The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has announced its 2024 convention will be held in Atlanta, Georgia, next year rather than in Orlando, Florida, where it was originally to be held. Under the rule of Gov Ron DeSantis, the state has seen several attacks on diversity and inclusion, leaving convention participants concerned about the state’s political climate and safety. What is the NSBE? The NSBE is one of the largest student-governed organizations in the United States and was formed in 1975, growing from six founding members to over 30,000
African Americans’ unemployment rate has jumped for a second consecutive month, with 267,000 more unemployed Black Americans since April, reports Bloomberg. This equates to about 90% of the 300,000 increase in overall joblessness during that period. Although the overall employment rate decreased this month to 3.6%, Black unemployment rose for the second straight month in June at 6%, almost double that of white workers. The economy and Black unemployment Historically, research on racial patterns of the labor market status shows that Black workers are often among the first to be fired as the
Amanda Rajkumar, Adidas’ global head of human resources, is the latest HR lead to depart from her role following the pattern of women leaving DEI roles at major companies. Rajkumar, a British national with parents from the Caribbean, joined Adidas in 2021 to stem an internal uproar over the company’s handling of racism, diversity, and inclusion. However, the company announced last week the departure of their sole remaining female executive board member. Her predecessor Karen Parkin also resigned from the company in 2020 after she described internal discussions of racism as “noise.” Although
Essence Festival of Culture is suing Spotify for using its branding without permission, according to The Guardian. The festival’s lawyers say they are taking a stand against the “intentional exploitation of Black culture.”. Essence Festival of Culture Essence Festival of Culture is held over the Fourth of July weekend in New Orleans with music performances, inspirational speakers, and proactive conversations about gender, race, culture, and art. It was started in 1994 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence – a magazine aimed at African American women. Since
“AI… Meets… AI: An Exciting Tale of Connection and Adventure” is the #1 New Release in Children’s Computer Hardware and Robotics Books on Amazon following its publication last month. The enchanting children’s book features Addy, a curious and imaginative young Black girl, and Jaz, a learning AI, exploring the bustling city of Baltimore together. Author Amber Ivey, also known as “AI,” told POCIT that she created these characters to pave the way for a future where technology education is inclusive and every child feels empowered to shape the digital world,
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
James DuBose, former General Manager of Fox Soul, is launching In The Black Network, an Advertising-Based Video on Demand (AVOD) platform dedicated to celebrating and amplifying Black culture. The platform will launch on October 2 of this year. “I love everything about our culture: our faith, our resilience, our rhythm, our minds, our love. These pillars are the focus of our curated content which honors and elevates black culture and cultivates pride within our community,” James DuBose told Deadline. In The Black Network The platform will be a streaming service highlighting Black voices
Founder and CEO of market investment firm Vista Equity Partners Robert Smith has announced plans to sell Apptio – a company that helps connect technology investments to business outcomes – to IBM for $4.6 billion. Having bought the software maker for $1.9 billion in 2019, the firm has now doubled its initial investment with a return of 142% on the initial payment to acquire the company. In a separate statement, IBM revealed that it would use cash on hand to fund the deal, which should be complete in the second half of 2023.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) went into effect this week and should help Black pregnant or postpartum workers get the accommodations they need to stay healthy and working. What is PWFA? PWFA explicitly gives pregnant and postpartum workers the right to temporary accommodations at work to keep them in their jobs during and after pregnancy. After being in the works for over ten years, the law has finally been passed, allowing millions of pregnant women to ask for what they need to help them in their position. A Bipartisan Policy Center poll last
Left Fielder Media is the Black-owned media tech studio producing innovative & immersive stories at the intersection of film, blockchain, gaming, fashion, and future tech. We spoke with the creators behind the visionary company that recently signed a deal with Neon, the web3 game studio producing the highly anticipated shooter game Shrapnel. From childhood friends to co-founders Atlanta-based creators Dom Cole and Stephen Philms formed the media tech startup in 2020 to change how Black people view gaming and space for years to come. “Me and Stephen have known each other for a long time.
