The NAACP recently filed a request for a preliminary injunction to stop air pollution from Elon Musk’s company, xAI, and its parent company, MZX Tech. The lawsuit states that xAI is operating dozens of natural gas turbines at its Mississippi data centre without proper air permits, violating the Clean Air Act, and posing a risk to local communities’ health. But, how dangerous are these pollutants to local communities, and what are their long-term health risks? POCIT spoke with Glory Dolphin Hammes, the CEO of IQAir North America, who has years of experience
A Black fintech home-improvement financing platform has announced a new $150 million home-improvement loan portfolio. TGUC Financial, Inc. aims to fix the broken home improvement market by providing loans to homeowners, contractors, and lenders. The platform uses AI on both the business and customer service sides, with human agents. It also matches homeowners with vetted contractors through SmartMatch. The $150 million home-improvement loan portfolio The new initiative will help underprivileged communities upgrade their homes. The capital base of a credit union and a Community Development Financial Institution collaboration seeks to provide capital
Black-owned Redemption Bank is introducing a debit card supporting single mothers living in government-subsidised housing. The Bank King card, which launched on Juneteenth, will donate from every available account to nonprofits that support underprivileged families, according to ABC News. “Bank King Card represents a new regenerative banking model that starts with investing in mothers who are a few hopeful dollars away from breaking out of poverty, and opening up America’s vaults of opportunity that have been closed to too many for too long,” Redemption Holding Co. chair and Chief Executive
Amira Rasool, founder and CEO of The Folklore, has just launched a new index that highlights the first 200 Black women founders to raise $1 million in venture capital funding. Alongside the index is The First 200 Podcast, featuring interviews with founders about their experiences as entrepreneurs. “As the Founder & Host, I will sit down with founders from the Index to explore what it really takes to raise capital, build venture-backed companies, navigate setbacks, and create lasting impact,” Rasool said in a LinkedIn post. Rasool raised $6.2 Million for her
A California judge is upholding more recent claims against Workday in its anti-discrimination lawsuit. Judge Rita F. Lin said under California law, the company could face discrimination for an incident that occurred at its state headquarters after Workday, stating that the state’s anti-discrimination laws did not cover its screening of applicants based outside California who were applying for jobs in other states and countries. This is part of a collective-action lawsuit alleging that its AI-powered hiring tools discriminate against workers age 40 and older. The lawsuit was first filed in February
Emma Grede recently announced on her book tour why she didn’t invest in Diarrha N’Diaye’s company, Ami Colé. On the “She’s So Lucky” podcast with host Les Alfred, Grede shared that she doesn’t back first-time founders unless she sees something “extraordinary” about both the person and the company, explaining she didn’t see that with Ami Colé. Emma Grede hiring Diarrha N’Diaya at SKIMS Whilst Grede did not think Ami Colé was worth supporting, she evidently thought she was worth hiring. After Alicia Scott of Range Beauty introduced N’Diaye to Grede,
Saint Augustine’s University, a historically Black college, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to Bloomberg. Founded in 1867, Saint Augustine’s is one of the oldest historically Black colleges in the US, but has faced financial struggles in recent years. Earlier this month, the board of directors at the Raleigh, North Carolina-based school voted unanimously in favor of initiating the bankruptcy process, as per a resolution included with court documents. On Monday, the college listed liabilities of $50 million to $100 million and assets of $100 million to $500
Audible has announced a new Audible Original from Kevin Hart, called Kids Make Me Angry, releasing on June 4. The audible is a partial memoir of Hart’s experiences as a father, but will also serve as a survival guide for parents. “I had no blueprint for being a dad, so I had to figure it out on my own,” Hart said in a press release. “And let me tell you, I wasn’t always perfect, but I showed up 100% of the time. In this Audible Original, I am getting real
The Southern Environmental Law Center filed an appeal challenging the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s plan to issue an air permit to xAI’s affiliate company, MZX Tech. The appeal was filed on behalf of the NAACP, Young Gifted & Green, and the Safe and Sound Coalition, who believe the permit violates the law and threatens the health of families living in North Mississippi and South Memphis. The permit allows xAI to allow 41 polluting methane gas turbines—essentially a personal power plant—at a site in Southaven, Mississippi. The power plant would
IBM has agreed to pay $17 million to the US Department of Justice to settle allegations of illegal DEI practices, as CNN reported. The DOJ believes that the tech company engaged in illegal DEI practices” by factoring in “race, color, national origin, or sex” when hiring or promoting employees. The settlement “IBM is pleased to have resolved this matter. Our workforce strategy is driven by a single principle: having the right people with the right skills that our clients depend on,” an IBM spokesperson told TechCrunch. In May 2025, the
