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A directory listing Black doctors has been sued. The Black Doctors Directory offers a comprehensive list of Black doctors in southeastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Its website mentions that the directory covers specialties such as family medicine, allergy and immunology, neurology, gynecology, and hematology, and highlights doctors who provide high-quality and culturally competent care . “Racial health disparities contribute to poorer outcomes for Black residents, regardless of their education, income, or insurance. Research shows that racial congruence in healthcare—when patients are treated by doctors who share their race—improves outcomes for African American patients,” a statement on the directory’s webpage reads. The directory was launched by Pennsylvania’s only Black talk radio station, WURD Radio, and is presented through a partnership between Penn Medicine and the Consortium of DEI Health Educators. However, the directory is now facing legal scrutiny due to a...
Costco shareholders want to uphold DEI policies. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Costco’s board of directors has requested that its shareholders reject a proposal introduced by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The NCPPR argues that upholding DEI efforts should not be permitted due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action in June 2023. The ruling struck down race-conscious affirmative action across colleges and universities, NPR notes. However, Costco’s board of directors contends that the NCPPR has an agenda of “abolishing diversity initiatives,” and its critique of Costco’s DEI policy “reflects a policy bias,” according to Fox Business. “Our success at Costco Wholesale has been built on service to our critical stakeholders: employees, members, and suppliers. Our efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion follow our code of ethics: For our employees, these efforts are built...
Erin Harkless Moore believes artificial intelligence (AI) can improve the Care Economy. Since 2020, Moore has served as vice president and managing director of investments at Pivotal Ventures, a company launched by billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates to advance social progress and accelerate women’s influence globally, per its website. Gates has even committed $2 billion towards the mission. Furthermore, alongside partners, Pivotal Ventures prioritizes an expansive list of pillars within the $648 billion Care Economy, including mental health, paid medical and family leave, and women and tech innovation. Moore is tasked with leading a team responsible for selecting, investing in, and managing a diverse portfolio that adheres to Pivotal Ventures’ mission, her LinkedIn states. “We really start with our investment thesis and our direct investments in care looking at you know tech solutions that reduce burdens of care, lower cost of care, and improve access to care, and...
Costco is doubling down on its decision to maintain its DEI policies. This comes amid several major companies retracting their commitments, such as Google. CNBC reported that Google had established new programs to empower Black staffers following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. At the time, its CEO, Sundar Pichai, stated the intention “to build sustainable equity for Google’s Black+ community, and externally, to make our products and programs helpful in the moments that matter most to Black users.” The company aimed for a benchmark of 30% of leadership being composed of underrepresented groups by 2025. However, in the years since, Google has fallen significantly short of that goal by reducing staff and shrinking programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as has its parent company Alphabet. By mid-2023, DEI job postings by companies in general were showing a downward trend. Job site Indeed offered data that revealed a drop of 44% in postings compared to the...
Serial investor Tré Baker says relationships are the secret weapon for Black investors to scale and produce greater impact. Baker is an investor in nearly 160 startups, including Groundfloor Finance and TribeVest. Reflecting on the venture capitalist space, he admits he wants to see a systemic shift in the investment landscape, particularly concerning Black venture capitalists (VCs). This desire for change also prompted his exit from Techstars Accelerator in November 2024 after nearly three years with the organization, serving as Managing Director. “I’m no longer the managing director of Techstars Tulsa. And part of the reasons that platform is not operating at a systemic enough level, it wasn’t big enough,” he explained during an episode on the “Black Tech Green Money,” hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucus. Baker believes Black VCs can operate more effectively, suggesting they move away from the idea of “meritocracy,” which prioritizes talent over wealth or status. In...
David “Slim” Penn Jr. has opened a cannabis shop in Pasco, WA. Penn’s journey into entrepreneurship began as a child, according to the Tri-City Herald. He would mow his neighbors’ yards and had a paper route. “I remember those 20-pound papers,” he told the outlet, embellishing the weight of newspapers in the past when they were larger and heavier. Today, that business mindset has carried over into the cannabis space. Penn is now a franchisee of Lucky Leaf Co., which is owned by his friend David Morgan, who has stores in Spokane, WA, and Pasco. Penn had previously backed Morgan when he was looking to challenge the city to allow for legal cannabis sales to adults back in 2022. The following year, a council approved removal of the ban and permitted the legal sale of cannabis, paving the way for three storefronts including Lucky Leaf Co. Now, Penn will operate his own store alongside his partner Jamie Badden, who serves as the manager of the store. To get the shop up and running, they...
HBCU alum Dr. Anthony Harris is leading the future of medicine at Amazon. From An HBCU To Disrupting The Medical Space Dr. Harris, a 2002 graduate of Florida A&M University with Senegal roots, had early intentions of improving the healthcare industry. According to information shared with AFROTECH™, he even filed his first patent, a biomedical device, while in college. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree, he transitioned to a five-year dual degree program at Indiana University, obtaining a doctor of medicine degree and an MBA, his LinkedIn mentions. He also wore the hat of student body president at the university, becoming the first Black individual in this post. Harris’ early career trajectory led him to work in general surgery for 10 months, and then he pivoted into entrepreneurship. 2009 marked the launch of one of his first companies, Adroit Motion, which offered an articulating hand instrument with ergonomic hand control for minimally invasive surgery. That same year,...
