Showing 291 results for:
election
Popular topics
All results
Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Americans aren’t the only ones prepping for another tedious four years under President-elect Donald Trump. Since the results of the 2024 election projected Donald Trump as the winner, tech leaders from companies like Meta, Amazon, OpenAI, and others have shelled out seven-figure investments to Trump’s inaugural fund. According to CBS News, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has donated $1 million and plans to stream the inauguration on Prime. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, will donate $1 million, along with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who delivered an optimistic statement about the President-elect’s election win. “President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead,” Altman said in a statement, per The Associated Press. Elon Musk, CEO of X, Tesla, and SpaceX, and general pop culture menace has been a lurking presence...
Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign made significant payments to the production companies of Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé. Campaign finance records from the Federal Election Commission show that Parkwood Production Media LLC, Beyoncé’s production company, received $165,000 on Nov. 19, 2024, according to USA Today. The payment arrived roughly a month after the singer appeared alongside Harris at a campaign event in Houston, TX, her hometown. While Beyoncé did not perform at the Oct. 25, 2024, event at Shell Energy Stadium, she and her Destiny’s Child groupmate Kelly Rowland publicly endorsed Harris in front of the roughly 30,000 attendees. The event focused on reproductive rights , a key issue Harris emphasized on the campaign trail. On Oct. 15, 2024, Harris’ campaign also paid $1 million — split into two $500,000 payments — to Harpo Productions, Winfrey’s media company, USA Today reports. Winfrey explained that the money was for Harpo’s work producing Harris’ “Unite for America”...
Many users are abandoning Elon Musk’s X in favor of the emerging social media platform Bluesky. The Guardian reported that over 1 million people have joined Bluesky since the U.S. presidential election — a surge in sign-ups as users seek alternatives to X, formerly Twitter, amid growing concerns about misinformation and extremism. Currently, Bluesky reportedly has about 15 million users. “It feels like a very welcoming, safe space,” Pariss Chandler, organizer of Black Tech Twitter and founder of the recruitment platform Black Tech Pipeline, told NBC News. “I wonder if that’s because they have lots of regulations and safety protections on that platform. They provide something Twitter no longer does.” In 2019, Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s then-CEO, announced plans to fund the development of an “open and decentralized” social media standard, according to The Guardian. Thus began the Bluesky project. Bluesky became an independent company in 2021. The platform offers a familiar social media...
Concerns about the future have intensified as Donald Trump prepares to be sworn in as the 47th U.S. president. The Washington Post reports minority- and women-owned businesses have looming concerns over contracts, citing a potential loss of $70 billion in annual contracts amid legal disputes affecting government programs for “disadvantaged” firms. Within the Black community, legal issues were prevalent amid Fearless Fund’s ongoing litigation, which has now been settled. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the firm, led by founding partner Arian Simone, was sued by Edward Blum and his American Alliance for Equal Rights group in August 2023 over its Strivers Grant program. The $20,000 grant backed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Mastercard had been aimed at small businesses primarily owned by Black women, and the activist group accused the investment firm of “explicit racial exclusion.” The group had already been victorious in the Supreme Court over race-based affirmative action policies....
Whether you’re satisfied with the results of the 2024 presidential election or not, the only option now that the votes are in is to accept that situation and move forward with grace and confidence. Throughout their campaign for the White House, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump had celebrities endorsing them to help persuade the public. The former relied on Megan Thee Stallion’s bodacious body and a co-sign from Barack Obama, while Trump’s support from figures like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan could be what gave him the winning edge. The South African pledged his allegiance to the Republican candidate following the assassination attempt made on his life in July; per Barrons , Musk was one of the president-elect’s biggest donors for his third campaign, spending more than $130 million supporting Trump and others in his political party. Considering he’s the richest man in the world, dishing out this money to help his friend was nothing for the Twitter CEO, who’s only stood to benefit...
Lyft is continuing its decade-long mission of eliminating barriers that hinder people from getting to the polls on Election Day . On Nov. 5, the rideshare service will offer 50% off ride codes (up to $10) nationwide for all transportation options — including bike or scooter — using the code VOTE24. The promotion is valid from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. in every time zone, making it easier for voters to reach polling places despite logistical challenges. “Lyft has always believed in removing barriers to transportation, and voting access is no exception,” Heather Foster, Lyft’s senior director and head of global public policy, told AFROTECH™. “This election is further heightened due to the ongoing challenges many communities face in getting to the polls and is more important than ever as new barriers to voting have emerged.” According to Lyft , there are currently 100,000 fewer polling places available than in the 2020 election, representing a 50% decrease since 2018. As a result of...
Bitcoin has surged to its highest level since April, reaching $73,544. Forbes reported that the Nov. 5 presidential election is among several market factors affecting the $1.4 trillion cryptocurrency, contributing to the 6% increase recorded around 3 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. GMT) on Tuesday, Oct. 29. The rise puts Bitcoin’s October gains at 13%, outpacing the S&P 500, which advanced 1% this month. Several other major cryptocurrencies and shares of companies involved in Bitcoin mining — the energy-intensive process of unlocking bitcoins from the digital blockchain — also saw significant gains Tuesday. Ethereum jumped 4% to reach a 10-day high of $2,637, while Binance Coin increased 2% to an eight-day high of $608. Solana climbed 2%, reaching a three-month high of $182. Prominent investors, including hedge fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones, are promoting Bitcoin as protection against inflation, particularly as government policies from presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are...
