A recent leak of data from SoundThinking, the company behind ShotSpotter, has shed light on its disproportionate impact on Black and Latine communities. This revelation comes from a detailed WIRED analysis of a leaked document, which reveals the locations of 25,580 ShotSpotter microphones globally, including in the United States. ShotSpotter’s Impact On Black And Latine Communities The data, which was obtained anonymously, marks the first exposure of SoundThinking’s extensive surveillance network. It shows that microphones have been placed in over a thousand elementary and high schools, hospitals, public housing complexes, and significant government buildings, including
Altro, a leading credit-building and financial literacy platform, has raised $4 million in a strategic funding round, gaining support from figures such as Tinashe, Quavo, Marshawn Lynch, and Chris Paul. Altro Founded in 2019 by Michael Broughton and initially known as Perch, Altro has been instrumental in helping users enhance their credit scores. It ingeniously integrates everyday payments and subscriptions into its credit-building mechanism, including Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, and Starz. Beyond this, Altro extends educational resources to all its members, even those with a baseline free membership. These resources encompass Altro’s Convo, featuring short
Kiesha Garrison, a former Microsoft director, has launched ‘Hey, Black Seattle!’, a platform designed to bolster the African diaspora within the Seattle area. Where Are All The Black People? ‘Hey, Black Seattle!’ is Garrison’s answer to the often-heard lament, “Where are all the Black people?” “When people repeat the popular hyperbole “there are no Black people in Seattle,” they do so out of genuine frustration, but it is clear they are missing out on the important work of the deeply committed Black leaders here,” said Garrison. However, the city does have Black-led organizations, businesses,
Conducive Capital, a newly formed South African venture capital firm, has launched a $50 million fund for early- and growth-stage tech startups across Africa. Meet The Team The fund is headed by Clive Butkow and Mitchan Adams. Butkow is the founder and former CEO of Kalon Venture Partner and former COO of Accenture South Africa. Alongside Adams, the co-founder of Ozow and current CEO of Aions, the two have collectively invested over R300 million, with an internal rate of return of more than 30% over the past seven years. Their combined expertise is set to invigorate the African
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia sided with major tech giants in a case concerning the alleged use of child labor in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to Reuters, in a unanimous 3-0 decision, the court ruled that these companies, including Apple and Tesla, cannot be held liable for their involvement in cobalt sourcing. Cobalt sourcing is critical in producing lithium-ion batteries essential for numerous electronics and electric vehicles. The Lawsuit The lawsuit, brought forward by former child miners and
Tennis star Venus Williams has brought her design talents to Palazzo, a generative AI-based interior design platform bridging the gap between design and personalization. The service, co-founded by Williams, Raffi Holzer, and Edward Lando, allows users to reimagine their living spaces with the help of advanced technology. Palazzo Palazzo introduces a new approach to interior design, blending the ease of technology with design expertise. Users can upload photos of their rooms and, through a conversation with an AI chatbot, witness a convincing transformation of their space. Palazzo, currently in beta, holds vast
Regina Lawless is a former Instagram executive and the founder of Bossy and Blissful, a collective for Black female executives. Meet Regina Lawless Her journey to becoming the first director of diversity and inclusion at Instagram was marked by personal loss and professional insights. According to The Grio, after her husband’s sudden passing in 2021, Lawless found herself reflecting on the complexities of Black women’s success in corporate America. While she felt her role was supported, there needed to be a more comprehensive commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. Bossy And
The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), a pivotal hub for Black entrepreneurs in Atlanta, announced a $2 million grant from Truist Foundation and two Truist Trusteed Foundations. RICE positions itself as Atlanta’s home for Black entrepreneurs and an economic mobility engine for the community. Its stakeholders have created hundreds of jobs, generated over $100 million in revenue, and spurred $450 million in total economic activity. This financial endorsement by Truist comes at a critical time. It is set to accelerate RICE’s expansion efforts and elevate the stature of Atlanta-based Black entrepreneurs within and
Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and JP Morgan are among the Wall Street giants that have modified their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. As DEI faces scrutiny and right-wing backlash, with accusations of reverse discrimination, companies are cautiously navigating the landscape to avoid potential legal pitfalls. Changes To DEI Programs Goldman Sachs Group Inc. has changed its “Possibilities Summit” from exclusively being for Black college students to opening the program to white students. According to Bloomberg, lawyers have also advised senior executives to remove references to race and gender
Tesla Inc. is currently involved in a significant lawsuit involving nearly 6,000 Black employees from its California factory. The group, alleging rampant racism at Tesla’s Fremont plant, received tentative approval from Judge Noël Wise of Alameda County Superior Court to proceed with their class-action lawsuit. This development underscores a continuing struggle with racial discrimination allegations for the renowned electric vehicle manufacturer. A ‘hotbed’ of racism The lawsuit, initiated in 2017 by Tesla employee Marcus Vaughn, claims the factory’s production floor was a “hotbed of racist behavior,” with racial slurs routinely used by co-workers
