A group of Democratic lawmakers has called on the Justice Department (DOJ) to pause funding for predictive policing technology amid discrimination concerns. Predictive policing uses computer systems to analyze large sets of data, including historical crime data, to help decide where to deploy police or identify individuals who are purportedly more likely to commit or be a victims of a crime. In a letter released Monday, Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Yvette Clarke, and five other senators asked Attorney General Merrick Garland to halt all DOJ grants. The Concerns With Predictive Policing Technology The letter
Google has purchased Edlyft’s AI tutor – a generative AI co-pilot for college students studying computer science. Erika Hairston and Arnelle Ansong, two long-time friends, founded Edlyft in 2020 to support Black college students and adults enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Their digital platform connects learners to inclusive mentorship, online group tutoring, live and recorded sessions, and personalized study tools, enabling them to succeed in their classes and secure high-paying jobs. Over the past two years, Edlyft collaborated with Google through their Google Tech Exchange, teaching applied data structures to Historically
British semiconductor company Arm has joined the Black Talent and Leadership in STEM program as the first consortium member of their “Be the Change” initiative. Located in the UK’s answer to Silicon Valley – ‘Silicon Fen’, Arm is the leading technology provider of processor intellectual property. Be The Change Recently, the Black Talent and Leadership Program launched the “Be the Change” initiative at Homerton College, University of Cambridge, to address the underrepresentation of Black talent in STEM. It was delivered with Cambridge Wireless, Homerton Changemakers, the University of Cambridge, the 10,000 Interns Foundation, and
Nigerian-born Richard Nonso is among the recipients of the Tomorrow’s Leaders Starting Out (ToLSO) program, a micro-grant for young Canadians. Tomorrow’s Leaders Starting Out ToLSO is a project delivered by Nigerian Canadians for Cultural, Educational, and Economic Progress (NCCEEP). Launched in December, ToLSO is a micro-grant for young Canadians aged 15-30, funded by the Canada Service Corps. Offering a $5,000 micro-grant, it aims to empower young Canadians to create action-based projects that make a lasting difference in their communities. Although the program is available to grant candidates of any background, NCCEEP member and program
OpenAI has responded to Congresswoman Barbara Lee and the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) after they flagged the lack of diversity on its board. The CBC’s Letter In mid-December, CBC Chairs Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and Lee sent a letter to OpenAI to diversify its board after the ouster and return of CEO Sam Altman. Altman’s return led to the departure of the board’s only two women, Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley. Thus, the tech company had only white male members on its board. In the letter, the pair outlined A’s increasing advancement, which creates
Postpartum difficulties and a gap in the wellness industry led LaDonna Welch to create a mental health app, Ebony Notes, designed to affirm the Black community. Meet LaDonna Welch Welch advocates for diversity, equity, representation, personal growth, and inclusion. After giving birth to her second child in 2012, she learned she had postpartum and seasonal depression when she went to a doctor to discuss her symptoms. “They suggested that I speak to someone, and I was in my 30s. At this point, I had never even considered talking to anyone,”
UK-based Black-owned platform Sojo has become the first fashion repairs and alterations platform to achieve B Corp certification. Certified B Corps are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. The B Corp Community is a global movement of businesses that provide leadership by demonstrating their commitment to people and the planet. There are over 7,800 B Corps worldwide, across 161 industries in 92 countries, with over 708,300 workers. Sojo achieved 86.8 points, above the B Corp pass mark of 80 and
The Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) has appointed Lianne Hannaway as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Black Business And Professional Association Founded in 1983, the BBPA is a non-profit charitable organization that addresses equity and opportunity for the Black community in business, employment, education, and economic development. Their mission is to advance Canada’s Black communities by delivering programs that support business and professional excellence. Hannaway became their new CEO on January 22 of this year, 2024. “I am honoured and excited to take on the role of CEO at the
Commercial real estate business owner and broker Dustin Sutton is creating a technology to benefit golfers. Sutton’s vision is to create augmented reality (AR) — enhanced smart glasses — designed and tailored for golfers through his company, RangEZ, Inc. According to the San Diego Business Journal, Sutton said the company, which is less than a year old, aims to launch its first product by the end of 2024. “Over the past seven months, this journey has transformed from a mere idea into a tangible pursuit,” he said. RangEZ Smart Glasses RangEZ smart glasses
Alinea Invest has received $3.4 million in seed funding just in time for the launch of their virtual AI assistant to help users with their investing needs. Alinea Invest After interning at Goldman Sachs, Eve Halimi and Anam Lakhani, co-founders of Alinea, realized the need for a female-focused investing app to guide women in making investments and managing their wealth. “The pain point we saw is that people like us who are young women, Gen Zs, children of immigrants, they have no idea where to start,” Lakhani told TechCrunch. “Financial literacy is a massive pain
