Black-led venture capital firm Harlem Capital is raising a $150 million fund, according to documents filed with the SEC. Harlem Capital, founded in 2015 by Henri Pierre-Jacques and Jarrid Tingle, aims to change the face of entrepreneurship by investing in 1,000 diverse founders. Harlem Capital’s Funds To Date The new fund, if raised, will be the firm’s third and most significant to date after raising $134 million in 2021 and $40 million in 2019. Its second fund focused on early-stage post-product companies from all sectors but a particular focus on consumer and enterprise tech.
Google has announced the construction of Umoja, the first-ever fiber optic cable to link Africa with Australia directly. This initiative, named after the Swahili word for “unity,” aims to boost the reliability and reach of digital infrastructure across the continents. The Umoja cable The Umoja cable will begin in Kenya and traverse Uganda, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, including the Google Cloud region, before crossing the Indian Ocean to Australia. According to Google’s press release, the terrestrial segment of the route has already been completed in collaboration with Liquid
Apple Inc. has appointed Cynthia Bowman as its new Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity. Bowman, a seasoned banking executive, succeeds Barbara Whye, marking the fourth executive to hold this position in recent years. Cynthia Bowman: Bank of America Veteran Cynthia Bowman, who previously served as Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Responsibility Officer at Bank of America Corp., joins Apple following a 17-year tenure with the bank. “We are excited that Cynthia Bowman will serve as Apple’s next Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity,” an Apple spokesperson said in a
Kenyan President William Ruto made Atlanta his first stop during his official state visit to the United States, focusing on advancing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. During his visit to Spelman College, a historically Black college for women, Ruto signed a framework agreement to establish educational exchanges between Kenyan universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the US. Boosting STEM Education The agreement, signed by representatives from Spelman and Morehouse Colleges, Clark Atlanta University, and Howard University, aims to enhance STEM education in both countries. “We
Sponsored by Karat Brilliant Black Minds. I’ve been to a lot of conferences in my 22+ year career as a software engineer and career coach, but it took a bit of experience to figure out which ones were good for me and how to get an outsized return on my investment. When done right, the best conferences are where you can learn cutting-edge skills, make connections that can change your career, and find incredible new opportunities. Here’s how to make the most of them. Why go to tech conferences? We
Life and health insurance provider Globe Life and its subsidiaries, including American Income Life (AIL), are facing serious allegations of racial discrimination and harassment. A Business Insider investigation revealed evidence of racism from Globe’s Texas headquarters to its agencies nationwide. Racism Among Senior Managers Business Insider obtained screenshots that revealed senior managers at AIL exchanged racist, sexist, and transphobic texts between 2014 and 2019. Domenico Bertini, a former AIL vice president, sent a meme depicting a Black man in a mousetrap baited with Kentucky Fried Chicken. Other texts included the n-word and
Colorado has become the first state in the US to enact comprehensive legislation regulating AI use in critical areas like employment, healthcare, and housing. From February 2026, affected businesses must provide information about their AI use and take “reasonable care” to protect citizens from algorithmic discrimination. “Laws that seek to prevent discrimination generally focus on prohibiting intentional discriminatory conduct,” said Governor Jared Polis, who signed Senate Bill 24-205 (SB205) on May 17, 2024. “Notably, this bill deviates from that practice by regulating the results of AI system use, regardless of intent.” Addressing Algorithmic Discrimination SB205
The Senate is considering a bipartisan bill to establish Black Wall Street as a national monument. Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced Senate Bill 3543 to create the Historic Greenwood District—Black Wall Street National Monument. This initiative aims to honor the legacy of Tulsa’s Historic African American Business District and commemorate the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Honoring Black Wall Street’s Legacy In 1921, white mobs attacked and destroyed Black Wall Street, a thriving Black neighborhood in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Originally, the state recorded 36 deaths, but a 2001 state commission reported that
Brand new Techish! Hosts Abadesi and Michael dive into: Starbucks and Apple are in their flop era Women on Bumble no longer have to make the first move Bank of America employees to strike following death from overwork The decline of the UK Listen on Spotify or Apple podcast also. Watch On YouTube
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has filed a lawsuit against SoLo Funds, an online lending platform, over its lending practices. According to the CFPB, SoLo Funds used deceptive tactics to ensure almost every borrower paid hidden fees despite advertising zero-cost loans. Misleading Tactics and Hidden Fees SoLo Funds markets itself as a consumer-friendly alternative to high-cost, short-term loans. However, the CFPB alleges that SoLo’s practice of requesting borrowers pay “tips” and “donations” hides the actual cost of their loans. The lawsuit alleges that from March 2018 through December 2022, SoLo received
