In recognition of this year’s Black History Month theme, African Americans and the Arts, we will explore the intersection of Black arts and tech throughout February. The origins of digital art can be traced back to ideologies present in the first half of the 20th century. While artists were keenly interested in innovations, the rich potential of modern technologies as tools in art only began to be explored as access increased in the 1950s and beyond. Digital art is a term used to describe art that is made or presented
10Pearls, a global, purpose-driven digital technology partner, is launching a “Women in Tech” program for Latin American women in Costa Rica on February 10th. Founded by brothers Imran and Zeeshan Aftab, 10Pearls partners with clients to imagine, design, build, and deliver innovative mobile and digital products. The company has a diverse clientele that includes Global 1000 enterprises and high-growth startups and has offices in the US, Costa Rice, Colombia, the UK, Pakistan, and Peru. Women in Tech Program The Women in Tech launch event in Costa Rice will consist of a series of
Cardi B, 21 Savage, and Nicki Minaj have voiced their support for the No Artificial Intelligence Fake Replicas And Unotherized Duplications (No AI FRAUD) Act. Nearly 300 artists, actors, and performers expressed their support for the bipartisan legislation that would protect against nonconsensual AI voice clones and deepfakes, Billboard reports. No AI FRAUD Act The new bill establishes a federal framework to protect Americans’ right to their likeness and voice against AI-generated fakes and forgeries. It was introduced in the US House on January 10th. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar introduced the No
Black-owned Diabetes Digital has launched its innovative virtual nutrition counseling service, expanding access to 23 states. Meet The Founders Jessica Jones and Wendy Lopez founded Diabetes Digital as an online platform for virtual nutrition counseling dedicated to diabetes and prediabetes. CEO Jones and COO Lopez are nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. The pair also co-founded Food Heaven – an online platform and podcast offering resources on cooking, intuitive eating, and body respect. The Diabetes Digital team comprises Registered Dietitians and Certified Diabetes Educators, bringing extensive expertise to users. “Diabetes Digital
Fearless Fund has urged a US appeals court to allow its grant program to resume, which awards funding to businesses run by Black women. The Fearless Fund Story To Date The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) attacked Fearless Fund in August 2023 after it claimed the fund’s grant was racially discriminatory. The AAER, founded by Edward Blum, who was behind the Supreme Court’s affirmative action ruling, accused the grant program of violating Section 1081 of the Civil Rights Act of 1886. The US District, Thomas V. Thrash, initially ruled that Fearless Fund
Team Genius Squad, a toy brand created by 11-year-old entrepreneur and author Ava N. Simmons, has launched its new STEM toy line in Whole Foods Market stores. Team Genius Squad Simmons, also known as the STEM Princess, created Team Genius Squad to promote STEM awareness and encourage individuals to believe in themselves, identify their uniqueness, and pursue their goals. Last year, in 2023, the team decided to start in-person events and designed a STEM Mobile Lab to travel across the country. They then launched their own STEM toys, with 15
Aster has announced its $2.4 million pre-seed round to build a platform to enable women’s health providers to deliver materially better care. Aster The United States is the most dangerous and expensive high-income country for childbirth, especially for Black and Indigenous women. Black women face a nine times higher risk of maternal death than their white counterparts, regardless of wealth. The Aster app was created to help women keep track of their pregnancy, communicate with a care team on the app, and book appointments and remote monitoring. FiFi Kara co-founded the app after witnessing her
Google has purchased Edlyft’s AI tutor – a generative AI co-pilot for college students studying computer science. Erika Hairston and Arnelle Ansong, two long-time friends, founded Edlyft in 2020 to support Black college students and adults enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Their digital platform connects learners to inclusive mentorship, online group tutoring, live and recorded sessions, and personalized study tools, enabling them to succeed in their classes and secure high-paying jobs. Over the past two years, Edlyft collaborated with Google through their Google Tech Exchange, teaching applied data structures to Historically
Postpartum difficulties and a gap in the wellness industry led LaDonna Welch to create a mental health app, Ebony Notes, designed to affirm the Black community. Meet LaDonna Welch Welch advocates for diversity, equity, representation, personal growth, and inclusion. After giving birth to her second child in 2012, she learned she had postpartum and seasonal depression when she went to a doctor to discuss her symptoms. “They suggested that I speak to someone, and I was in my 30s. At this point, I had never even considered talking to anyone,”
UK-based Black-owned platform Sojo has become the first fashion repairs and alterations platform to achieve B Corp certification. Certified B Corps are companies verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. The B Corp Community is a global movement of businesses that provide leadership by demonstrating their commitment to people and the planet. There are over 7,800 B Corps worldwide, across 161 industries in 92 countries, with over 708,300 workers. Sojo achieved 86.8 points, above the B Corp pass mark of 80 and
