46.0% of all Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children, according to a new report. That percentage is the highest level recorded since the American Immigration Council started examining immigrant entrepreneurs in annual reviews in 2011. Amazon, DoorDash, and Apple were among the Fortune 500 companies founded by immigrants or children of immigrants, as highlighted by the council’s research. These companies employ 15.5 million people worldwide, more than the population in Pennsylvania. As major companies across the country have rolled back their DEI efforts to comply with President Trump’s executive orders, these
Chris Smalls, an activist and co-founder of the Amazon Labor Union, was physically assaulted while aboard the Handala, an aid ship trying to reach Gaza. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, a grassroots international group that organizes nonviolent missions to oppose Israel’s blockade of Gaza, said that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) boarded the vessel, beat and choked Smalls, and seized the ship. The Handala was carrying humanitarian supplies including food, baby formula, diapers, and medicine for Palestinians in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that the region is facing a “worst-case scenario
Green Book Global, the first Black travel review mobile app, and EatOkra, an app for discovering Black-owned restaurants, are collaborating to add over 2,500 Black-owned restaurants into Green Book Global’s Driving While Black Road Trip Planner. With this new partnership, travellers will be able to use the Green Book Global app or website to add Black-owned restaurants from EatOkra straight to their road trip commutes across the US. “This collaboration is about more than food. It’s about culture, safety, and creating a network of trusted spaces for Black travelers as
Black-founded and centered membership club The Gathering Spot has announced its most ambitious plan to date: a 60,000-square-foot space in Atlanta called The Retreat. The new space features a rooftop pool, co-working spaces, and two restaurants, which will cost members $3,100 for an annual membership, according to The Inc. The Gathering Spot’s history The Gathering Spot appears to be on good, solid ground following its shaky merger with Greenwood. In 2022, it announced that Greenwood had acquired it. However, there were reported disputes between the two companies, including reports of a
R&B singer SZA raised the alarm about the environmental impact of AI, especially on Black and brown communities, in a series of Instagram Story posts on July 16. The R&B singer said the only AI she is interested in using is “actual imagination,” according to a screenshot captured by Vibe. “AI is killing and polluting black and brown cities. None of you care cause your codependent on a machine. Have a great life,” the singer added. SZA Calls Out Environmental Racism Fans had flocked to SZA’s page in search of
The Black Founders Matter Fund is eyeing a second fund after fully deploying capital from its first. Launched in 2019, the early-stage fund invests in Black and other underrepresented founders building solutions in sectors such as health, wealth, and economic mobility. Managing Director Himalaya Rao-Potlapally says the experience has offered critical insights, not just for the fund’s strategy, but for how the venture ecosystem can better serve founders long term. Investing in Black startups Black Founders Matter began to gain traction in 2020, coinciding with the resurgence of the Black
Willa’s Books and Vinyl, one of the oldest-operating Black-owned bookstores in Missouri, is about to get a makeover thanks to The Kansas City Defender. The bookstore will transform into a public archive and the new headquarters of KC Defender, a nonprofit digital startup that produces news, digital tools, and public services for Black people across the Midwest. Willa’s struggled with financial troubles, asking for help from supporters across Kansas City so it could remain open. Nina Kerrs, a Mutual Aid organizer with The Kansas City Defender and other team members, started
Loula, a Y Combinator-backed startup, has officially launched with a mission to expand access to doula care by helping providers accept health insurance. The software platform and national doula network also manages credentialing, contracting, and billing, streamlining operations so doulas can focus on patient care. Since its launch in February, the company has expanded from 30 to 135 doulas, served 400 families, and facilitated over 2,000 doula visits. It is experiencing growth of over 50% month-over-month, according to its founder, Lindsey Redd. Supporting Doulas Doulas are trained professionals who give
Live facial recognition (LFR) technology will be deployed at Notting Hill Carnival, London’s Metropolitan Police has announced. Police will use LFR cameras to scan for individuals marked as being wanted on the Police National Computer and carry out “pre-emptive intelligence-led arrests and searches” of people believed to have weapons or sell drugs. Facial recognition at Notting Hill Carnival Facial recognition is part of the Metropolitan Police’s plan to cut crime at this year’s carnival. The cameras will be placed on the way to and from the event, The Independent reports. Deputy Assistant
Howard University and Google Research have released a dataset comprising over 600 hours of AAE dialects from 32 states to enhance AI’s recognition of diverse Black dialects. As part of Project Elevate Black Voices, researchers traveled across the US to capture commonly used speech patterns in Black communities that AI systems often overlook. The project aims to enhance the way Black people interact with technology. Black dialects being ignored by artificial intelligence African American English (AAE)—also known as African American Vernacular, Black English, or Black talk—is widely spoken in Black
