Idris Elba, renowned British actor and DJ, is steering his creative process towards building a “smart eco-city” on Sherbro Island, off Sierra Leone’s coast. Elba’s Plans According to CNN, Elba, a Sierra Leonean citizen, focuses on blending technological innovation and environmental consciousness in this project. The initiative, in collaboration with Sherbro Alliance Partners and the Sierra Leone government, is an investment venture and a heartening return to his roots, as Elba’s father hailed from Sierra Leone. Sherbro Island, approximately the size of Chicago and historically significant in the slave trade
Usher’s New Look (UNL) and IBM have embarked on a groundbreaking collaboration to foster career readiness in AI and professional workplace skills. UNL is a 501c3 organization founded by Usher Raymond IV in 1999 that supports a vision that all youth should be afforded the chance to unlock their full potential. Transforming under-resourced youth IBM SkillsBuild is a free education program focused on underrepresented communities in tech. The partnership with UNL is set to transform the lives of thousands of high school and college students, especially those from underrepresented communities in technology. “Joining
The 2024 Tech Equity Collective (TEC) Impact Fund has announced a stride towards tech industry equity by introducing its 20 grantees. Since its 2021 inception, Tech Equity Collective has been dedicated to accelerating Black innovation and representation in tech. It works alongside tech giants and community organizations to create new career opportunities for Black tech innovators. The 2024 Tech Equity Collective Impact Fund The chosen organizations exemplify innovation and commitment to fostering an inclusive tech ecosystem. They focus on reskilling, upskilling, and training programs for aspiring Black technical talent. This year’s grantees, chosen for their pioneering
Recent research has raised alarming concerns about covert racism in AI language models. Experts from the Allen Institute for AI, the University of Oxford, Stanford University, LMU Munich, and the University of Chicago conducted the study. It revealed that these models, including GPT4, manifest bias against African American Vernacular English (AAE) speakers. This troubling revelation brings to light how AI can perpetuate racial stereotypes, leading to unfair and discriminatory outcomes. What Did The Study Find? The study, co-authored by Valentin Hofmann, Pratyusha Ria Kalluri, Dan Jurafsky, and Sharese King, found
Recent findings from a comprehensive review have highlighted biases in commonly used medical devices and technologies that can harm people of color. These include optical medical devices like pulse oximeters, AI-assisted devices, and polygenic risk scores (PRS) in genomics. Biases In Medical Devices The review was initiated by the UK’s former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, and conducted by a panel of experts. “Making sure the healthcare system works for everyone, regardless of ethnicity, is paramount to our values as a nation,” Junior Health Minister Andrew Stephenson told The Guardian. “It supports our
The potential ban of the social media platform TikTok following the US government’s concern about national security implications could have an unfortunate effect on Black creators. The potential TikTok ban The US government, concerned about national security implications linked to TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance, proposed a bill with a profound impact. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a 12-page document, threatened to uproot TikTok from American soil unless ByteDance sold it. On Wednesday, March 13, the Republican-controlled House voted 352 to 65 on a bill requiring TikTok either be divested from
Block Party, a startup initially centered on curbing online harassment via Twitter’s API, has undergone a significant pivot in the wake of API changes on the platform now known as X. Privacy Party Tracy Chou, a prominent software engineer and tech diversity advocate, introduced the venture’s new focus at this year’s SXSW conference in Austin. The reinvented platform Privacy Party emerges as a solution to the complex challenge of managing privacy settings across various social networks, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, and X. Originally, Block Party leveraged Twitter’s API to
Trez, the first U.S. Latine payroll platform company, is reshaping the financial landscape for Latine businesses in America. Trez Recognized by notable institutions like Techstars, Forbes, Inc., and Stanford GSB, Trez provides specialized payroll, benefits, and financial services solutions. The platform is specifically designed to support the burgeoning Latine business community. Trez emerges at a crucial time when Latine-owned businesses, contributing $500 billion in annual sales and millions of jobs, are becoming vital in the U.S. economy. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hispanics will constitute 78% of the new workforce entrants between 2020 and
Mellody Hobson’s rise to co-CEO of Ariel Investments, a history-making firm with over $14.9 billion in assets, is a tale of ambition, foresight, and resilience. Meet Mellody Hobson In 1991, as a student at Princeton, Hobson was on the brink of launching her career in the high-stakes world of finance. With offers from major New York City firms in hand, she found herself in a moment of reflection in the basement of the then Woodrow Wilson School. It was then that she made a pivotal decision. “And I thought, ‘What am I
Tech founder and major political donor Frank Hester reportedly said that looking at Diane Abbott, Britain’s longest-serving Black Member of Parliament (MP), made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she “should be shot.” Hester, the founder and CEO of software company The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), donated £10 million ($12.8 million) to the Conservative Party last year. What Happened? The Guardian reports that Hester made the remarks about Abbott during a 2019 meeting. His comments have sparked widespread outcry, raising serious questions about racism within the tech industry and
