Every year, MIT highlights young leaders worldwide who are making a difference through research and entrepreneurship. This year’s innovators are tackling issues in biotechnology, the climate sector, robotics, and more. Chosen from hundreds of nominees by expert judges and the MIT Technology Review editorial team, these trailblazers are changing the future of science and technology. Here, we’ve highlighted some of the Black and Brown innovators featured on the MIT 2024 Under 35 List. Mireille Kamariza, University of California, Los Angeles Mireille Kamariza, 35, developed a groundbreaking test that detects tuberculosis
In recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day 2024, it’s important to highlight the growing mental health needs within Black communities. Studies show that Black adults are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, compared to the general population. Despite this, only about 25% of Black individuals seek mental health care, largely due to stigma, cultural barriers, and lack of access to culturally competent providers. In response, several apps and startups are working to close this gap, offering tailored support to meet the mental
Heman Bekele, a 15-year-old high school student from Virginia, has been named TIME’s Kid of the Year 2024 for inventing a soap that could one day treat and prevent multiple forms of skin cancer. While the product may take years to reach the market, Bekele is already working in a lab at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, dedicated to making his vision a reality. A Young Scientist’s Vision Bekele’s journey into science began at a young age. He experimented with household chemicals and later received a
Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a $600 million gift to support the endowments of the nation’s four historically Black medical schools and the establishment of a new medical school in New Orleans. This gift is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Greenwood Initiative, an effort aimed at advancing racial wealth equity by addressing systemic underinvestment in Black institutions and communities. Strengthening Financial Stability and Institutional Capacity The $600 million donation is designed to increase the financial stability and institutional capacity of these historically Black medical schools which graduate around half of all Black doctors
Forbes has unveiled its annual 50 over 50 list, highlighting dynamic female leaders and entrepreneurs who have achieved significant success later in life. Let’s meet some Black women over 50 making moves in tech and proving that success has no age limit. Carlotta Berry – Founder of NoireSTEMinist Berry, 54, a robotics expert and engineering professor at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, founded NoireSTEMinist in 2020. The educational consulting firm promotes diversity in STEM through workshops and products. Berry also co-founded the Rose Building Undergraduate Diversity (ROSE-BUD) program, co-directs a
HealthyMD and IMG Health Clinic, have announced a merger aimed at enhancing health equity and providing high-quality sexual healthcare to over 50 million underserved individuals across the United States. HealthyMD and IMG Health Clinic Clifford W. Knights II and Steve Vixamar founded Independent Medical Group (IMG) to provide healthcare services to those in need and to stop the spread of HIV and Hep C in underserved communities. HealthyMD, their telehealth platform, offers comprehensive at-home tests, in-clinic, mobile clinic appointments, improving sexual healthcare access, particularly in Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. This
Black Girl Sunscreen (BGS) has achieved remarkable success, earning $1.1 million in just three months on Amazon, according to AfroTech. A Vision Rooted in Necessity In 2016, Shontay Lundy created BGS, a 30 SPF lotion formulated for women of color. Recognizing this gap, she invested $33,000 of her own money to create a product that wouldn’t leave the notorious white residue on darker skin tones. Made with melanated skin in mind, BGS dries completely clear and protects melanin without the white-cast that normal skin care tends to leave, according to
Pfizer has urged a US Court of Appeals to uphold a decision to dismiss a lawsuit from an anti-affirmative action group that challenged its diversity fellowship program. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit dismissed Do No Harm’s lawsuit because the group failed to name at least one individual harmed by Pfizer’s program. The lawsuit against Pfizer The case involves Pfizer’s fellowship program aimed at recruiting and training Black, Latine, and Native American leaders. Do No Harm’s lawsuit claims the program violated federal civil rights laws. In March,
UC Davis Health’s new telehealth program aims to address disparities in postpartum care for Black patients and improve maternal outcomes. Bridging the Gap in Postpartum Care Black patients at UC Davis Health and across the nation face significant disparities in postpartum care. These inequities, particularly during the six-week period after birth, contribute to an increased risk of complications and even death for Black people who give birth. To tackle this issue, UC Davis Health has launched a new telehealth program aimed at reducing these disparities and improving maternal outcomes for
This Juneteenth, we want to celebrate some Black founders who have set out to uplift and support their communities. Commemorating Juneteenth Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned that slavery had been abolished – two and a half years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The first Juneteenth was observed in 1866 and has been celebrated by Black Americans ever since. It is often referred to as the country’s second independence day and became an official federal holiday
