Dr Monica L. Baskin will become the first Black woman to lead a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center. Baskin has been named director of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and will begin serving in her role on August 3rd after final approval by the VCU Board of Visitors. “It is an honor to be named as the next director at VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center,” Baskin said in the press release. “Massey is an exemplar, locally and nationally, on what truly matters for a cancer center, and together
Serena Williams wants to invest in the next trillion-dollar company with the help of her newly rebranded investment firm, Starfire Ventures. The new investment firm will focus on helping high-potential founders with access to venture funding. “We’ve just rebranded ourselves. . . . I felt like Serena Ventures is great, but I wanted it to be bigger than me. There are so many amazing people on the team, and there’s so much that we do,” Williams said in an interview with Fast Company. About Starfire Ventures Currently, Starfire has invested in 16 companies
Dr. Ayanna Howard is set to become the 12th president of the esteemed HBCU Spelman College. Howard will become the university’s roboticist and artificial intelligence expert. Additionally, her new book, Rebooting The Machines, is set for release in November. In the book, Dr. Howard acknowledges that AI will take away jobs and opportunities, but she also wants people to understand how to utilise AI to the best of its ability. The future of AI cannot depend on engineers in Silicon Valley; she argues it should come from all of us.
Beyoncé now has full ownership of SirDavis American Whisky. SirDavis becoming a Black-owned company The brand was released with Moët Hennessy (the wine and spirits arm of LVMH) in 2024. “SirDavis starts its new independent chapter after a nearly four-year transformative collaboration through creation, development and launch,” a SirDavis spokesperson said, as per Global Drinks Intel. “Knowles-Carter … takes full ownership and control, making SirDavis a woman, family and Black-owned company. She builds on the tradition of creating and running her companies, built from the ground up.” About SirDavis SirDavis
The number of ethnic minorities and women appointed to S&P 500 corporate boards has dropped to its lowest level in more than a decade. This data comes from new research by executive search firm Spencer Stuart, with Reuters interviews delving into the topic further. This comes after President Trump revoked a six-decade-old executive order that prohibited workplace discrimination by federal contractors. Low level of ethnic minorities and women in S&P 500 Research from Spencer Stuart found that only 40% of the 364 new independent directors selected for S&P 500 boards
Black women are the fastest-growing group of entreprenuers in the US. Black-women-owned businesses have increased by 13% between 2024 and 2024 compared to the 4.4% rate for women-owned businesses overall, according to Forbes. Black women turning to entrepreneurship Black women have been pushed out of the workforce as their unemployment rate has reached 7.3% in 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last year, Black women’s unemployment rate increased from 5.1% in March to 6.1% in April, reached an all-time high of 6.2% in May, then dropped to 5.8% in June,
Black-owned beauty brand Ruka Hair has announced its partnership with Sephora in the US. The UK-based brand will launch nationwide at Sephora online on August 4, accompanied by a physical launch in 10 stores across New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta from August 14, according to Business of Fashion. Ruka Hair will be the first hair extension brand to launch in Sephora in 20 years. Ruka launching in Sephora Synths 2, Ruka’s patent-pending collagen-based fibre extensions, along with a selection of products including stylers and hair perfumes, will be available
Fawn and Keith Weaver’s roles at Uncle Nearest have been terminated, according to a court filing. The Weavers termination from Uncle Nearest Receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. shared the announcement in his fourth quarterly report, filed Friday, July 10, in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, according to the Moore County Observer. “While this decision was not made lightly,” Young said, “it has resulted in significantly less confusion among employees and vendors, and has made business operations significantly smoother.” The Weavers confirmed their termination in a joint answer
BRDRS, a fintech app designed for African and Caribbean diasporal travelers, has raised $1.3M in a Pre-Seed funding round. The app, which is the first of its kind, offers several features, including cross-border connectivity, a multi-currency digital wallet, and BRDRS Connect, which lets you buy and activate a local eSIM. POCIT sat down with CEO and co-founder Joy Martins to discuss how the app will serve the Black diaspora, the importance of a travel app for Black travelers, and how it aims to challenge misconceptions about Africa and the Caribbean.
Lori Harvey is joining Kevin Hart’s tequila brand Gran Coramino as its new chief creative advisor. “Creating meaningful experiences has always been one of my greatest joys. Whether I’m bringing together friends, celebrating family, or simply making people feel seen,” Harvey said in a statement to WWD. Lori Harvery becoming chief creative advisor of Gran Coramino As chief creative advisor, Harvey will help the brand build Coramino Woman, starting with a new campaign which marks her first collaboration with Gran Coramino. “I believe the smallest details leave the biggest impressions,
