Dendreon Pharmaceuticals, a leader in the fight against prostate cancer, has announced a new partnership with Grant Hill. In a press release announcement, it was revealed that the immunotherapy company and the seven-time NBA All-Star and sports broadcaster have teamed up to launch Start Strong, a new initiative to help individuals make decisions with health in mind. Start Strong aims to empower the prostate cancer community to learn about the racial disparities within prostate cancer incidence in the United States and encourage patients to talk to their physicians about the best treatments for them. Statistically, one in seven Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. What’s more, Black men tend to be diagnosed at a younger age and with a more severe prognosis compared to other men. And for this reason, Dendreon enlisted the aid of Grant Hill to help spread the word. “Prostate cancer is a risk for all men, but it disproportionately impacts Black men. In...

Emerging indie artists are about to get the opportunity of a lifetime at one of the biggest global live music phenomenons this summer, and an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) alumni-founded company is behind it all. Music Breakr — a new platform connecting artists and influencers to help “break” new music — has teamed up with Rolling Loud — the biggest festival brand in Hip-Hop — and digital finance platform Ahead for a two-year partnership to commence “Ahead Start to Rolling Loud,” a contest that offers aspiring artists the opportunity to perform live at Rolling Loud Miami 2021. This time around, the contest itself — presented in partnership with both Music Breakr and Black content creator house Collab Crib — invited any and all up-and-coming rappers to showcase their talents via Instagram for a chance to submit an original song to be judged by the Breakr team. All artists who submitted their music were then boiled down to eight finalists before one lucky artist was...

Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Spelman College is joining its Atlanta counterparts — Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College — in a partnership that will make entrepreneurship more accessible to its students. According to a press release, the all-women HBCU is one of the latest partners of Blackstone LaunchPad — a Techstars powered campus resource connecting schools to business and entrepreneurship — for a mission dedicated to giving diverse students in the Atlanta University Center Consortium more access to tools and resources to help develop their own entrepreneurial skills. Blackstone LaunchPad was developed with support from the United Negro College Fund Inc. (UNCF), and its expansion to Spelman, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta is the latest step in the Blackstone Charitable Foundation’s commitment to increase career mobility for diverse student bodies. “Spelman’s goal is to provide our students with the competitive edge they need to excel in any field,”...

One of the most decorated gymnasts ever and one of the greatest Olympic athletes has ended her massive powerhouse deal with Nike. Simone Biles has announced that she’s officially ending her six-year Nike endorsement deal to enter a new apparel partnership with Athleta, which she believes will more closely align with her personal values, Wall Street Journal reports. “I felt like it wasn’t just about my achievements, it’s what I stood for and how they were going to help me use my voice and also be a voice for females and kids,” she told Wall Street Journal in response to what attracted her to Athleta. “I feel like they also support me, not just as an athlete, but just as an individual outside of the gym and the change that I want to create, which is so refreshing.” According to the news outlet, Biles’s new deal with Athleta will include her own performance wear line, as well as other sponsorship opportunities where the brand will offer the gymnast a platform to participate in”honest...

Oakland-based tech training program Gameheads has teamed up with some notable partners to launch a game design certificate program at Cal State East Bay this spring. According to a press release, the new program will be hosted through the university’s art and continuing education departments. In partnership with Unity, Oculus from Facebook and Niantic, East Bay’s game design certificate program specifically wants to attract students of color and low income students to participate. “This certificate program is a game changer in breaking down barriers to the tech industry that our students have faced for too long, and it’s possible because of industry leaders like Oculus, Unity and Niantic,” said Gameheads Executive Director Damon Packwood in a statement. “We thank them for helping create true diversity in tech.” Packwood said Gameheads has been committed to providing minority students with more tech education opportunities. This new program at East Bay will be co-taught by game...

Black-owned wine company McBride Sisters Collection is teaming up with Simon & Schuster to launch the Black Girl Magic Wine & Book Club. This new partnership comes as the uptick in virtual book clubs and e-reading continues through the pandemic. More reading groups have moved to Zoom and social media outlets to share thoughts on their favorite reads in the past year, and these communities are flourishing with full online experiences, the Guardian reported. This new book club from McBride Sisters and Simon & Schuster specifically wants to attract Black women readers who like to enjoy a little wine with their books. “We are always looking for new ways to elevate the wine experience for our customers,” Robin McBride said in a statement. “And curling up with a great book and a delicious glass of wine sounds like the perfect way to spend a Saturday.” Book club members will receive a monthly book and two wines from the McBride Sisters for the price of $89. Simon & Schuster is a leading...

Minority entrepreneurs at Howard University (HU) will be getting some entrepreneurship training and support from this new program. The prominent HBCU is teaming up with the Inclusive Innovation Incubator (In3DC) and financial services tech provider Fiserv to launch the Inclusive Innovation Labs, a program dedicated to helping entrepreneurs of color launch and scale their businesses plans. The program will also be supported by the National Black Chamber of Commerce. The inaugural cohort will welcome 15 HU-affiliated ventures to a virtual program that includes a full day of pitch preparation, one-on-one coaching sessions and entrepreneurship workshops. In3DC will lead and provide the tailored training throughout the program. “We have been committed to serving the underrepresented and underserved communities,” said In3DC Founder and CEO Aaron Saunders in a statement. “In3DC was established to provide this type of programming with educational partners such as Howard University and...

There’s a huge demand for spaces dedicated to diverse communities. People of color and Black innovators have long since grown tired of the lack of inclusion in the professional space, and many are taking matters into their own hands. When opportunity is not present, it calls for changes to be made, and in today’s landscape of young professionals, it’s very much needed. Two millennial entrepreneurs wanted to create a space for Black leaders, but instead of fighting for a seat at the table, these optimistic innovators decided to build their own. Philly natives Rashaad Lambert and Vinasia Miles had a common goal in mind when they created For(bes) the Culture, which stemmed from their shared experiences at the 2017 Forbes Under 30 Summit in Boston, MA. “There weren’t a lot of people of color in attendance, but there also weren’t a lot of things geared toward people of color,” Lambert said. “We were invited but not included.” Miles often uses the analogy “there were only a few pepper...