In a recent viral TikTok video, user Monte Washington challenged the narrow stereotype of “Black jobs” by showcasing the diverse and successful careers of Black professionals. This video emerged as a response to controversial comments made by former President Trump during a presidential debate, where he claimed immigrants were taking jobs from Black and Hispanic people. “They’re taking Black jobs now, and it could be 18, it could be 19 and even 20 million people,” Trump said during his debate. This statement, perceived by many as racially charged, spurred a
Dwight Jackson, a 27-year-old Black man, has filed a lawsuit against the Shinola Hotel in Detroit, Michigan, after he found changing his name on a resume led to a job interview. According to Detroit News, the lawsuit alleges that Jackson was initially denied a job interview due to his real name but was subsequently offered an interview after changing his name on his resume to “John Jebrowski.” This act led Jackson to take legal action, claiming that the hotel’s hiring practices violated the Michigan Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act. “John
Operation HOPE and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have launched an AI Ethics Council to help ensure marginalized poplations and people of color are included in the AI developments. The announcement comes amid criticisms of OpenAI, Meta, and other major players in the AI space lacking diversity on their boards and decision-making bodies. A Historic Partnership According to a press release, OpenAI’s partnership with Operation HOPE, a leading nonprofit dedcated to financial literacy for underserved communities, began with a listening tour at Clark Atlanta University in spring 2024. During this tour,
Earlybird AI, a B2B startup that assists job seekers using innovative multilingual, voice-first AI technology, has raised £625,000 ($800,000) in pre-seed funding. The investment comes from diverse backers, including Google, Resolution Ventures, and Ada Ventures. Tackling Unemployment With AI Earlybird AI addresses a pressing issue: nearly 11 million people in the UK are unemployed, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% between February and April 2024. Founded by Claudine Adeyemi-Adams and Boris Bambo, the platform improves employment support by directly engaging participants through simulated voice-powered connections. Adeyemi-Adams, who experienced homelessness
The world’s first artificial intelligence beauty pageant from has crowned its inaugural winner, Kenza Layli from Morocco. The competition, organized by the World AI Creator Awards, showcased AI-generated models vying for the title of Miss AI. Layli, an AI-generated activist and influencer, won from a pool of over 1,500 contestants, winning a prize package worth over $13,000. AI Influencer Kenza Layli Layli, known for engaging content and activism, has over 193,000 Instagram followers. Her digital persona is dedicated to empowering women in Morocco and the Middle East. Her creator, Meriam
DeCarlos Love has been named CEO of Thrive AI Health, a new AI health startup funded by OpenAI Startup Fund and Thrive Global. Writing for TIME, Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, and Arianna Huffington, the founder of Huffington Post and Thrive Global, explained that Thrive AI Health will offer a hyper-personalized AI health coach. Thrive AI Health Thrive AI Health aims to build AI-powered assistant tech to democratize access to expert-level health coaching to improve health outcomes. The startup will use generative AI to hyper-personalize and scale behavior change
Girls in Tech Inc., a global nonprofit focused on advancing women in technology, has closed due to insufficient funding. Founded in 2007 by Adriana Gascoigne, the organization aimed to bridge the gender gap in the tech industry, providing resources and opportunities for women and allies worldwide. Despite its significant presence, with 130,000 members in 50 cities and 38 countries, the organization has struggled financially over the past few years. Relocation and Financial Struggles In 2022, Girls in Tech moved its headquarters from San Francisco to Nashville, a strategic shift intended
FanDuel is hiring on POCIT Meet Akilah Hugine-Elmore, a sports enthusiast who found her dream job by merging her love for sports with her expertise in UX research. A former basketball and softball player and avid sports watcher, Akilah is now the UX Research Director at FanDuel, America’s #1 Sportsbook. In this interview, she tells POCIT how she turned her passions into a fulfilling career. Introduce yourself and what you do at FanDuel. My name is Akilah. I’ve worked at FanDuel since August 2021 and am on the UX research team.
The Biden-Harris administration and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) have granted $51 million to the Tulsa Hub for Equitable and Trustworthy Autonomy (THETA). Led by Tulsa Innovation Labs, the initiative aims to enhance the region’s capabilities in autonomous systems through advanced manufacturing and technology deployment. Tulsa’s Legacy of Innovation Tulsa is one of 12 regions awarded funding from the 31 designated “Tech Hubs” last fall. This federal investment leverages Tulsa’s strong history in aerospace and manufacturing to push U.S. leadership inequitable and trustworthy autonomous systems. The city’s focus areas
Television producer and writer Shonda Rhimes has become the newest part owner of the Los Angeles Golf Club (LAGC). The club is the inaugural team in the tech-driven TGL league, co-founded by golf legend Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. “I’m beyond excited to announce my involvement as the newest owner of Los Angeles Golf Club, the inaugural team in the @tglgolf league. I can’t wait to bring my passion for golf to this incredible venture,” Rhimes shared on Instagram. “Joining this team is an honor and, as someone who believes