Maconomics CEO Ross Mac is financially empowering urban communities. While Ross Mac learned the value of money early on as a result of selling candy in third grade and through being raised by frugal middle class parents, he still did not have much understanding on the investment arena, credit building, or homeownership. Instead, the South Side Chicago native — with ties to Wall Street through his roles at Morgan Stanley and Grosvenor Capital — credits exposure for serving as his “greatest teacher.” During his freshman year at Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, he saw a peer who was trading while in class. A week later, he jump started his portfolio and began educating himself on various tax hacks, he told Will Lucas on “Black Tech Green Money” podcast. His time on Wall Street was another turning point. “I remember seeing a managing director check his 401(k) and he had a couple million in there. So, now I’m starting to think about retirement. And so I think...
Former NFL player Terrell Davis had to get rid of an accountant for being unethical. During an interview with AFROTECH™, the two-time Super Bowl champion reflects on early financial decisions he made during his foray into the league. He had been drafted by the Denver Broncos in 1995 and entered into a three-year deal, worth $484,000, which included a $38,000 signing bonus, per Spotrac. “When I first got into the league, there was no financial education. It was just trying to figure things out the best way you could and that was it,” he mentioned. “There was no one who came up to me and told me, ‘Here’s the plan. Let’s do X, let’s do Y, let’s do Z.’ There was none of that. So I had to look around and just watch people and see what they were doing.” Among Davis’ lessons included the importance of hiring the right team to help him navigate the business of being an athlete. Early on, he worked with an advisor, who he was referred to by another individual. It became clear the advisor...
Ventris C. Gibson is upholding the legacy of Harriet Tubman while stepping into a significant and historic role. Career Journey Born in Roseland, VA, but raised in Washington DC to parents with six children, Gibson showed great ambition early on. Upon graduating from high school, she enlisted in the Navy and worked as a traffic controller. However, she did look to pivot briefly into journalism due to her strong interest, but that did not pan out because school had a two-year waitlist. She remained with the Navy working in air traffic control, and upon completing her service she hoped to secure a role with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). “At that time, President Carter had imposed a freeze on hiring federally. Thus, I went to VA (Veterans Affairs) to see what my benefits were as a veteran, and they pretty much asked me if I wanted a job because I was an African-American, female, Vietnam-era veteran. I said, ‘Sure,’ while I was waiting for FAA to call,” Gibson told...
Nicole Dove stresses the importance of adapting to the times in a world where technology is ever-evolving. As the director of security engineering at video game company Riot Games, Dove has always been passionate about cybersecurity. While many people fear what may come due to AI technology, she embraces what’s next by perfecting her craft and encouraging others to explore the available career options within the field. “So many people are interested in working in cybersecurity but have no idea what the opportunities entail,” Dove told AFROTECH™. For her, it was all about finding her way into the field because cybersecurity was not her initial interest. “I love helping people WIN. Winners never quit, and quitters never win,” she wrote. “Seeing the light bulb go off when someone is inspired by my journey and can see himself in my shoes is really where the heart work is for me.” Dove has 20 years of experience in audit, operations, and cybersecurity. At Riot Games, she leads a team of...
Rosalind “Roz” Brewer has joined a coalition of leaders to advocate for financial prosperity in Black communities. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Brewer — an alumnus of Spelman College — formerly helmed as Walgreens Boots Alliance chief executive officer (CEO). This company, headquartered in Illinois, owns the retail pharmacy chain Walgreens in the U.S. and the U.K. However, Brewer exited her position in August 2023. She was the only Black woman to hold the C-suite title in the S&P 500 at the time, per Bloomberg. The former Walgreens CEO was also the third Black woman to lead a Fortune 500 company, notes Forbes. Before Walgreens, Brewer served in leadership roles for retail giant Walmart and then transitioned to its Sam’s Club division as president and CEO to advance digital technology and improve shoppers’ experience, a news release mentions. She also took on the role of the chief operating officer (COO) of Starbucks Coffee Company from 2017 to 2021. Her contributions included...
Melissa Joyner has worn a myriad of hats, but she has now added another layer to her repertoire, stepping into the role of a first-time virtual reality (VR) director. According to information provided to AFROTECH™, the actor with screen credits including the FX network’s miniseries “Mrs. America” and Spectrum Originals TV series “The Bite” has reimagined the Southern Nigerian folktale “The Woman with Two Skins.” The original tale follows the story of Adiaha, a Spider’s daughter who is given two skins. One is her external skin, perceived as unpleasant to the eye and a way of protection, and the other is her inner self, later revealed as beautiful. Joyner drew many questions from the original storyline that transformed it into a source of inspiration. “I dove deep, searching for an African-American ‘fairytale’ and was graced by ‘The Woman with Two Skins’ from Nigeria. Immediately struck, first by the title, then by the premise,” Joyner told AFROTECH™ in an email interview. “We all...
Dr. Kari Williams is bringing her expertise to Beyoncé’s newly launched hair care company , Cécred. According to a TikTok shared by the company, Dr. Williams serves as its director of education. In the clip, she provides insights into the burning question, “How often should you wash your hair?” @cecred So how often should you be washing your hair? We heard you yesterday and we’re back with our Head of Education, Dr. Kari Williams, to deliver some truths on keeping your hair and scalp clean. ♬ original sound – CÉCRED In February 2024, Dr. Williams took to Instagram to confirm the news with the caption, “Introducing the DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION for @cecred. I am in my season. It’s my time.” Dr. Williams’s expertise encompasses more than 20 years as a natural hair specialist, per an Instagram post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by PhD, Trichologist & Celebrity Stylist (@dr.kariwill) According to her website, she earned a Ph.D. in trichology, which focuses on the management and...
