Break Through Tech AI, the largest program of its kind in the U.S., aims to support college students from underrepresented backgrounds into top tech careers. Specifically, the program helps underrepresented groups, including lower-income, Latina and Black women and nonbinary students, gain the skills they need to get jobs in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Expanding Access to Elite Tech Opportunities Hosted and supported by institutions such as MIT, UCLA, and Cornell Tech, Break Through Tech AI is free and focuses on students from public institutions and historically Black colleges.
Seven organizations focused on diversity in tech have announced the formation of the Diversity Data Alliance to address funding disparities faced by underrepresented groups. The alliance comprises All Raise, Diversity VC, BLCK VC, StartOut, 2Gether-International, Vets in Tech, and Somos VC. Standardizing Data for a Unified Approach The Diversity Data Alliance has agreed upon a set of standardized demographic data points to be collected across each member organization. This initiative, which began in the spring of 2023 and saw its implementation in 2024, focuses on capturing demographic information, such as race, gender identity, sexual orientation, educational attainment,
NBA legend Charles Barkley has pledged a $1 million donation to St. Mary’s Academy, where two high school students, Calcea Johnson and Ne’Kiya Johnson, claimed to have solved a mathematical mystery. The duo’s work, unveiled at the American Mathematical Society’s Annual Southeastern Conference, presented a new proof of Pythagoras’ theorem that many mathematicians thought impossible. Jackson and Johnson have submitted their discoveries for final peer review and publication. NBA Legend Charles Barkley’s Donation After learning about their achievement during a segment on CBS’ “60 Minutes” featuring St. Mary’s Academy, Barkley was deeply moved
Irving L. Peddrew III, the first African American admitted to Virginia Tech, has passed away at the age of 88. Breaking Barriers in Education In 1954, Irving Peddrew made history as the first Black student admitted to Virginia Tech, a historically white, four-year public institution in the former states of the Confederacy. Despite the milestone, Peddrew faced a level of adversity, including being forced to live and eat off campus due to segregation. He found a home with a Black couple, Janie and William Hoge, who supported him during his
Rachael Twumasi-Corson, the founder of Afrocenchix, is stepping into a new role as the Managing Director of LIHA BeautyLIHA Beauty. This move comes after her successful tenure at Afrocenchix, where she played an instrumental role in securing $1.2 million in seed funding for the natural haircare e-commerce business. A Vision For African Beauty Twumasi-Corson’s decision to join LIHA Beauty wasn’t part of her initial plan after exiting Afrocenchix. However, the opportunity to collaborate with LIHA’s founders, Abi Oyepitan and Liha Okunniwa—two women she holds in high esteem—was too good to pass up.
A report from The Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity has found a troubling decline in venture capital and other forms of funding for Black-owned businesses. While the number of Black-owned businesses are growing, they are severely underrepresented compared to their population making up only 2.5% of all businesses. In recent years, Black-owned businesses have faced challenges in securing funding, a trend that blocks their growth and reflects issues within the American financial landscape. The Alliance for Entrepreneurial Equity’s latest report, a collaboration between the National Urban League and Third Way, illuminates
Eight TikTok creators have filed a lawsuit against the US government over their new law that would force the sale or ban of the video app, owned by Chinese ByteDanceLTD. The Potential TikTok Ban So Far Joe Biden recently signed into law a bill that requires TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the social media app’s US operations or face a ban, after the Senate passed the legislation. The bill gives TikTok’s Beijing-based parent, ByteDance, 270 days to sell the app’s US operations and if not, it will then face a
Google has made an additional investment in Morehouse College, the only historically Black liberal arts institution, with a new Google Annex classroom. Google and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) partnered last year to contribute a $2 million investment in Morehouse College and Hampton University. The universities used the funding to invest in technical infrastructure to support in-class and remote learning. They also aimed to develop curriculum and career support programs for students pursuing careers in the tech industry. The Google Annex Classroom Google has opened a new Google Annex classroom at
Two Black founders have teamed together to create Dreamward Ventures, a new Seattle-based fund that plans to invest in diverse founders, including early-stage startups led by Black entrepreneurs. Dreamward Ventures Dreamward Ventures offers early-stage capital, technical due diligence, and network connections to founders who need them most. According to GeekWire, founders Evan Poncelet and Jesse Posey met at a Seattle Angel Conference event and decided to address the gaps in venture capital for Black founders and investors. “It’s hard for the venture capitalists and angel groups to reach out to founders of color, specifically Black
Hulu’s latest docuseries, “Black Twitter: A People’s History,” examines how Black Twitter has influenced cultural and political landscapes. Directed by Prentice Penny and based on Jason Parham’s articles, ‘Black Twitter’ documents a decade and a half of posts and new stories to explore the digital community’s far-reaching social impact. The Heartbeat of a Community At its core, Black Twitter represents a dynamic ensemble of voices, each contributing to a larger narrative that resonates with humor and gravitas. The series aims to highlight the platform’s ability to combine expressions of love with expressions of frustration, depicting its universal impact.
