Bitcoin teller machines (BTMs) in the U.S. are disproportionately installed in areas with large Black and Latine populations, a Bloomberg analysis has revealed. BTMs in Black and Latine areas The number of BTMs, which allow people to convert cash into Bitcoin, has risen drastically over the last four years, now totalling around 31,100 units nationwide. These machines, commonly found in gas stations and convenience stores, saw a surge during the pandemic as interest in digital currencies grew. However, a Bloomberg analysis has revealed that the machines are disproportionately installed in
Intuit is hiring on POCIT. Petagae Butcher is a versatile force in the tech world, currently working as a Staff Technical Program Manager at Intuit. Her introduction to technology started with a love of Super Nintendo in the 90s. She later graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Management Information Systems, initially majoring in Computer Programming, finding her niche bridging the technology and business worlds. Over her 18-year career, she’s garnered a wealth of experience, from software consulting to her current role at Intuit. Born on
Two conservative operatives have been ordered to pay up to $1.25 million in restitution for their roles in targeting Black voters with robocalls during the 2020 election. What Happened? The case, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluded with Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman admitting to a scheme designed to prevent Black voters from using mail-in voting. The duo operated under a sham organization called Project 1599 and spread calls claiming that mail-in voting would lead to various enforcement agencies using personal data against voters. The robocalls propagated alarming falsehoods, suggesting that
At 14 years old, Naya Ellis of New Orleans has turned her passion for science into a potentially life-saving invention: a stroke-detecting watch called WingItt. Inspired by her personal family experiences and participation in STEM NOLA, Ellis’ invention has earned her the title of champion in the National STEM Challenge. Developing WingItt: A Life-Saving Technology Ellis’s journey began in the STEM NOLA program, which provides an eight-month-long science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fellowship to high-potential, low-income high school students of color. Initially interested in developing a seizure-detecting device, she shifted her
More than 200 groups, including civil organizations, researchers, and journalists, have written to major tech company CEOs, urging them to take action to ensure truthful online content and safeguard democratic processes. The letter that went out to the CEOs of Discord, Google, Instagram, Meta, TikTok, X, YouTube, Pinterest, Reddit, Snap, Rumble, and Twitch, coincides with upcoming elections in over 60 countries in 2024. The Impact Of Online Discourse On Democracy “Research illustrates that individual users can have an outsized impact on online discourse, which results in real-world harms, such as the rise of extremism and violent attempts to overthrow democratic
Richualist founder Dawn Myers has secured investment from business figures Mark Cuban and Emma Grede on Shark Tank for her hair tool for textured hair. The washday styling tool Myers’ product, The Mint, is designed to detangle, condition, and style curly to coily hair types (classified as 3A to 4C). The hair tool includes six attachments and is designed to simplify and enhance styling. The technology used heats liquid hair products to optimize their effectiveness, addressing the often complicated and time-consuming nature of managing highly textured hair. “You simply load your pod; think
Last week, Grammy-nominated artist Bryson Tiller released his self-titled fourth studio album, his first LP in four years. However, fans may have to wait even longer for his next release as the 31-year-old plans to take a hiatus from music to focus on video game design. From music to game design In an interview with Complex, Tiller shared he would be taking hiatus from music to focus on his passion for video game design. “I would love for this [album] to be the last one for a while,” Tiller shared.
Ed Dwight, the first Black astronaut candidate President John F. Kennedy selected in 1961, is finally set to journey to space at age 90. Meet Ed Dwight Born in 1933 in Kansas City, Kansas, Dwight’s early career began with his service as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. His selection for the elite Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) in 1961 allowed him to break racial barriers in space exploration. Despite completing the program, Dwight was not selected for NASA’s Astronaut Corps. However, this did not deter him as he transitioned
The type of advice AI chatbots give people varies based on whether they have Black-sounding names, researchers at Stanford Law School have found. The researchers discovered that chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google AI’s PaLM-2 showed biases based on race and gender when giving advice in a range of scenarios. Chatbots: Biased Advisors? The study “What’s in a Name?” revealed that AI chatbots give less favorable advice to people with names that are typically associated with Black people or women compared to their counterparts. This bias spans across various scenarios such as job
Serena Williams, a legendary tennis champion, is making her mark in the tech investment world with her venture capital fund, Serena Ventures. Serena Ventures Following her retirement in September 2022, Williams has focused on the investment sector. With over 14 years of investment experience, she established Serena Ventures in 2014, a venture capital fund to empower women and underrepresented founders. This strategic move was born from Williams’ observation of the glaring lack of venture capital flowing toward specific demographics. As highlighted on its website, her venture proudly supports a diverse array of