Election season can be one of the most exciting and anxiety-inducing times in America. Every four years, two major party candidates campaign to become the next leader of the free world, along with lesser known independent candidates. This election’s major candidates are current Vice President Kamala Harris as a Democrat and former President Donald Trump as a Republican. Regardless of candidate choice, one critical component of the democratic process is access to voting. Throughout U.S. history, voting has not always been a right for everyone, particularly for women and people of color. Slowly but surely, change began to take hold. The journey toward voting rights for Black Americans began with the 14th Amendment in 1868, granting citizenship to formerly enslaved people. This was followed by the 15th Amendment in 1870, which prohibited racial restrictions on voting. However, barriers like poll taxes and literacy tests persisted, limiting true access. The 1965 Voting Rights Act,...
As a business owner, bracing yourself for potential setbacks is a matter of survival. It’s necessary and a great business practice that allows you to plan for the future. In the meantime, you’re able to work towards that goal and stay abreast of everything else. Add in politics and you have some new possibilities to consider. You might be wondering what politics has to do with being a business owner. However, the ways in which certain taxes and tariffs waiver directly impacts business profit. No matter your party preference, politics have the power to impact how your business functions. And with steady success and growth being the ideal goal, there are steps that you can take now to ensure they come to fruition. Will the upcoming election shake up your business? Here’s how to get prepared now. Will The Upcoming Election Shake Up Your Business? The short answer is mostly likely, but educating yourself on policies is what will empower you to make the right decisions for your business....
Since 1908, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and its members have made their marks across several industries and impacted communities and spaces. Some influential members include Phylicia Rashad, Coretta Scott King, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Vice President Kamala Harris, according to ESSENCE. Harris was officially sworn in as vice president of the United States on Jan. 20, 2021, making her the first woman, Black person, and South Asian American to be elected to the office. While this historical marker is noteworthy, it was not the beginning of her story. Kamala Harris’ Road To Howard University A native of Oakland, CA, Harris’ roots in education and public service start with the influence of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan. According to a profile from the White House, Gopalan earned her doctorate in 1964, the same year Harris was born, and worked as a breast cancer scientist. Harris’ father, Donald J. Harris, came to the United States from Jamaica to study...
This Harlem wine shop is providing greater visibility to Black winemakers. Married couple Pascal and Daneen Lewis have been co-owners of the Harlem Wine Gallery, a business that’s said to have the largest selection of Black winemakers and wine brands in New York City, NowThis News reports.
Georgia’s Senate runoffs pulled out a historic win for Democrats this week, giving them majority control of the Senate in a dramatic shift of power. Following the results of Tuesday’s election, GOP Sen. Kelly Loeffler — who’s also co-owner of WNBA’s Atlanta Dream — lost her Georgia Senate seat to Rev. Raphael Warnock. According to Bleacher Report, Loeffler’s stake in the WNBA team is potentially up for grabs, and so NBA legend LeBron James has come forward and expressed his interest in buying her shares to put together an ownership group. Think I’m gone put together an ownership group for the The Dream. Whose in? #BlackVotesMatter ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/9wclgdED2w — LeBron James (@KingJames) January 6, 2021 James announced his declaration via social media and even chose a photo of players wearing shirts that said “Vote Warnock” to emphasize his point. In July of last year, the Atlanta Dream proudly endorsed Rev. Raphael Warnock, according to BET, who turned out to be the projected...
Former Bad Boy rapper, Moses Barrow — known to the world of hip hop as Shyne — has been elected to Belize’s House of Representatives, reports REVOLT. “Thank you MESOPOTAMIA!!! It is with the greatest humility that I accept this victory for us,” he wrote in a post via Instagram. “We won today! This victory is for all those who are just like me in Mesopotamia, Belize, and the world over! All those who have taken a fall! All those who have stumbled on their life’s journey.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shyne (@shyne_bz) He also used this as an opportunity to encourage people that you can always find a way to win, no matter the circumstances. “We all fall! But to get up and walk, run, and rise again is the purpose of life,” he continues on his post. “We are all destined to be challenged but we are all capable of overcoming those challenges! My story is testament of human fortitude! We all have what I have! We just have to dig deep within and find it! I hope I inspire...
For Black Americans, 2020 has been both the year of reckoning and trauma amid the COVID-19 pandemic and long-lead conversations surrounding systemic racism worldwide. As emotions are still running high all over the country pending election results, Americans — Black Americans especially — have been grappling with anger, frustration and sadness as they attempt to navigate their day-to-day tasks to resume business as usual. With another historic election still ahead of us, Black employees need a safe place to share our experiences and process our feelings in a productive manner. To help provide access to mental health resources for Black & Brown professionals during this time, Mimconnect — the career networking platform — has partnered with Bright Ventures and KOKORO to host a free digital wellness session called BREATHE for the Black community post-election. Mimconnect’s ongoing wellness series is designed to curate a safe, anonymized space to address employee concerns. Private...
Using social media as a vehicle for political advertisements and posts filled with misinformation aimed at sabotaging the Black vote was put on display with Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. As the 2020 presidential election approaches, questions around the allowance of paid political ads that specifically misinform Black demographics and measures social media platform executives, like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, will take to prevent such ads are being heavily discussed. During a town hall meeting held in September, civil rights leaders met with Facebook’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg, in hopes to discuss the preventive measures the social media giant would put into place to combat the racial geared voter suppression messages that ran rampant on the platform during the 2016 election. Instead, Sandberg upheld Facebook’s policy that exempts politicians from its third-party fact-checking program. This means politicians including sitting president Donald Trump — whose...