Black-owned VC firm Cornerstone V.C, which boasts a diversity-led investment thesis, has hired its first female partner Ella Wales Bonner. Bonner will spearhead the development of Cornerstone’s in-house coaching practice to support the leadership potential of its portfolio companies. Who Are Cornerstone V.C.? Born out of a Black-led angel group, Cornerstone Partners, Cornerstone V.C. firm was founded by Rodney Appiah, Edwin Appiah, and Wilfred Fianko. The early-stage venture capital firm invests in innovative B2B technology solutions in the U.K., launching its first £20 million ($23.9 million) fund last year. Cornerstone V.C. invests in many more
We all know the importance of connecting with like-minded folks, and conferences are a key way to do just that with professionals in your industry. In particular, conferences for people of color in tech provide a safe space for professionals to network, grow in their careers, and learn from industry leaders and executives who understand their unique challenges and opportunities. It also allows Black and Latine professionals to build their professional brand and increase visibility within their chosen industry. Getting past the cost barrier People often cite cost as one
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against colleges and universities considering race in their admissions process, leaving the tech industry with mixed opinions on the outcome. How did we get here? Affirmative action was introduced in the 1960s to ensure equal employment opportunities for women and minorities. For the last four decades, the Court held that institutions and colleges could consider race, among other factors, as part of a holistic review in their recruitment and admissions process. Other considerations include academic achievement, athletic ability, and legacy status. However, recent lawsuits,
This article was originally published by Lauren Jong on Medium. In 2017, I left my job as a UX designer at Google to work for local government. A lot of people questioned my decision. Google is a dream job for many — the quintessential fun, well-paid workplace for super smart people. And aside from that, people were in disbelief that local government even employs product designers. At the time, I didn’t feel confident sharing my reasons. After all, they were just my personal assumptions and hopes. Now that I’ve spent
21-year-old Yemi Agesin is one of the few students from across the globe who was awarded Apple’s most prestigious award – the 2023 Swift Student Challenge. His baseball game explores the intricate and high-level strategies that go into a batter v. pitcher matchup, incorporating SpriteKit and SwiftUI following his lifelong passion for baseball. His Journey to the Game As a computer science student at Kennesaw State University, he had been coding for many years, beginning in middle school. “During our lunch break in middle school, a few others invited me to come with
Wage bias has long affected marginalized groups, including women and people of color. Recent data from Hired shows a widening wage gap, except for white and Asian women, with Black women earning the least of any demographic group. Salary transparency laws and practices aim to close the race and gender pay gap by removing biases. But can they really undo centuries of inequity? Salary expectations and negotiations As well as systemic issues of discrimination and prejudice, the expectation gap contributes to the wage gap. The expectation gap is the difference in salary
This article was first published by Ceora Ford on CodeSandbox. Tech is always changing and new languages and frameworks are always emerging. Here are 4 tips for staying sharp and keeping up with industry changes. It’s no secret that the tech industry is always changing. New frameworks are always emerging and new features are constantly being added to the languages and frameworks that already exist. This can be exciting but sometimes it can be hard to keep up. Some people work in environments that don’t welcome change. Not everyone’s team
Latinx people make up one-fifth (20%) of the US workforce but account for 8% of people working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), according to Pew Research. Data from Built In also revealed that between 2007 and 2020, Latina and Hispanic women made up only 2% of computing-related jobs. Given the underrepresentation of Latinx professionals in tech, here is a roundup of some of the organizations and communities ensuring they have the tools and support needed to thrive in the industry. Supporting Latinx Professionals SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional
Black Women Empowered, a global platform aimed to inspire women of color, has launched the Black Women Empowered Business Network. The platform will unite leading business and inspiring leaders to share their roadmap to success. Black women are the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs, according to a Harvard Business Review report that found that 17% of Black women are in the process of starting or are running new businesses, compared to 10% of white women and 15% of white men. Additionally, while Black women represent 14% of the female population,
The Fifteen Percent Pledge was launched three years ago by creative director, activist and fashion designer Aurora James to urge major retailers and corporations to commit 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. Since then, more than 625 Black-owned businesses have developed business relationships with 29 companies across three countries that have taken the pledge such as Ulta, Sephora, Vogue, Macy’s and Old Navy. According to Forbes, the Pledge’s work with its partners has created the potential to shift $14 billion to Black entrepreneurs and businesses. Now, to mark
