Black digital media brand Black Enterprise has released its 40 under 40 2023 honorees. The list showcases Black visionaries and changemakers making their mark in their respective industries, including technology and STEM, business, media, finance, and many others. “Black Enterprise’s 40 Under 40 list is not just a celebration of individual success but a testament to the boundless potential within our community,” said Early Graves Jr., CEO of Black Enterprise. “This announcement serves a powerful reminder that Black excellence knows no bounds and that, collectively, we are charting an extraordinary
Dove has launched the world’s first and complete guide for coding natural hair in video games with Code My Crown. The guide was created by Black artists in partnership with the Open Source Afro Hair Library. Black Hair In Video Games Despite all the technological advancements in video games, depicting natural hair and protective styles is still limited, highly stereotypical, and not representative. According to Dove, 85% of Black gamers believe video games poorly represent textured hair. Data also shows that 91% of Black gamers are eager to see themselves
Tech Spark AI has raised $1.4 million to create a new generative AI platform, Spark Plug, which aims to create a more inclusive, personalized educational experience for students. The pre-seed funding round was led by TD Bank, with participation from Salesforce, Canada’s government, and NBA Canada. An educational ChatGPT alternative Tamar Huggins and her 13-year-old daughter Talia Grant founded the AI company eight years ago to improve the education experience of Black and brown students across North America. Tech Spark is Canada’s first tech and design school committed to empowering
Black Girls Code (BGC) has launched the Build a Beat Challenge with Ciara contest to inspire young coders nationwide. Founded in 2011, Black Girls Code is a nonprofit organization that engages African American girls and other youth of color with computer programming education. The organization offers computer programming, coding, website, robot, and mobile application building for girls and women of color ages 7 to 25. They also partner with schools, local organizations, and dedicated volunteers to get participants the resources they need to thrive. Build a Beat Challenge with Ciara
Apple has agreed to pay $25 million to resolve allegations of illegal discrimination in its hiring and recruitment processes. The Department of Justice (DOJ) accused Apple of violating anti-discrimination laws, specifically related to its permanent labor certification program (PERM), which enables companies to hire foreign workers permanently in the US. The allegations The DOJ investigation found that Apple favored current employees holding temporary visas who sought permanent positions, creating barriers for other applicants. “Apple did not advertise positions Apple sought to fill through the PERM program on its external job
Relevance Ventures and Skoden Ventures have announced the launch of the Native American Capital and Investment Alliance (NAICA) to bridge the gap between Native American founders and capital providers. Relevance Ventures is one of the only privately owned and operated Native American venture capital firms in the US. They provide strategic venture assistance and guidance to entrepreneurs who foster balance and harmony while delivering a positive societal impact. Skoden Ventures is a boutique venture fund investing in early-stage startups with Indigenous, Black, Brown, and women founders. Native American Founders For
Engineer turned consultant Mohamed Kande is set to become PwC’s next global chair and the first Black person to lead the Big Four firm. Meet Mohamed Kande Two years ago, Kande took to LinkedIn to detail his unique life story that spanned several countries and three continents. Kande grew up in the Ivory Coast with his half-Lebanese mother in a Catholic and Muslim family before moving to France at 16. He stated that France was not always an inclusive place in the 1980s, as he had encounters with far-right extremists
Taiwanese American model Sheeren Wu has alleged that a fashion designer uploaded an AI-altered image of her to make her appear white. What Happened? Wu took to TikTok to explain the incident as Michael Costello, a designer who has worked with Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Celine Dion, posted a photo of her to his Instagram. The image was from a recent LA fashion show, where she states she walked for Costello. However, Wu explained that although it was the black ballgown she walked the runway in, her face had been
Issac Hayes III’s social media platform Fanbase has announced its current equity crowdfunding round has crossed $4.50M. Fanbase Platform Fanbase, launched by Hayes, is a social media platform designed to enable Black creators to cultivate their audiences and monetize their contributions effectively. According to a 2021 study by The Influencer League involving US-based creators, the pay gap between white influencers and influencers of color is 29%. When narrowed further between white and Black influencers, the margin rises to 35%. Fanbase differentiates from other platforms that need brand partnerships or ad
Aphonzo Terrell, who was laid off from Twitter last year, confirmed that his app Spill, which gained popularity within the Black community, has recently raised a $2M extension round and had celebrity investments. The Spill App Terrell and DeVaris Brown – CEO and CTO of Spill – are both former Twitter – now known as X – employees. The two met on their first day working at Twitter after noticing they were the only Black guys on their team. However, when Elon Musk bought Twitter, Terrell was laid off from
