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AFROTECH™ Conference 2024 in Houston, TX, was packed with powerful conversations, spotlighting trailblazers across tech, business, and culture. Day 3 of the four-day conference, which wrapped on Nov. 16, 2024, featured several dynamic discussions, including a fireside chat with actress, activist, and tech entrepreneur Angelica Ross . The “Pose” actress led an inspiring talk on creating access and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ talent in tech. Photo Credit: Benjamin Esakof “Unfortunately, what happens is America loves symbols of change and not real change. So they will pluck a few of us out of obscurity and make it look like change is happening. And now everybody who’s trans can kind of live this great life,” Ross shared. “But what you realize is, for the most part, celebrity separates us from reaching it. It no longer seems as accessible. So I have to model from my own experience and with TransTech that I’m someone who became successful. I also have to teeter this line to show what it...
Tierra Whack wants to normalize conversations around financial literacy. The rapper, originally known as Dizzle Dizz, has teamed up with Venmo for its financial education series, “Money Talks.” The series features a range of artists and entrepreneurs, some of whom are Whack’s peers. Kicking off its second season, Whack sat down with North Philadelphia designer and seamstress Adriana Williams, who works a 9-to-5 while scaling her lifestyle brand. “We realized, we have so much in common and we had the same struggles,” Whack, a North Philly native, told AFROTECH™. “I really was like enlightened when I was talking to my friends, when we were filming. I’m like, ‘Yo, this is crazy.’ These are friends I talk to almost like at least twice, three times a week. And then we sat in front of the camera and I’m like, ‘Yo, I never knew you were going through this. I didn’t know.’ I don’t know what it is about us, but that’s just kind of like the unspoken thing. Venmo helped us break the ice. I...
Oprah Winfrey is embracing artificial intelligence (AI). How She Is Using AI The long-time television host and founder of her own network believes “we are in for the ride of our lives.” There appears to be positive sentiments around her reactions as she has been leaning into the technology, even using ChatGPT to search for Airbnb listings, she mentions during an interview with “ABC News.” “It was miraculous to me that before you can practically finish the request, the answer has already come back to you,” Winfrey said. Shift Towards AI Influenced By Sam Altman Winfrey’s encounter with AI did not come until after she had spoken with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, for her ABC special, “AI and the Future of Us,” which aired on Sept. 12, 2024. After learning further about its capabilities, the television mogul said there was no need to fear AI. “After he was telling me all about all the things it could do, I’m saying, ‘Okay. don’t be scared. Don’t be scared,'” she revealed in her...
Chpter, an AI-powered company based in Kenya, has secured significant funding. Chpter Launched in 2022 by Mesongo Sibuti (chief technology officer), Kuria Kevin (chief product officer), Mark Kiarie (chief operating officer) and Tesh Mbaabu (CEO), the conversational commerce company allows businesses to scale their revenue — on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok — by up to five times through features that include automated abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase chat messages, and automated responses through chatbots, per its website. “We are thrilled to pioneer the social commerce revolution, starting in Africa, as more and more consumers turn to social channels such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to communicate and purchase from the brands they love.” Mbaabu, co-founder of Chpter, said in a post shared on Medium. “Specifically, WhatsApp’s role in business communication cannot be overstated. With more than two billion active users, it offers an...
Two former Netflix and Clubhouse executives have teamed up to launch their own application. TechCrunch reports that Maya Watson and Lexi Nisita first connected while working at Netflix. Watson spent five years at the company, serving as director of marketing, editorial, and publishing. Nisita spent an additional two years with titles that included director of brand and editorial. While working at Netflix and then later at Clubhouse, they noticed synergy in their workflow. After one year at Clubhouse, they decided to pivot and combine their skills to launch why?!, a social network platform intended to help people forge new connections and water existing ones, according to a press release provided to AFROTECH™. “We are a founding team that’s worked for companies that drove culture and ushered in completely new behaviors that changed everything in entertainment, media, and consumer social. Now, we want to change the way we connect,” said CEO Watson, in a news release. “We’re lonelier...
