump has set a strict deadline for schools and universities to revise their DEI policies. AP News reports the Education Department has stated “racial preferences” can no longer be applicable in admissions, financial aid, or hiring. Beginning in 14 days, “educational institutions may neither separate nor segregate students based on race, nor distribute benefits or burdens based on race,” the memo read. “The last thing students need when making plans about how to pay for college is uncertainty over when or whether they will receive financial aid they’ve been relying on,” The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators said in a statement. The mandate was listed in a memo released on Friday, Feb. 14, which was a continuation of Trump’s executive order to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This included placing federal employees in DEI roles on paid leave per the administration’s agenda to “take steps to close/end all DEIA initiatives,...
Major companies have quietly removed insights related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from their annual reports. NPR’s analysis discovered that at least 12 of the nation’s largest companies erased DEI references in their annual reports, most of which were filed within the last two weeks. The companies revealed were Disney, Google , GM, GE, Intel, PayPal, Chipotle, Comcast, 3M, Regeneron, Philip Morris, and Pepsi, which prides itself among investors for its belief that a “culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion is a competitive advantage” in 2024. According to CNBC, Amazon is another company that has followed suit. Its 2024 annual report referenced “inclusion and diversity” under a section labeled “Human Capital.” “As we strive to be Earth’s best employer, we focus on investment and innovation, inclusion and diversity, safety, and engagement to hire and develop the best talent,” the 2024 report read. That section was updated in 2025 and now reads, “We strive to be...
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has changed its stance on underwriting initial public offerings (IPOs) for companies with all-white male boards. In 2020, CEO David Solomon announced that the leading investment bank would only take a company public in the United States or Western Europe if the organization had at least two diverse board members, one of whom was a woman, AFROTECH™ previously reported. However, as of Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, Goldman’s IPO requirement is null and void, according to Bloomberg. “As a result of legal developments related to board diversity requirements, we ended our formal board diversity policy,” said Goldman spokesperson Tony Fratto, Bloomberg reported . “We continue to believe that successful boards benefit from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and we will encourage them to take this approach.” Goldman’s 12-member board currently includes two people of color , one of whom is a woman. Among the bank’s executives, 73% are white, with 56% being men. Data...
Google Maps has officially changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America following an order signed by President Donald Trump . On Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, Trump signed 26 executive orders on his first day in office, including one to rename the Gulf of Mexico, the body of water between Florida and Texas, according to USA Today. He then proclaimed Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, the inaugural “Gulf of America Day.” “As my Administration restores American pride in the history of American greatness, it is fitting and appropriate for our great Nation to come together and commemorate this momentous occasion and the renaming of the Gulf of America,” Trump said in the proclamation, per USA Today. The order also reversed a name change made during the Obama administration , restoring the name of the Alaskan mountain from “Denali” back to “Mount McKinley.” According to USA Today, changing a geographic name usually takes at least six months as the U.S. Board on Geographic Names consults...
If you’ve been tapped in to the world of business news in recent months, you’re likely well aware that DEI measures are firmly on the chopping block, thanks to the Trump administration . The DEI framework, which seeks to support diversity, equity and inclusion within the workplace, has been an invaluable tool in the national marketplace to ensure that those in marginalized communities are given a fair shot at employment and upward mobility. Much like other social programs, such as affirmative action, DEI has been integral to the success of disabled individuals, underprivileged youths and those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community . Unfortunately, a powerful minority of fringe right-wing lawmakers have taken issue with DEI initiatives and have quixotically maligned the entire practice as discriminatory. Since the newly established White House cabinet has become so dead-set on eliminating DEI measures across the board, legal requirements for fair hiring practices have already...
The Trump administration is reportedly looking to dismantle the Department of Education. According to CNN, sources close to the matter stated an executive order is in the works. President Donald Trump’s intentions were present in Project 2025, which is a list of proposals across 900 pages that imposes a conservative agenda, BBC mentions. It was created by the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank, and is supported by more than 100 organizations with a mission “to take down the Deep State and return the government to the people” through policy, personnel, and training, its website notes. Within the lengthy proposal, it states the closing of the Department of Education. NPR reports Betsy DeVos suggested during Trump’s first term, while she served as the Secretary of Education, that the department should reinvest money benefiting lower income students through the Title I program and instead allocate it towards grants proposed in Project 2025. This signals that the closure of the...
The public release of ChatGPT in 2022 marked a massive milestone in the popularity and global interest in AI. It showed off impressive capabilities in natural language, and sparked hundreds of projects that fueled a boom in the advancement of artificial intelligence. It’s natural, with AI creeping into everything from online shopping to healthcare, that it would eventually find its way into education. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing education by enhancing teaching methods, improving accessibility, and personalizing learning experiences. As technology continues to advance, its integration into the educational sector has the potential to reshape how students learn, educators teach, and institutions operate. AI In Education Isn’t Exactly New The term ‘artificial intelligence’ was coined at Dartmouth College in 1953, but it wasn’t until 1960 that we saw the birth of computer-assisted instruction (CAI). These programs were built on the massive, expensive computer systems of...