The Legal Defense Fund (LDF), the nation’s first civil rights law organization, has appointed Dr. Joy Buolamwini, founder of the Algorithmic Justice League and author of national bestseller Unmasking AI, to its Board of Directors. As AI tools proliferate across policing, hiring, lending, education, and healthcare, civil rights advocates warn that their built-in biases could disproportionately harm Black communities. LDF says Buolamwini’s expertise in algorithmic accountability will be key to guiding the organization’s response to these emerging tech-driven civil rights challenges. A Leading Voice on Algorithmic Justice Buolamwini founded the
Sula Labs, a beauty research and development lab for melanin-rich skin, and UFarmX, an AI-powered agri-fintech platform tackling Africa’s agricultural financing gap, have been named the $100,000 Co-Grand Prize Winners of the Black Ambition Prize. Black Ambition’s fifth annual Demo Day, held November 14–15 in Miami, marked the culmination of its three-month accelerator for underrepresented founders. Featuring conversations with Pharrell Williams and investor Mellody Hobson, and a surprise performance from Chance the Rapper, the event spotlighted 27 prize winners selected from more than 2,500 applicants. Sula Labs: Pioneering Science-Driven Beauty for Melanin-Rich Skin
When Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica with 195 mph winds on October 28, it claimed dozens of lives, knocked out electricity, and disrupted water supplies for half a million people. But in Accompong, a remote Maroon community in the mountains of Cockpit Country, clean water has continued to flow thanks to a solar-powered atmospheric water generator. A Solar-Powered Atmospheric Water Generator As the Category 5 storm collapsed power grids and water systems across the island, Accompong’s self-sustaining water generator continued pulling humidity from the air and turning it into nearly 400 gallons of clean, drinkable water each
For the past decade, Danielle Udogaranya, CEO and co-founder of Ebonix, has been one of the most influential voices championing Black representation in gaming. “Ten years ago today, I stopped accepting what we were given as Black gamers: an afro, some Killmonger locs, a teeny weeny afro, and maybe a low cut fade,” Udogaranya shared in a recent TikTok video. Now, as she marks ten years of reshaping virtual identity, she is celebrating the milestone with a new London exhibition, Black Lines of Code. The exhibition brings together more than 20
Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman is taking legal action against companies and individuals who have replicated his iconic voice and likeness without his permission. His stance comes amid growing concerns in Hollywood over the use of AI to create deepfakes and synthetic replications without consent or compensation. Morgan Takes Legal Action Against Unauthorized AI In a recent interview with The Guardian, Freeman made his position clear: “I’m a little PO’d, you know. I’m like any other actor: don’t mimic me with falseness. I don’t appreciate it, and I get paid for doing stuff like that, so if you’re gonna do it without me, you’re robbing
Space Continuum, a Black-owned design and innovation firm, is partnering with German robotics leader NEURA Robotics. The partnership aims to bring next-generation humanoid robots to North America to help tackle workforce shortages. Founded by industry veteran John Johnson, Space Continuum is best known for blending physical space design with emerging technologies. The firm’s portfolio includes projects at Rush University Medical Center, the University of Chicago, and the Barack Obama Presidential Library. Robots designed to collaborate with humans With this new partnership, Space Continuum aims to tackle workforce shortages and operational
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capital firms, has paused its Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund which was created to support founders from underserved backgrounds. The move, first reported by TechCrunch, includes layoffs of several staff members from the TxO team. On October 16, participants received an email from Kofi Ampadu, the a16z partner who led TxO, announcing the pause: “While [TxO’s] purpose has not changed, we are pausing our existing program to refine how we deliver on it.” The Talent x Opportunity Fund a16z launched
Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett’s company Steven.com, which houses his creator media assets and ventures, has closed an eight-figure funding round to build the “Disney of the creator economy.” The round, reportedly the largest of its kind for a creator holding company in Europe, was led by Slow Ventures and Apeiron Investment Group and puts his company’s valuation at $425 million. Bartlett, best known as the host of The Diary of a CEO podcast and a former Dragons’ Den investor, shared the news on X (formerly Twitter). Building the Platform for the Next Creator Era Founded
CBS News has disbanded its race and culture unit as part of sweeping layoffs at parent company Paramount Global that began on Wednesday. A former CBS News producer has accused the company of “race-based layoffs.” Mass Layoffs and Restructuring Last week, Paramount began laying off about 1,000 US-based workers, with plans to eliminate another 1,000 roles in the coming months. The 2,000 layoffs represent roughly 10% of the company’s global workforce. In a memo to employees, CEO David Ellison described the cuts as necessary to eliminate redundancies and “phase out roles that are no longer
Founders + senior tech leaders, don’t miss these two exclusive events. Free entry, limited spaces. RSVP today! This October, as the tech and startup world descends on Houston, POCIT is hosting two exclusive events designed to deepen connections, foster leadership, and elevate voices across the tech ecosystem: the Breaking Bread Founder Dinner and the INNOV8 Tech Leadership Brunch. Whether you’re a founder building the future or a senior leader shaping it, these events are for you. Breaking Bread: Founder + VC Dinner On Monday, October 28, Breaking Bread will bring together 25 Series A and seed-stage
