Waymo, the autonomous vehicle company under Alphabet, has announced the expansion of its robotaxi service to Los Angeles and Austin. Robotaxis hit LA this week Tekedra Mawakana, the co-CEO of Waymo, announced the expansion at SXSW on Wednesday. Los Angeles, known for its sprawling highways and traffic, will witness the commencement of Waymo’s service in a 63-square-mile area spanning from Santa Monica to downtown. Initially free, these rides will gradually transition to a paid model, in line with regulatory approvals from the California Public Utilities Commission. The company aims to integrate over
The 2024 Tech Equity Collective (TEC) Impact Fund has announced a stride towards tech industry equity by introducing its 20 grantees. Since its 2021 inception, Tech Equity Collective has been dedicated to accelerating Black innovation and representation in tech. It works alongside tech giants and community organizations to create new career opportunities for Black tech innovators. The 2024 Tech Equity Collective Impact Fund The chosen organizations exemplify innovation and commitment to fostering an inclusive tech ecosystem. They focus on reskilling, upskilling, and training programs for aspiring Black technical talent. This year’s grantees, chosen for their pioneering
The potential ban of the social media platform TikTok following the U.S. government’s concern about national security implications could have an unfortunate effect on Black creators. The potential TikTok ban The U.S. government, concerned about national security implications linked to TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance, proposed a bill with a profound impact. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a 12-page document, threatened to uproot TikTok from American soil unless ByteDance sold it. On Wednesday, March 13, the Republican-controlled House voted 352 to 65 on a bill requiring TikTok either be divested from
Mellody Hobson’s rise to co-CEO of Ariel Investments, a history-making firm with over $14.9 billion in assets, is a tale of ambition, foresight, and resilience. Meet Mellody Hobson In 1991, as a student at Princeton, Hobson was on the brink of launching her career in the high-stakes world of finance. With offers from major New York City firms in hand, she found herself in a moment of reflection in the basement of the then Woodrow Wilson School. It was then that she made a pivotal decision. “And I thought, ‘What am I
Tech founder and major political donor Frank Hester reportedly said that looking at Diane Abbott, Britain’s longest-serving Black Member of Parliament (MP), made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she “should be shot.” Hester, the founder and CEO of software company The Phoenix Partnership (TPP), donated £10 million ($12.8 million) to the Conservative Party last year. What Happened? The Guardian reports that Hester made the remarks about Abbott during a 2019 meeting. His comments have sparked widespread outcry, raising serious questions about racism within the tech industry and
With a toy makeup kit, Kristen Wells-Collins, a Dallas-based scientist, is redefining pathways into the beauty industry for young girls with science and technology. Black To The Lab Makeup Kit Recognizing the decline in girls’ interest in science around age 11, a statistic cited by Microsoft, Wells-Collins launched “Black to the Lab” in 2020. This innovative $30 toy makeup kit is an educational tool that teaches children as young as six the science behind beauty product formulations. Wells-Collins’ journey started at Prairie View A&M University, initially pursuing a career in pharmacy. However, she
Black duo Estelle Agyeman and Temi Olusanya, the co-founders of KARR, are using their platform to make it easier for businesses to fight parking fines. KARR’s Journey The B2C parking fine technology platform KARR was born out of a need to simplify the often-tedious process of managing parking fines for businesses operating with multiple vehicles. The pair’s journey kicked off at a London startup weekend in 2022 when they won £10,000 in a pitch competition. The inception of KARR was driven by Agyeman’s personal experiences with parking fines at the university. “Back when I
TikTok star Tareasa Johnson, known on the platform as Reesa Teesa, has revealed how much she made through the TikTok creator fund after her “Who TF Did I Marry?” series. Johnson has become a viral sensation in the buzzing world of TikTok, resonating deeply with millions through her candid 50-part TikTok series “Who TF Did I Marry?” Who TF Did I Marry? Johnson’s ascent to TikTok fame began with a spontaneous video in which she shared shocking revelations about her ex-husband, Legion, who is dubbed for his deceitful nature. The
Jalon Hall, Google’s only Black Deaf employee, has claimed mistreatment and discrimination at the company and has filed a lawsuit. Hall’s Story As reported by the WIRED, in 2020, Hall, an enthusiastic criminal justice master’s graduate, was surprised to receive a LinkedIn message about a job opportunity at Google. Despite her initial skepticism, the offer was genuine, and Hall was soon hired to join Wolverine, a new in-house team tasked with moderating YouTube videos. Her journey to this role was untraditional, as her previous job was at a law firm, where she delved
Altro, a leading credit-building and financial literacy platform, has raised $4 million in a strategic funding round, gaining support from figures such as Tinashe, Quavo, Marshawn Lynch, and Chris Paul. Altro Founded in 2019 by Michael Broughton and initially known as Perch, Altro has been instrumental in helping users enhance their credit scores. It ingeniously integrates everyday payments and subscriptions into its credit-building mechanism, including Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, and Starz. Beyond this, Altro extends educational resources to all its members, even those with a baseline free membership. These resources encompass Altro’s Convo, featuring short
