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Gabby Thomas is chasing purpose not a check. The Harvard University alum and track runner, who boasts several gold medals at the Olympic level, has remained grounded throughout all her success over the years. This she attributes to her upbringing in a single-parent household. Thomas views her mother, Jennifer Randall, as a “superhero” and credits her for the work ethic that she carries today on and off the field. According to information shared on the Olympics page, Randall moved her family to Massachusetts from Georgia with few financial resources so she could obtain a Ph.D. while teaching. Today, she is a professor at the University of Michigan, her LinkedIn states. “She showed me what leading with work ethic and compassion looks like on a daily basis,” Thomas told AFROTECH™ in an email interview. “Furthermore, she led with a focus on education and giving back. She taught me that leaving a place better than you found it is not only the nice thing to do, but the right thing to do....
As faith leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers navigate the fast-shifting terrain of artificial intelligence, automation, and digital globalization, few figures have leaned into this moment with as much intentionality — or complexity — as Bishop T.D. Jakes. Known to many as a pastor, to others as a media mogul, and increasingly to investors and technologists as an ecosystem builder, Jakes is reasserting his role at the intersection of innovation, equity, and cultural capital. This is where his ongoing initiative, the Good Soil Forum, enters the chat. The conference, which has convened business owners, technologists, creatives, and investors for years, positions itself as a gathering and a long-term infrastructure. It reflects Jakes’ emphasis on sustainability, access to capital, and the kind of practical knowledge often kept behind institutional gates. What has shifted recently, however, is not the mission — but the moment. When Technology Hits Close To Home For Jakes In 2024,...
There’s no need to walk into interviews blindly anymore. There are many AI tools designed for interview prep, offering features ranging from mock interviews to personalized feedback. These platforms allow users to receive guidance from knowledgeable AI and even connect with other real people for more realistic practice. Some of these platforms are specifically designed to aid interview candidates in certain fields, like tech, but others provide personalized practice for a variety of fields . With stiff competition in a job market that’s already hard to break into, using AI for prep can help take some of the stress out of interviewing. Let’s explore 10 AI tools designed for interview prep, what they do, and which interview candidates can benefit from them the most. Interviewing.io This resource is best for those pursuing technical roles, especially software engineering . Interviewing.io offers anonymous mock interviews with engineers from top tech companies that provide detailed...
Remaining a student has led Carmelo Anthony into various industries. The former NBA player, who retired in 2023 and is a first-ballot Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, reflects on his evolution from the 19-year-old drafted in 2003 to a businessman who is now a serial investor and founder in the wine and cannabis sectors. One of Anthony’s biggest takeaways: He is no longer operating in fear. “A top lesson that I’ve learned was ‘stop being afraid,'” he recalled in an interview with AFROTECH™. “ A lot of times when you’re younger and you in these powerful roles and there’s people who are making decisions and there are people writing checks, it’s like ‘You too young to understand it,’ until you grow and until you get older, you go through it and you understand what you truly want to do.” He continued, “At 19, 20, 21, I didn’t have any type of sense of business. I knew street business, I knew street knowledge. I have foundational ethics and morals that could carry over from the streets...
Lauren Harwell Godfrey, jewelry designer, entrepreneur, and founder of Harwell Godfrey, turned a hobby into a success story. Godfrey’s journey dates back to a career path where she sported several hats. She spent 15 years in the advertising space as a creative director and art director, collaborating with clients such as Adidas, Levi’s , and Ray-Ban. While speaking on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast, she stated that this period in her career taught her how to communicate her visual ideas effectively. “I think that’s really served me well in the jewelry world because, again, I’m coming up with these designs. I’m not the actual bench jeweler who makes them,” she said on the podcast with host Will Lucas. Godfrey chose to walk away from the advertising space to nurture her spirit of creativity elsewhere. This led her to attend the San Francisco Cooking School and spend a year staging at Bar Tartine under Cortney Burns and Nick Balla, according to an interview with entrepreneur and...
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...
John Hope Bryant is investing in the businesses of Albany State University graduates. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Bryant has served as the chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE Inc. since 1992. The organization focuses on improving financial well-being in underserved communities, benefiting 2.8 million people and directing $2.4 billion in private capital. During an appearance on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast, Bryant emphasized that financial literacy is the new civil rights movement for this generation. “We have got to be as obsessed with this as we were with the right to vote,” he explained. Bryant continues to be a voice and a vessel, and this was displayed on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Albany State University (ASU) in New York. He served as the commencement speaker in front of a crowd of over 700 students, according to WALB News. “John and I are good friends. We’ve known each other for a while,” ASU I nterim President Dr. Lawrence M. Drake II told the outlet. “I also...
Aaron Samuels has revealed his roadmap into the venture capital space. Samuels, co-founder and former chief operating officer (COO) of Blavity — w ho now leads a venture capital firm Collide Capital — has worn various hats in a career that spans more than a decade. He was a performance poet who spent nearly 10 years traveling and went on to secure roles as a director of operations (Dialogue Arts Project); senior associate consultant (Bain & Co.); and product manager (TeleSign) between 2011 and 2016, his LinkedIn mentions. For the next seven years, Samuels helped co-found Blavity Inc., a platform catering to Black Millennials and Gen Z amplifying areas of entertainment, politics, technology, and culture. It was created alongside Morgan DeBaun (CEO), Jeff Nelson (now COO), and Jonathan Jackson. Serving as the COO laid the footprint for Samuels’ foray as founder and managing partner of Collide Capital, which was founded in 2022 alongside Brian Hollins to provide resources, operational...
