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Blavity Inc. has assembled a coalition of leaders to drive equity in technology. In a news release, the technology and news media company has shared it has formed the AFROTECH™ Advisory Board. The board will dedicate its focus to workplace equity and ensuring underrepresented employees, founders, and startups can obtain access to capital and economic mobility. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH (@afro.tech) “Mobilizing this consortium is a crucial move towards amplifying our impact and reach in creating a more equitable tech industry,” Morgan DeBaun, founder and CEO of Blavity Inc., said in a press statement. “Our concerted effort will focus on practical initiatives that not only enhance workplace equity but also promote significant access to capital and opportunities for our community’s members.” The AFROTECH™ Advisory Board includes representatives of Amazon, American Express, Black Economic Alliance, Chewy, GAP, Google, Infoblox, Jordan Brand, Lam Research,...
Apr 18, 2024
Duke University is the latest higher educational institute to make changes following the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that ended affirmative action in admissions. According to its student publication The Chronicle, the North Carolina college has officially discontinued its Reginaldo Howard Memorial Scholarship Program. Since its inception in 1979, the merit scholarship was created for Black undergraduates, some of whom were required to demonstrate the need for financial assistance. It covered the cost of full tuition as well as room and board for those who were selected to be a part of the program. Duke University announced it is ending a full-ride scholarship program for Black students in the wake of the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling https://t.co/dNK2Rst99y — philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) April 12, 2024 “It is very much disheartening to hear that this program that opened the door for me to come to Duke is now being closed essentially, even though it will take on a new form,”...
Apr 12, 2024
Knowledge is power, but being able to access it can be an uphill battle for disadvantaged communities. PBS NewsHour reports on Instagram that St. Louis, MO, is a “book desert,” and the likelihood of retaining a significant number of books in a community is low. However, a determined Black woman business owner has stepped in to enact the change she wants to see. According to the outlet, Ymani Wince launched Onyx, a free book vending machine, at the Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club, located on the north side of St. Louis. Wince also owns The Noir Bookshop, which provides Black and people of color (POC) literature. View this post on Instagram A post shared by PBS NewsHour (@newshour) “I started thinking about what were ways that I could get books in the community, and I instantly thought of vending machines,” Wince told PBS NewsHour. “The concept of reading is good, having literacy is good, and I think access to information is a human right, no matter what you look like.” This...
Apr 11, 2024
To steer disadvantaged communities toward a more equitable future, Wells Fargo and Bishop T.D. Jakes are taking action.
Apr 27, 2023
Julian Huff is investing in property for the greater good.
Apr 10, 2023
After working for the late Michael Jackson, Faheem Muhammad and Michael Amir’s acquired knowledge over the years served as a launching pad to help underserved communities. “Mr. Jackson was always mission-driven. Everything he did had a purpose, which was to do what he could to make the world a better place,” Amir told AfroTech in an email interview. In the past, Muhammad worked for Jackson as head of security and Amir worked as the icon’s chief of staff. Now, the duo has found their contribution to fostering a more improved society by forging a business partnership alongside other close friends to create Oasis, a real estate investment , and development company. Oasis has a focus on the South Side of Chicago, as they saw a clear pathway to revisit the demographics they often saw in dire need during their upbringing.
Dec 7, 2022
NBA veteran referee Derek Richardson is turning his attention toward another calling to enlighten underserved children.
Oct 26, 2022
Goalsetter is helping to bring financial literacy to the sports world in its latest partnership. The fintech platform has joined TeamSnap — a leading sports team management app — to support an increase of underserved youth having equal access to sport participation, according to a press release shared with AfroTech. The goal at hand is for the young athletes to have both physical and financial well-being. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Goalsetter (@goalsetterco)
Aug 12, 2022
To empower communities of color, Apple has committed $25 million to credit unions and financial institutions, which it will deploy through CNote, a women-led impact investment platform. CNote is thrilled to work with @Apple to expand access to capital in communities of color across the country! https://t.co/VfJS54uUG6 pic.twitter.com/WcvJlI5fF6 — CNote (@goCNote) May 5, 2022
May 5, 2022
Fayetteville State University undergraduate students will now receive more support thanks to new funding. According to a press release sent to AfroTech, a $2.3 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, awarded to Professor James E. Raynor Jr., will be given to the Historically Black University and University (HBCU).
