Sequoia Capital’s chief operating officer, Sumaiya Balbale, stepped down from her role after partner Shaun Maguire made comments she considered Islamophobic, the Financial Times reports. In July, Maguire posted comments on X about New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, stating he “comes from a culture that lies about everything. It’s literally a virtue to lie if it advances his Islamist agenda.” Maguire later said that his critique was targeted only at Islamism (the political ideology) rather than the whole Muslim population. Sumaiya Balbale leaves Sequoia Capital Balbale, who is a
Afua Kyei, Chief Financial Officer at the Bank of England, has been named as the most influential Black person in the UK. The annual list, conducted by Powerlist, highlights the most powerful people of African, African-Caribbean, and African-American heritage. As CFO, Kyei leads financial governance of the £1 trillion balance sheet, funding reforms, and upgrades to critical national infrastructure payments, while championing diversity and climate disclosure. “It is an incredible honour to be named Number One on the Powerlist in its 20th year,” she said in a press release. “For
Target announced it will cut 1,800 corporate jobs after trying to grow following four years of roughly stagnant sales and boycotts amid DEI backlash. In a memo sent to staff, Target’s incoming CEO, Michael Fiddelke, said the eliminated roles include about 1,000 employee layoffs and about 800 positions that will no longer be filled. “This spring, we launched our enterprise acceleration efforts with a clear ambition: to move faster and simplify how we work to drive Target’s next chapter of growth,” Fiddekele said in a company memo, shared by CNBC. “The
Cactus Jack Foundation, a non-profit founded by rapper Travis Scott, has launched a new initative for students with Space Center Houston. As reported by Complex, the program will allow Houston Independent School District students to engage in a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-enriched curriculum. Cactus Jack Foundation’s new initative The program will teach students the necessary skills to pursue careers in engineering, design, and exploration. Students will analyze real-world challenges such as water scarcity, space habitation, and power generation and discuss solutions through virtual and in-person workshops at Cact.Us Design
Social media star Tareasa “Reesa Teesa” Johsnon, who went viral after posting her Who TF Did I Marry? series on TikTok, has signed a book deal. Storehouse Voices, an imprint within the Crown Publishing Group, acquired the book, which is titled What (TF) Do I Do Now? Not Just a Memoir, It’s a Survival Guide. Johnson is represented by CAA, which negotiated the deal. Johnson’s rise to fame came after posting a video revealing shocking revelations about her ex-husband, Legion, who is dubbed for his deceitful nature. The series unfolds
New York City Mayor Eric Adams signed Executive Order 57, creating the New York City Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain — the first mayor-led office of its kind in the US. This move aims to make New York a global leader in digital assets like cryptocurrency and blockchain. Mayor Adams has also appointed Moises Rendon as the office’s executive director. His first task will be to create a commission of digital asset leaders to provide guidance and advice on the office’s initiatives. The Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain
Black-owned media company BOMESI has partnered with Black-owned marketing and tech platform Breakr to launch SASA. The new payment and financing platform is designed to give Black-owned publishers and creators access to real-time compensation and campaign liquidity. The rollout supports BOMESI’s mission to build sustainable financial systems for diverse-owned media and address one of the industry’s biggest challenges: slow payment cycles that can take up to 90 days. Tackling Delayed Payments with SASA BOMESI (short for Black Owned Media Equity and Sustainability Institute) is an ecosystem that drives sustainable growth for independent, community-based, and
Campus, a Black-owned community college startup, has acquired Sizzle AI, an AI learning platform founded by former Meta AI chief Jerome Pesenti, who will join as Chief Technology Officer. “Acquiring Sizzle accelerates our engineering roadmap by 2-3 years,” said Tade Oyerinde, founder and Chancellor of Campus, in a press release. “They’ve built the best AI team in education and their infrastructure is so far ahead of anyone else – it’s super exciting.” Rethinking the Community College Model In American higher education, community colleges serve as gateways for students aiming to
Every year, on the second Monday in October, the US commemorates Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor and celebrate Indigenous communities’ rich cultures, traditions, and contributions. Here, we shine a spotlight on some remarkable Indigenous leaders, past and present, who are pushing the boundaries of tech and inspiring the next generation. 1. Mary Golda Ross Mary Golda Ross was part of the Cherokee tribe and a great-granddaughter of Cherokee Chief John Ross. Her work as an engineer led her to be the first indigenous person in the US space program. She
Dr. Bernice A. King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has raised concerns over the use of AI to recreate deceased public figures. Users have been generating AI videos of celebrities through OpenAI’s Sora app. The app, which launched in September, Sora 2 allows users to create videos from simple text prompts. The app was downloaded over a million times within five days of its release, according to the BBC. However, the app is now facing backlash from the families of deceased celebrities, including Dr. Bernice A. King herself. Blacklash over
