29-year-old Chaymeriyia Moncrief, the founder of NSPRE, has unveiled her second smartphone four years after her first release. NSPRE Two years after founding Tesix Wireless Network, a millennial-focused wireless carrier., Moncrief launched NSPRE to ”inspire the culture through social technology“. From its inception in 2020, the brand swiftly progressed, raising $1.5 million in funding during its launch year. In June 2021, NSPRE established its headquarters in Alabama, reinforcing its foundation. NSPRE’s first smartphone launch was a significant milestone, demonstrating that a startup from Montgomery could succeed in the tech industry. Read: Meet The
VC firm Fearless Fund has faced another setback in its plans to issue grants to Black women business owners as the court has ruled against them. On Monday, an appeals court for the 11th Circuit ruled against Fearless, upholding a preliminary injunction against their Strivers Grant program. The court ruling said that the grant likely violates the Civil Rights Act of 1886, which bans the use of race in contracts. What Has Happened So Far? The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), founded by Edward Blum, attacked the Fearless Fund
University of South Carolina Gamecocks player Raven Johnson has secured a name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal with Black beauty tech company Parfait. Parfait, powered by AI and facial recognition technology, aims to provide custom wig products that address two major issues: AI biases in tech and the fragmented wig-buying process for millions of Black and brown women. Founded by four women, the company has developed an algorithm to change tech interactions with communities of color. Leading New Standards For Female Athletes According to Andscape, Isoken Igbinedion, co-founder and CEO
Dr. Heliana Ramirez, a researcher of racial and LGBTQ related workplace trauma, created the Black Women Toxic Job Survivor Suicide Prevention Resource Guide following the tragic death of Dr. Antoinette Candia-Bailey following workplace bullying. Ramirez spoke with POCIT about Candia-Bailey’s life and legacy, creating the guide, and strategies for Black women experiencing workplace bullying. Remembering Dr. Candia-Bailey Candia-Bailey experienced severe workplace abuse from her supervisor when she worked as Vice President of Student Affairs at Lincoln University Oakland, leading to her suicide in January 2024. Concerned about Candia-Bailey’s anxiety and
Uncle Nearest is the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in history, driving a business worth $1.1 billion, according to Forbes and ISWR data. Uncle Nearest Black woman-owned distillery Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey was launched in 2016 by Fawn Weaver and quickly ascended to global recognition. The company’s rise is a tribute to Nearest Green, the first-known African American master distiller who taught Jack Daniel the secrets of distilling. Expanding its presence to over 30,000 stores, bars, hotels, and restaurants across 12 countries, the business also has a 432-acre distillery in Shelbyville,
Latina-led fintech platform Hello Alice has announced the dismissal of lawsuit brought against it by America First Legal, which alleged its grants for Black business amounted to racial discrimination. What Happened? In October 2023, Hello Alice found itself at the center of a legal battle when America First Legal, Mitchell Law PLLC, and Ashbrook Byrne Kresge LLC filed a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination. This was due to the company’s initiative, which, in partnership with Progressive Insurance, provided $25,000 in grants to 10 Black-owned businesses. However, Hello Alice maintained its stance
Apple Inc. has appointed Cynthia Bowman as its new Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity. Bowman, a seasoned banking executive, succeeds Barbara Whye, marking the fourth executive to hold this position in recent years. Cynthia Bowman: Bank of America Veteran Cynthia Bowman, who previously served as Chief Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Responsibility Officer at Bank of America Corp., joins Apple following a 17-year tenure with the bank. “We are excited that Cynthia Bowman will serve as Apple’s next Vice President of Inclusion and Diversity,” an Apple spokesperson said in a
Viola Davis, journalist Joy Reid, and radio host Charlamagne Tha God are among the partners that have teamed up with The Grio founder David A. Wilson and tech leader Brandon John-Freso to launch ALTR. ATLR pronounced ‘alter’, is a personal development app tailored to the Black community. A Collaborative Vision for Empowerment ATLR aims to provide short-form audiobooks by Black luminaries and authors. It is currently open for early access sign-ups and is scheduled for an official launch in late 2024. The development of ALTR is in collaboration with JuVee Productions, founded by Davis
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.
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
