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Athletes across the spectrum have been heavily involved in their communities for some time — from Lebron James founding I Promise School to Serena Williams investing in the next generation of tennis players. There is no shortage of Black athletes dedicated to ensuring that youth are equipped with the tools to be successful, and New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis is not one to be left out of the conversation. In a culture where parts of society suggest athletes “shut up and play,” sports players like Davis ignore that jargon and invest valuable time and resources into the communities that matter to them. Through a partnership with New Orleans, Louisiana’s Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), Davis led a three-day workshop as a part of a summer program. Courtesy of the Youth Empowerment Project
Just last year, sports league startup Overtime raised $80 million in its Series C funding round, as previously reported by AfroTech. For 2022, the Drake and Jeff Bezos-backed company is scaling even further. Overtime has raised $100 million in its Series D funding round, according to a press release. The round was led by Liberty Media Corporation and Counterpoint Global and included investors such as Bezos Capital, Winslow Capital, Blackstone, and Sapphire Sport. With the new funding, the leading sports brand is diving into Web3 and e-commerce, per the release. Additionally, it will expand its Overtime Elite (OTE) basketball league, OT7 high school football league, new sports leagues, and sports digital content — both short-form and long-form. “This significant investment co-led by Liberty Media, who has fostered the explosive growth of Formula 1, is a real validation of the disruptive sports IP that we have created over the past year,” said Dan Porter, Overtime’s CEO and...
For a jam-packed week of building knowledge in tech, the AfroTech Conference has consistently been marked as the ultimate place to be. And this year, it’s no different. As previously reported by AfroTech, the annual event will feature exclusive programming, panels, and Q&As to bring the Black tech, Web3, and the business community together for connection, celebration, and entertainment. With the countdown ticking to the 2022 AfroTech Conference, the experience is set to feature some of the top Black leaders and innovators in Web3. While the inside scoop on what’s in store for the conference continues to unfold, here are the Web3 speakers we can share in the meantime, who you should look forward to seeing in Austin, TX. Consider attending #AFROTECHConference in Austin this fall, as an opportunity for your business : from branding, recruitment, industry knowledge, partner collaboration and inspiration. Grab your ticket today. https://t.co/3Nh5MqG0Jv #AFROTECH #BuyBlack #Austin —...
There is so much space and opportunity for today’s generation of athletes to allow their talent to open massive doors for them. For current Los Angeles Clippers player, Terance Mann, leveraging the world of web3 is taking his basketball talents to the next level. He initially wanted to learn more about the space after not seeing a lot of people who looked like him. Using his own persona to connect with Clippers fans is one skill set that Mann believes can be beneficial to other players looking for opportunities when it comes to investing and life beyond just basketball. “When you’re walking around, moving around with agents, or within facilities, you can hear people talking about what [players] are doing off the court,” said Mann. “People are investing in different things, [and] people, you know, take life in through their social media.”
Emmy-nominated actress Natasha Rothwell is rallying Black women in the Web3 space with joint efforts from BFF and Skai Blue Media. “I’m excited to be joining the Web3 community as one of the founding BFF and Belonging and Mattering council members,” said Rothwell in a press release. “I look forward to sharing my experience in arts education and as a creative in entertainment as an expression of my commitment to the advocacy for marginalized groups in order to create more opportunities and ensure an equitable future for underserved communities in web3.”
Producer Carl Jones has been making waves in animation since the critically acclaimed series, “The Boondocks” hit the airwaves in November 2005. His work in the space has evolved over the years, but one thing has remained consistent — Jones’ commitment to remaining true to himself throughout it all. What’s more, he has even stepped away from deals that wanted him to change his approach to his art. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Boondocks (@boondocksbootleg)
On April 2, 2002, Ashanti hit the ground running with her debut self-titled studio album. In fact, the project made the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest-selling debut album by a female artist, according to Vibe. It reportedly sold over 500,000 within the first week (Sis has always been legendary). Although it’s been 20 years since the world was introduced to the songstress, dubbed the Princess of Hip-Hop and R&B, she continues to break records and turn heads. This time though, she’s shaking things up in the metaverse, proving that there is an ever-evolving relationship between music and tech. “Technology has been a blessing,” she told AfroTech during the 2022 Essence Festival of Culture. “I mean, it’s the gift and the curse, let’s be honest. Everything has pros and cons, but I think using it as a tool to empower and uplift and learn and research are all beautiful things.”
Fresh off her match at the French Open, Coco Gauff is giving her fans more to look forward to with the launch of her new non-fungible token (NFT) collection with Autograph. As AfroTech previously told you, the Tom Brady-backed platform connects brands and high-profile individuals in sports, entertainment, and culture. The platform has already welcomed Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, and Usain Bolt and now, Gauff is taking a seat at the table.
Pharrell Williams is taking a look at the bigger picture with the growth of blockchain technology. At VeeCon 2022 — the first-ever NFT -ticketed conference — the music mogul shared with attendees his belief that Web3 could possibly hold the power to create real global change, Decrypt reports.