Apr 28, 2022
Amazon aims to help high school students soar to greater heights through a new program that will award $10 million in scholarships. The program is designed to equip students from underserved communities with the opportunity to go on to pursue post-secondary education and study computer science. The Amazon Future Engineer program will provide 250 students with $40,000 each while also offering them a paid internship at the e-commerce giant. The childhood-to-career initiative was created to encourage millions of students across several underserved communities with the chance to build life-changing skills through careers in computer science. In the latest investment, Amazon is doubling its previous commitment. S ince the program’s inception in 2019, it has awarded $22 million in scholarships to 550 students across the world.
Apr 18, 2022
More communities will have a pathway towards financial freedom. According to a press release, Wells Fargo and Operation HOPE, Inc. have partnered to support underserved households. Soon community members will have access to the HOPE Inside program which will provide access to financial coaches, financial education workshops, and free personal coaching. The resources will empower communities along their financial journey. “We know from our outreach and work with national and community stakeholders that financial education and guidance, and an individual’s sense of inclusion and trust, are all important factors in bringing more people who are unbanked into the formal banking system,” said Darlene Goins, head of Wells Fargo’s Banking Inclusion Initiative, according to a press release. “Working with Operation HOPE is one important way that we can remove barriers to financial inclusion and help empower people with education, resources and tools to manage their money, improve their credit...
Apr 12, 2022
SoLo Funds is a capital marketplace reimaging how traditional lending platforms should operate in communities. Founders Rodney Williams and Travis Holoway created a solution to financially empower underserved communities. The fintech company was launched after witnessing the economic hardships of close peers and family members that arose during an unplanned emergency. In fact, most Americans can not afford a $1,000 surprise expense, according to a new survey. For cash-strapped Americans who do not have aid from family members or access to financial solutions, the founders pondered, “Where can they go for assistance?” This question served as the premise for SoLo Funds’ inception in 2015. The company prides itself in offering equitable solutions to build minority communities. Now through the company’s mobile app, individuals looking to acquire emergency capital can acquire a loan in less than 30 minutes. “For us, this is huge. I think about what the community bank is supposed to do...
Dec 2, 2021
Oscar-winning actress Regina King is lending a big hand to improve financial literacy in underserved communities. According to a press release announcement, the Oscar winner is partnering with banking giant Wells Fargo to promote financial literacy. King is also featured in their latest campaign “Real Life Ready,” which promotes Wells Fargo’s Active Cash Visa card and rewards system that suits the consumer’s daily needs. “We are thrilled to be working with Regina King, whose own authenticity is showcased in our campaign, as she demonstrates through her genuine life experiences how Active Cash is a straightforward credit card that makes it easy to earn 2% cash rewards on purchases,” Krista Phillips, Wells Fargo’s head of branded cards and marketing, said in a press statement. “I was drawn to Wells Fargo given the bank’s continued commitment to underserved communities,” King said in the same press statement. She is also the first major face to partner with the banking giant. As an...
Sep 30, 2021
Some executives at Arlington, Virginia-based Ingenious Financial are planning to raise $10 billion to provide more tech to unbanked and underserved communities. Ingenious Financial Founder Darnell Parker and COO Derek Taylor are leading this investment, the company shared in a press release. The pair decided to raise this capital after finding that many Black residents across the nation still don’t have access to computer tech in their homes. This technology gap leads to more financial insecurity, so Parker and Taylor are raising $10 billion through the private Federal Reserve corporation emergency lending program to serve unbanked and underbanked communities. “All relevant policy narratives point towards an inclusive environment,” said Taylor in a press release. “But you cannot have an inclusive environment without African American controlled businesses and ownership.” Once they’ve raised the funds, Parker and Taylor plan to disperse the capital across four main initiatives: $4...
Apr 6, 2021