How often do the words Disney World and Black tech appear in the same sentence? In celebration of its fourth annual conference, Blacks In Technology, LLC and the Blacks In Technology Foundation are inviting the Black tech community to Disney World. BITCon2022 (not to be confused with bitcoin) will see Black tech enthusiasts channel their inner kid while taking home useful gems and new connections. A Tech Conference for the Culture Industry giants like Google, Disney, and Spotify are sponsoring the three-day conference which will take place from October 26-28th. The convention
Kansas City recently mourned the death of Edward Chow, who died at the age of 83 due to lung cancer. For many, the Black army veteran turned tech entrepreneur is a pioneer; one of a few Black men working in the computer tech industry at his time. Who Is Edward Chow? Edward grew up in Greenville, Mississippi, during the 1930s. Born to a Black mother and Chinese father, Edward and his siblings were no strangers to racial discrimination After serving in the military as a machine account supervisor, where he
The Congressional Black Caucus Institute (CBCI) is launching a new AI tech platform that matches public policy corporations with CBCI-vetted job seekers. Founded in 2000, the CBCI is a nonprofit social welfare organization that aims to educate and empower the African American community around issues that impact it the most. The CBCI’s latest initiative, the Career Placement Initiative (CPI), aims to diversify hiring in the public policy space. The Career Placement Initiative So how does it work? Employers bulk upload communications, legal, public policy, and government relations job openings to the platform. The
The Lip Bar Inc., the holding company for the beauty brands The Lip Bar and Thread Beauty, has closed a new funding round. The $6.7 million round, led by Pendulum, will focus on expanding The Lip Bar and Thread Beauty’s distribution as well as incubating a third beauty brand. Endeavor and The Fearless Fund also contributed to the fund. Melissa Butler, the business’ founder and Chief Executive Officer, said the round came after years of consistent growth unencumbered by the pandemic. “Our lip sales were crazy during the pandemic—we sold
The world’s largest interviewing company, Karat, has announced that five of the world’s leading corporations have joined the Brilliant Black Minds program, which aims to double the number of Black software engineers in the US. Partners of Brilliance Organizations such as Prime Video, Citi, Duolingo, Indeed, and Flatiron Health have joined the movement to commit further to developing Black engineers. In addition to hiring Brilliant Black Minds program participants, these ‘Partners of Brilliance’ have committed to supporting aspiring software engineers from underrepresented backgrounds with workshops and learning opportunities. Brilliant Black Minds Program
National non-profit organization Black Economic Alliance Foundation has partnered with Deloitte to promote financial inclusion. What is financial inclusion? Financial inclusion allows people of color access to financial services and systems that will better enhance their economic status. Financial inclusion is the bridge between economic opportunities and the racial wealth gap. The more access underrepresented families have to financial services, the easier it will be to help close the racial wealth gap. Deloitte’s partnership with the Black Economic Alliance Foundation Deloitte has committed $10 million over the next five years
Soft drink company, Mountain Dew (MTN Dew), has expanded its commitment to Black entrepreneurship by creating a new Esports tournament that will see students compete for a $500,000 prize. Following MTN Dew’s ‘Real Change Opportunity Fund’ initiative in 2020, the soft drink company has joined forces with HBCU Esports League to reinforce their commitment to supporting the next generation of Black entrepreneurs. The tournament, launched last month, will run until October 28 and will be available for any gamers enrolled at an HBCU to register and join. Black representation in gaming The
Two Black business trading groups have teamed up to unveil a new tool to help measure corporations’ support for Black-owned businesses. The National Business League and the National Black Chamber of Commerce, founded in the 1900s, have launched the Black Business Equity and Inclusion Score Card to hold both public and private sectors to account. The score cards aim to hold companies accountable for any past pledges to support Black businesses and underrepresented founders. Black Lives Matter Promises Since the killing of George Floyd in 2020, all eyes have been on the
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Spotify has a white supremacist problem. The music-streaming platform has become an attraction point for racist and discriminatory podcasts that have garnered widespread popularity over recent months. The ADL is a Jewish nonprofit group focusing on civil rights law. In a recent investigation, they found that approximately 40 white supremacist artists are currently on the platform. As a result, the ADL is calling for Spotify to stop the hate speech and harmful content currently circulating on its app. The organization believes they are yet to
IBM has announced the launch of Cybersecurity Leadership Centers across six HBCUs. The move aims to give students and faculty access to IBM training, software, and certifications at no extra cost. Underrepresented students and professors can receive help with coursework, lectures, immersive training experiences, and knowledgeable skills they can always take with them as they grow. According to IBM, the program will be available at 20 HBCUs across 11 states to help co-create Cybersecurity Leadership Centers and create talent opportunities for employers and students combined. “Collaborations between academia and the private
