The RK Mellon Foundation has made a project-related investment into a Black father-son-led company that aims to increase diversity in STEAM fields so disadvantaged populations are included in the future of work. Damola and Wole Idowu, both engineers, founded Toyz Electronics at Carnegie Mellon University’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Using its Social-Impact Investment Program, the Richard King Mellon Foundation invests in for-profit companies looking to accomplish a public good that aligns with its Strategic Plan. These investments are known as Program-Related Investments. The Convertible note investment leads a $500,000 seed round for Toyz Electronics and provides
According to a poll carried out by CoderPad, a candidate assessment platform, a majority of tech recruiters believe there is bias in the job hiring process. The research, which included participants from 131 countries, had 4,000 tech workers respond and almost 4,000 recruiters, half of whom were based in Europe. Almost 65 percent of them said bias was an issue in tech recruitment. Lack of diversity in tech is an issue that has been around for decades – that we know. Back in 2014, big tech companies acknowledged the gap and made
There are many ways to celebrate Black History Month, and while it’s important to look back at our history from Martin Luther King to those that paved the way in regards to racial justice – it’s equally important to celebrate Black joy and Black excellence in other areas too. One area where the community is really making moves in tech. It’s no secret that diversity is a challenge in the tech world, with the industry lagging behind the rest of the economy on almost every diversity metric, but it’s important
Major tech companies such as Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft are among the West Coast names that have opened offices in Atlanta, hoping to capitalize on the technology talent in the city, especially Black talent, according to a report by TheGrio. Over the past five years, Atlanta has seen 15% growth in tech jobs, comparable with other notable tech cities — 16% for the San Francisco Bay Area and 10% for Austin, Texas, this is based on data collated by the CBRE. There are also a wide range of tech incubators,
Law enforcement officials have said that six children are suspected of orchestrating a nationwide campaign of bomb threats against historically Black colleges. More than a dozen universities and places of worship have been targeted by hoax calls, which reportedly spiked on the first day of Black History Month on Tuesday, according to widespread media reports. According to law enforcement, the minors appear to be using sophisticated methods to disguise the source of the threats, which seem to have a racist motivation. “A bomb threat against the university is being investigated,”
Black and LGBTQ+ travelers are leading the charge to build inclusive technologies that help their communities travel safely. One such digital program is the Green Book Project, which offers city guides from the perspective of Black travelers. It’s an app from software engineer Christian Lowe created that allows travelers to determine how inclusive a business is through a unique search system based on how users identify themselves, indicated by a hashtag they place on their reviews. For example, a queer vegan traveler could filter a restaurant’s reviews for insight into how
Virtual cycling platform Zwift has revealed its plans for the second year of its Black Celebration Series with its approach this year being three-pronged. It will focus on Internal education programs, social impact initiatives and celebratory rides all throughout 2022. Last year Zwift first introduced its 12-month series of events that’s intended to celebrate the achievements of Black athletes with group rides led by featured athletes. At the launch Zwift said: “We are creating an inclusive environment that empowers and uplifts the community as a whole.” Zwift is running a
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons has granted a request from the police chief of a North Carolina city to release body camera video recorded in the aftermath of the shooting death of a Black man by an off-duty sheriff’s deputy. On Tuesday Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins filed the petition with the courts asking that the footage be released as she says it will show exchanges between Fayetteville police officers and three witnesses at the scene of the shooting. The decision comes after Walker, 37, was shot and killed earlier this
Project Entrepreneur, a UBS program designed to level the playing field for female founders, and Hello Alice, a multi-channel platform that helps businesses launch and grow, announced the winners of its Democratizing the Friends & Family Round program, which attracted 12,000 applications.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka was knocked out of the Australian Open in the third round Friday, losing in three sets to unseeded American Amanda Anisimova. Naomi, who returned to major tennis at the Australian Open after a short break in 2021 to address her mental health, competed against 20-year-old Anisimova. But immediately after the match, Osaka told reporters that her first step when she got back to the dressing room and checked her phone would be to get rid of several social media apps. Asked about her feelings towards her losses
