In the US, African American women face higher mortality rates from major diseases like heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes compared to other demographics. These disparities are often due to systemic biases in healthcare, which can diminish or underestimate the pain and symptoms experienced by these women. The Promise of Predictive Healthcare in Personalized Medicine Predictive healthcare, however, marks an evolution in medical treatment, moving away from a generalized approach to a more individualized strategy. This approach uses advanced predictive analytics, which allows healthcare providers to identify potential health risks early and
Richualist founder Dawn Myers has secured investment from business figures Mark Cuban and Emma Grede on Shark Tank for her hair tool for textured hair. The washday styling tool Myers’ product, The Mint, is designed to detangle, condition, and style curly to coily hair types (classified as 3A to 4C). The hair tool includes six attachments and is designed to simplify and enhance styling. The technology used heats liquid hair products to optimize their effectiveness, addressing the often complicated and time-consuming nature of managing highly textured hair. “You simply load your pod; think
Last month, US payrolls soared in and the unemployment rate dropped, however, the opposite was true for Black Americans, especially Black women. Unemployment For Black Women Black unemployment rates have surged reaching a peak not seen since August 2022. As per the latest Labor Department data, the overall unemployment rate for Black Americans climbed to 6.4% in March 2024, up from 5.6% in February. The three-month average unemployment rate for Black people has risen to 5.8%, up from 5.4%. However, the overall shift is mainly seen among Black women, who have experienced employment
Recent findings from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis have highlighted a wealth gap in the tech industry, particularly impacting never-married Black and Hispanic women. The research focused on the 23% of adults who have never been married, stripping away any outside sources of wealth that could come from being divorced or widowed. Never-Married Black And Hispanic Women Are Worse Off In that group, alarmingly, never-married Black women have just 8 cents for every dollar that white men have, amounting to a median wealth of only $3,300 as of 2022. Never-married
A 14-year-old passionate about technology, Sophie has developed an innovative AI chatbot focused on mental health. Mental Health meets AI Unlike the usual narratives surrounding AI, such as privacy invasion and fake news, Sophie’s AI chatbot offers hope to users. Her mother, Samantha, in a TikTok video, revealed how Sophie’s creation counters negative self-talk and mental health issues with positive affirmations and exercises in self-awareness and boundary setting. This chatbot’s introduction goes, “Humans often struggle on focusing on the present … and comparing each other to other people who we think are better, when really we should focus
HERide, a rideshare platform focused on women’s safety, has become the first Black-owned company to secure a contract with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Co-founded in 2019 by Jillian Anderson and DeVynne Starks, HERide conducts thorough background checks on drivers and integrates in-ride security features to ensure passenger safety. Focused on women’s safety Anderson’s experience as a rideshare driver highlighted many women’s discomfort using traditional services like Uber and Lyft, especially at night. “There were a lot of women that were hesitant with riding with men at night using Uber and Lyft,” Anderson told AFROTECH. “I
MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving initiative has granted a $2 million donation to Birthing Beautiful Communities (BBC), a Black women-led doula organization and platform in Northeast Ohio. This financial boost will empower BBC in its vital mission to enhance maternal and infant health outcomes for Black mothers and families. The Yield Giving Initiative The Yield Giving Open Call, an initiative of MacKenzie Scott’s philanthropic efforts, was launched in March 2023 to back community-led, community-focused organizations. With over 6,000 applicants, the initial plan to award $1 million each to 250 organizations was significantly expanded,
Leigh Higginbotham Butler has a pioneering AI platform and network for Black women, Akina. Akina, which means “strong family bond” in Swahili, originated from a personal need to create a safe space for discussions and support among Black mothers. It has since evolved into a Community-as-a-Service (CaaS) app and platform that leverages culturally competent AI and machine learning technology. From A Social Network To A Movement Akina was initially started 2020 as a social media platform for Black mothers. “It came about in the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmuad
Tech companies are now offering AI-powered therapy services designed to meet the specific needs of Black individuals. The Black Female Therapist The “Black Female Therapist” (BFT), a novel AI chatbot, is part of this approach from tech companies providing accessible and tailored mental health support. BFT, developed by Youper, leverages advanced algorithms and natural language processing to offer culturally sensitive advice and empathetic responses. According to Refinery29, the chatbot addresses the emotional challenges faced by Black individuals, including systemic barriers and the need for spaces where they feel seen and
Regina Lawless is a former Instagram executive and the founder of Bossy and Blissful, a collective for Black female executives. Meet Regina Lawless Her journey to becoming the first director of diversity and inclusion at Instagram was marked by personal loss and professional insights. According to The Grio, after her husband’s sudden passing in 2021, Lawless found herself reflecting on the complexities of Black women’s success in corporate America. While she felt her role was supported, there needed to be a more comprehensive commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. Bossy And
