Dove has joined a campaign to bring natural and protective Black hairstyles to the emoji keyboard. Partnering with London-based youth nonprofit RISE.365, the brand is calling on the Unicode Consortium to approve four new emoji designs representing afros, braids, cornrows, and locs. The push comes as Unicode prepares to review new emoji proposals this month. The #CodeMyCrown campaign The #CodeMyCrown campaign, backed by global pop star Mel B, is challenging the lack of representation of Black hair among the nearly 4,000 emojis currently available. While over 90 percent of the
Major US tech companies are warning employees on temporary visas not to travel outside the country, fearing they may be denied re-entry amid shifting immigration policies. Tech giants employ thousands of workers on H-1B visas, which allow highly-skilled foreign workers to temporarily live and work in the US. Warnings to H-1B Visa Holders Documents reviewed by The Washington Post show companies like Google and Amazon have advised foreign workers to avoid international travel, fearing sudden policy changes or heightened border scrutiny could leave them stranded overseas. H-1B visa denial rates
This week on Techish, Michael and Abadesi dive into those viral Studio Ghibli-style AI images from ChatGPT and what they mean for creative jobs, copyright, and the climate. They also break down what 23andMe’s bankruptcy, what shows like Netflix’s Adolescence reveal toxic masculinity and gender-based violence, and the hype around Apple TV’s Severance. Chapters 00:00 The Dark Side of ChatGPT’s Studio Ghibli AI Art11:03 23andMe Goes Bankrupt16:40 Adolescence and the Rise in Incel Culture*26:18 Severance and the Future of AI in Streaming *Please note that this section contains discussions of
Over the past year, we’ve seen no shortage of deception: some of it clever, some of it outrageous, and some of it deeply revealing. We’ve seen fake identities used to expose bias, deepfakes spread like wildfire, and high-profile figures go to great lengths to hide the truth (or rewrite it entirely) From a lying ex-husband and cross-country Uber pranks to investor fraud, corporate lawsuits, and social media misinformation, here are ten stories to catch up on this April Fools’ Day. 1. 10 years for scamming investors – or not Carlos
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened an investigation into Disney and its subsidiary ABC, examining whether their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies violate federal broadcast regulations. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr requested the probe, raising concerns that Disney’s DEI initiatives may conflict with the agency’s equal employment opportunity rules. Disney holds broadcast licenses for its ABC affiliate stations, which the FCC regulates. DEI Under Scrutiny In a letter to CEO Bob Iger dated March 27, Carr said he wants to ensure the company is not engaging in “invidious forms
President Donald Trump has commuted the prison sentence of Carlos Watson, the founder and former CEO of Ozy Media. Watson was just hours away from reporting to a federal prison in California when he received word of the clemency, CNBC reports. Watson, 55, was sentenced to 116 months in prison following his conviction on multiple counts of fraud and identity theft related to his leadership of the now-defunct digital media company. Trump also commuted the sentence of one year of probation imposed on Ozy Media for the company’s conviction in
Originally published on anthonydmays.com There aren’t many things I regret in my tech career. Of course, there are things I’ve lived through that shouldn’t happen in a perfect world. For instance, the abuse I suffered as a kid. Or my laziness in college. Or my overdeveloped fear of failure. Yet I’m grateful for every step of my journey. The complex tapestry of struggles, failures, and learnings I’ve experienced has led me down the path of tech career success I enjoy today. But what if I had to do it all over
On March 11, 2025, United Negro College Fund (UNCF) partnered with TikTok to champion HillmanTok University for using social media to transform education and motivate the Black community. HillmanTok at Capitol Hill HillmanTok educators like Dr. Leah Barlow, Shyia Simmon, CPA Thurman Brooks, Gyllian Carter, Kyra Brown, and Denise Francis went to Capital Hill in Washington, DC, for a special reception to commemorate the educators and meet with members of Congress, according to a TikTok news release viewed by AFROTECH. “UNCF is proud to partner with TikTok to amplify the transformative
On Thursday, March 27, South Africa launched the first phase of a smart city development in Shongweni, outside Durban. The development, which is called Westown, is expected to attract around R15 billion ($822 million) in private-sector investment over the next 10 to 15 years and produce over 23,000 jobs. The initial phase is part of a wider project that includes, includes retail, housing, and healthcare facilities, according to Mybroadband. Transforming the development trajectory of the region Themba Masimula, senior project manager from the eThekwini Municipality’s Catalytic Projects Uni, told Mybroadband
The Nigerian fintech Payhippo, which previously provided SME loans, has rebranded to RIVY and raised $4 million in a pre-Series A funding round to focus on increasing clean energy financing in the continent. The funding was split between $2 million equity and $2 million debt. The seed round was co-led by EchoVC, a Nigerian venture capital (VC) firm through its $2.5 million Eco fund, which focuses on climate, energy, agriculture, and mobility solutions, and Shell’s All On, a climate-focused impact investment organization. Local debt providers supplied the debt. “Renewable energy is
