Tangent, a technology platform founded by former LinkedIn employee Gary Izunwa and Joe Adams, has secured $1.1 million in funding and officially launched out of beta. Tangent, an employee referral platform aims to make referrals accessible to everyone by increasing tech career opportunities for those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. A Vision For Inclusive Tech Tangent’s approach centers on starting with tech sales roles, engaging companies like Revolut, Stripe, and Amazon to support the transition of talent from diverse backgrounds into the tech ecosystem. This strategy aligns with the broader vision of Tangent—to democratize access to tech careers and create
Intuit is hiring on POCIT. Petagae Butcher is a versatile force in the tech world, currently working as a Staff Technical Program Manager at Intuit. Her introduction to technology started with a love of Super Nintendo in the 90s. She later graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in Management Information Systems, initially majoring in Computer Programming, finding her niche bridging the technology and business worlds. Over her 18-year career, she’s garnered a wealth of experience, from software consulting to her current role at Intuit. Born on
Helen Huang and Sefunmi Osinaike are redefining inclusivity in the tech industry with Co.Lab, whose hands-on mentorship-based programs are helping Black and underrepresented Canadians get a headstart in tech. Co.Lab Launched three years ago, Co.Lab has already made significant waves in the tech community, breaking barriers and fostering a sense of belonging among minorities. “Our entire motto at Co.Lab is you belong in tech,” Huang told Now Toronto. “When you’re outside the club, everything inside seems so mysterious. All you do is hyper-fixate on the things you don’t feel like you
Actress, author, and entrepreneur Malinda Williams has launched the ESTEAM Project for women at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The coding bootcamp emerges from her Arise And Shine Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering women from diverse backgrounds. “As a professional actress and someone who has experienced first-hand the support of my community, I understand the value of collaboration and paying it forward,” said Williams in a press release. “The Arise and Shine Foundation exists to empower women to reach their goals, and coding is a powerful
To mark Black History Month, a new game titled “Guess, Jerry!” has made its debut on the App Store. Created by Microsoft Senior Software Engineer Michael Curd, the app pays tribute to Jerry Lawson, who shaped modern video gaming. Father Of Video Game Cartridge Jerry is an AI buddy inspired by video game legend Jerry Lawson, who was often named the “Father of the video game cartridge”. Lawson was one of the first prominent African American figures in the gaming industry. As chief hardware engineer for Fairchild Semiconductor, Lawson steered
Beta Boom, a US-based venture capital firm, has announced the closure of its $14.5 million Fund II. Founded in 2017 by Kimmy and Sergio Paluch, Beta Boom is committed to bridging the funding gap experienced by underrepresented founders, particularly in areas beyond the major tech hubs. Beta Boom’s Fund II Beta Boom’s Fund II, raised by the duo, alongside Ally Bank, Melinda French Gates’ Pivotal Ventures, and Bank of America, signifies a pivotal shift in the venture capital landscape. The fund aims to support early-stage startups that cater to the
In the next few days, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to decide whether or not colleges and universities can continue to consider race in their student admissions process, a practice known as affirmative action. The ruling results from the Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) lawsuits against Harvard and the University of North Carolina (UNC), which saw the court have oral arguments last year. The conservative majority court appeared ready to eliminate admissions, with race being a factor in decision-making, despite being in law for almost 50 years. Many have
This article was first published by Rumbi Makanga on Medium. I was asked to give a talk by a London-based company for Black History Month in October 2022. Initially, I was going to title my talk Your Silence Will Not Protect You after the eponymous collection of essays by Audre Lorde and to honour the many silences I have nursed over the years and the vast silences I know countless Black people are forced into in their professional lives. It took a bout of illness in the last days of 2020 to