Mathew Knowles has made a name for himself in the business world without the help of investors. Entrepreneurship In His DNA The businessman was seated center stage during the Building Wealth Today for Tomorrow Financial Empowerment Summit held at the UIC Forum in Chicago, IL, on Oct. 12, 2024. The event is designed to connect the community to tools, resources, and conversations that encourage the desire to create long-term wealth . “Bringing Mathew Knowles to our summit reflects our dedication to teaching real, sustainable wealth-building principles,” said Melissa Conyears-Ervin, the city’s treasurer . “His focus on generational wealth and self-funded success aligns with our goal of helping Chicagoans achieve true economic mobility. At the Treasurer’s Office, we believe everyone deserves access to the knowledge and resources to build wealth on their own terms, creating a legacy that will benefit future generations.” Photo Credit: Antwan Collins Knowles is well regarded as the...
The special thing about AFROTECH™ Conference is that even as new people are introduced to it each year, there are also those who have been there since the beginning in 2016. The “OGs” of the conference have not only seen AFROTECH™ grow but have also experienced their own development over the years. Among those who jumped on board since the inaugural conference in San Francisco, CA, is Ruben Harris, CEO of Career Karma and OutRival. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ruben A. Harris (@rubenharris) Harris’ work is centered on education and career placement, helping people and organizations connect with top talent while simplifying workflow and integrating efficient models through technology and AI. The admissions teams at Career Karma use OutRival’s technology to create conversational AI agents to serve millions of people a month who visit the site for career advice. Currently, OutRival owns Career Karma, and Harris is the leader of both entities. Because of his emerging...
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,...
DeMarcus Shawn has the formula for building a strong following across social platforms. Shawn is an online creator known for sharing humorous skits on TikTok and Instagram. His sense of humor has always been evident among his family since growing up on the outskirts of Chicago, IL. He also draws inspiration from them still today. “I was able to experience all different facets of life growing up through school, through family and just everyday nuances,” he mentioned on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast. Today, Shawn is a full-time content creator, but his journey began in 2017 with a 9-to-5 role as a Starbucks barista. While there he decided to turn more of his attention towards content creation in 2021. It was then that he was able to sustain himself through earnings via TikTok and his photography business, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. “When I quit Starbucks, I already had money saved up,” he said, per the “Black Tech Green Money podcast.” “It was 2021, so I had money saved...
Chiney Ogwumike has been a trailblazer in both sports and media. Ten years after being drafted as the No. 1 pick in the WNBA by the Connecticut Sun, Ogwumike has had numerous opportunities to reflect on her illustrious career, which began at Stanford University. According to her Stanford profile, she held the title of all-time leading scorer by the end of her time there. Her collegiate achievements include: Pac-10 All-Freshman Team (2011) Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (2011) Pac-12 Tournament MVP (2013) 3x Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year In October 2024, Ogwumike was inducted into Stanford Athletics’ Hall of Fame. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chiney (@chiney) Embracing It All Although talented in sports, Ogwumike initially dreamed of a career in politics and even considered becoming a lawyer. “I always loved politics. As a kid, my family would always catch me watching the news, not like cartoons. I was a super nerd,” she told AFROTECH™ in an interview. In college,...
C. David Moody Jr. once turned down an investment from Michael Jordan for his construction business. Since 1987, Moody, a Howard University alum with a Bachelor of Architecture degree, has been leading C.D. Moody Construction. He launched the Atlanta, GA-based venture seven years after serving as a staff architect and field engineer at Bechtel Power Corp. Moody was in his early 30s at the time of the company’s launch. While speaking with AFROTECH Brand Manager Will Lucas on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast, he admitted he had a team of three — which later scaled to more than 60 individuals — and launched with low capital. In fact, he and his wife had to borrow a couple thousand dollars to get C.D. Moody Construction off the ground. Moody said his saving grace was financial advice from his father, who served as a professor and later vice provost of the University of Michigan. “My dad grew up in the depression, and things were tight and he grew up very poor in Louisiana,” Moody...
Nicky Saunders has tips and tricks to scale your digital presence. Saunders, a content strategist and CEO of Deeper Than The Brand since 2018, understands firsthand what it takes to build online. Called “the voice of content branding,” her platform offers helpful content creation suggestions that can be beneficial to businesses and content creators. Of late, she has heavily geared content around the various ways technology can be a resource, such as using an iPhone to edit live photos or artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT or Opus Clip. The latter allows users to repurpose long videos into shorter clips with one click, per its website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nicky Saunders | The Voice Of Content Branding 🏁🦁🏁 1 of 1 (@thisisnickys) Thanks to her expertise, Saunders has built an online following of 12,000 subscribers via YouTube while impressing on Instagram with 187,000 followers at the time of this writing. Screenshot taken via Instagram /...