Journalist Don Lemon has sued Elon Musk. Lemon was a co-host on CNN until he was let go from the network in April 2023, AP News mentioned. After his exit, Lemon was presented an offer from Musk, who acquired X in 2022, to form a partnership that would allow him to host his own show, “The Don Lemon Show.” According to a new lawsuit, Lemon claimed to be a “top prospect” for Musk who was seeking to onboard “reputable figures” to maintain advertiser interest, per CNBC. Variety noted the show was intended to allow Lemon to be “bigger, bolder, freer,” and he said it would “be available to everyone, easily, whenever and wherever you want it, streaming on the platforms where conversations are happening. And you’ll find it first on X, the biggest space for free speech in the world. I know now more than ever that we need a place for honest debate and discussion without the hall monitors. This is just the beginning so stay tuned.” Taping for the show kicked off with Lemon interviewing Musk....
NFL quarterback Caleb Williams made an unconventional ask in his rookie contract. Williams is signed to the Chicago Bears as a first-round draft pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, ESPN reports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) The outlet added that the stakes are at an all-time high at the moment, as the team has not had an All-Pro since 1939. The team is currently working to ensure Williams is prepared for the 2024 season in training camp, which began July 20, 2024. Athlon Sports mentioned that Williams is expected to start in the preseason game against the Houston Texans on August 1, 2024. “You can just tell he’s in a better space,” D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears’ running back, said, per NBC Sports. “That comes along with time. Getting a better understanding of the offense. He had time off, so he had more time to study the offense. So you can tell he’s made strides since he’s been back [from the break]. I know he’s got a lot on his plate, a lot being...
Despite being an industry veteran, Meagan Good reveals she was finally paid her worth on her latest film. While promoting “Divorce in the Black,” she spoke candidly about her experience with the film’s director, writer, and producer, Tyler Perry . She described him as an “angel” during an interview on NBC’s “Today With Hoda & Jenna.” On the show, Good confirmed that Perry was the first to compensate her properly for her role despite her working as an actress for “over 30 years.” “I actually cried because what I love about Tyler is not only is he an angel, not only is he a genius, not only is he unapologetic as a leader, but he also makes you feel valued and seen and appreciated, and he goes out of his way to do that,” Good explained to hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. “I think about how people pay it forward, and I don’t know if anyone paid it forward to him, but he most certainly pays it forward to everyone else.” While Perry willingly paid Good accordingly, the actress...
What was supposed to be a big moment in one photographer’s life has turned into a tale of survivor’s remorse after he claims that Nike tricked him out of credit for a photo he captured of Michael Jordan that would go on to become the logo for the company’s Jordan Brand. In a new short documentary, “Jumpman,” Jacobus “Co” Rentmeester accuses the leading athletic company of copying his work to create the Jordan Brand logo that has graced a plethora of sneakers and clothing products for decades. Originally shot during a photo shoot commissioned by Life magazine for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, Jordan was instructed to perform a grand jeté, which is “a classical ballet move where a dancer jumps and spreads their legs wide,” Fortune magazine reports. Today, the Jordan Brand is worth $6 billion. However, Rentmeester’s disdain comes from what he believes was negligence on Nike’s part to properly credit and compensate him for the role his photo may have played in inspiring the logo. View...
Money. Every single one of us is working for it, it’s why we’re logging into these computers everyday, but for some reason, it’s also something we’re scared to talk about. In a recent LinkedIn survey, 40% of Black professionals felt like they were underpaid, but get this; only 30% had plans to ask for a raise, and 34% of us feel the hardest part of job searching is salary and benefits negotiations. If we agree that we’re all working for money–Lord knows I work HARD for mine–then why are we so scared to talk about compensation? By traditional measures, the U.S. labor market looks pretty good on paper. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the U.S. economy added more jobs than economists expected in February 2024, however, on LinkedIn we’re still seeing just one job opening for every two applicants. My goal is to help people, who plan to stay in their roles, better understand how not to leave money on the table and to help folks negotiating for new opportunities arm...
