Target has introduced ÜNOS by Sz, a new line of sneakers that expands to fit growing feet. The expandable sneakers are the brainchild of Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, a footwear designer and president of Pensole Lewis College, a design-focused HBCU in Detroit. Edwards has over 30 years of experience designing for top brands like Nike, L.A. Gear, and icons like Tupac and Michael Jordan, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, and Nas. A Unique Approach to Affordable Footwear ÜNOS by Sz, which stands for “U Need One Size,” offers more than 15 styles
Greenwood Rising: The Rise of Black Wall Street premiered on October 11, 2024, sharing the story of O. W. Gurley, one of the founders of Tulsa, Oklahoma’s famed Black Wall Street. Featuring Family Matters star Darius McCrary and Fatima Marie as O. W. Gurley and Emma Gurley, this historical drama’s distinctive soundtrack blends jazz with modern beats, bringing a fresh energy to this powerful story. From Tech to Storytelling Co-produced and directed by Aaron L. Williams, Greenwood Rising is first original film by ad-supported video-on-demand platform Fawesome. Williams began his
The Hollywood Reporter’s “Creator A-List: The 50 Most Influential Influencers” highlights digital stars reshaping entertainment through innovation and influence. Black creators on the list are leading the way, proving their value through cultural impact and trendsetting content. Here’s a look at the Black influencers making their mark on this year’s list. Kai Cenat (@kaicenat) At just 22, Kai Cenat is a force to be reckoned with on Twitch, where his comedic content and live streams have garnered a massive following. Notable for featuring rappers like Lil Baby, 21 Savage, and
A significant portion of the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation Collection, the largest archive of the Black Panther Party, is set to be digitized and made globally accessible. The pilot project, backed by a $150,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, will be carried out by Stanford University Libraries. The digitized collection will be available online via SearchWorks, Stanford’s library catalog, and in person at the Black Panther Party Museum in downtown Oakland, California. Preserving History Through Digitization The Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation Collection, housed at Stanford since 1996, includes
Every UK Black History Month, we shine a light on Black British-owned businesses making a difference. This year’s standout is Frobelles, a UK-based dress-up game championing the beauty of afro hair. Created by mother-daughter duo Yvonne Ottley and 12-year-old Alyssa Ottley, Frobelles has over 100,000 users and recently made its debut in the US. The Birth of Frobelles The idea for Frobelles was sparked by a simple question from Alyssa, who was just six years old at the time: “Why don’t any of my game characters have Afro hair like mine?” This question
In this week’s Techish, Abadesi and Michael dive into Adam Neumann’s latest project, Flow, after WeWork’s dramatic failure, HBO’s ‘Industry’ and its wild look at investment banking, and the outdated idea that men are better coders than women. Also expect reflections on friendship dynamics, new AI tools like Notebook LM, Black Tech Fest highlights, and more. Adam Neumann stays failing upwards (00:00) HBO’s Industry and the wild world of investment banking (05:05) Do men code better? (11:23) Drake is lonely: Navigating friendship dynamics in the industry (16:04) Black Tech Fest
Registered non-profit organization Darkies in Tech has launched a new website designed to drive inclusion by providing a centralized platform for professionals of color within the South African tech industry. Founded by Ntsako Mgiba in February 2021, Darkies in Tech has become the largest vetted community of its kind in South Africa, with over 450 members, including founders, investors, and ecosystem builders. The community has consistently hosted educational and social events aimed at creating a more inclusive environment for Black professionals in tech. Addressing Exclusion in South Africa’s Tech Scene
Former Spice Girl Mel B is backing a new campaign for Unicode to introduce emojis with Black hairstyles. There are over 3,790 emojis available today. However, none feature popular hairstyles Black people wear, like afros, braids, cornrows, or locs. The Campaign for 4 New Emojis The campaign, launched by youth-led nonprofit RISE 365 and Good Relations PR, calls on Unicode to introduce four new emojis that reflect Black hairstyles. Unicode is the organization that decides which emojis are distributed worldwide. RISE 365 tasked its young members with creating the designs.
Brazil’s Supreme Court has lifted its ban on X—formerly known as Twitter—after its owner, Elon Musk, complied with key legal demands. The decision ends a lengthy standoff between Musk and Brazilian authorities. X Returns for Millions of Brazilian Users Brazil is one of X’s largest markets, with an estimated 22 million users. The platform had been suspended in Brazil since August 30 for not blocking accounts that spread false information and failing to appoint a legal representative in Brazil, which is required by law for foreign companies. According to a
Dr. Joyce F. Brown, the first woman and African American president of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), will step down at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year. Brown has led FIT, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system, through 26 years of transformation since her appointment in 1998. Marrying Design and Technology FIT started as a place where European immigrants could learn and refine skills like embroidery, sewing, and tailoring. However, today, FIT is not just about fashion but about “marrying design and technology and
