This year, we’ve witnessed the ripple effects of the Supreme Court’s ruling against affirmative action in college admissions with mounting conservative pressure against DEI initiatives across industries—from retail and banking to venture capital and nonprofits. Amid these challenges, the stories that resonated most with you this year were those of resistance and resilience: stories about Black women securing capital, launching funds, and building unicorn companies. You loved the stories about employees holding their employers to account—in words and deeds—and the investors, influencers, and innovators raising the bar in their respective
Here are five Black innovators we think are set to make significant moves in 2025. From health tech and biodesign to venture capital and the creator economy, these individuals are at the forefront of progress. They’re reshaping industries, launching transformative products, and empowering communities worldwide. Here’s a closer look at their work and why you should keep them on your radar. Amanda Spann – Empowering Non-Technical Founders Amanda Spann is a marketing consultant and app entrepreneur dedicated to empowering the Black tech community. Her most recent initiative, The App Accelerator,
Black Veterans for Social Justice (BVSJ), a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans, has teamed up with Microsoft to provide tech skills training to over 5,000 veterans preparing to transition into civilian careers. The training program, launching in December 2024, is part of Microsoft’s Nonprofit Tech Acceleration for Black and African American Communities initiative. It will help veterans build skills in high-demand fields such as cybersecurity, coding, artificial intelligence (AI), and game development. Addressing the Skills Gap for Veterans in Tech Microsoft’s collaboration with BVSJ addresses a key gap for
AI-enhanced search engines from Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity have been surfacing debunked and racist research claiming genetic superiority of white people over other racial groups, according to Wired. This trend, revealed through investigative work by Hope Not Hate, a UK-based anti-racism organization, has added to concerns about racial bias and radicalization in AI-powered search. AI Search Results Show Discredited Research Patrik Hermansson, a researcher with anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, was investigating the resurgence of scientific racism when he found that AI-driven search engines often promote discredited “race science.” When
Microsoft is struggling to retain its diverse workforce, with increasing numbers of women, Black, and Latine employees departing the company. According to Microsoft’s latest diversity and inclusion report, female employees accounted for 32.7% of all exits globally in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, up from 31% the previous year. In the US, Black and Latine employees also saw significant increases in departures, with Black employees making up 10% of exits (up from 8.7%) and Latinx employees comprising 9.8% of exits (up from 8%). Poaching and Business Shifts Cited
Pamela Maynard, the newly appointed Chief AI Transformation Officer at Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions, has been named the 2024 Black British Business Person of the Year. Maynard received the award at the 11th annual Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards), which celebrates the achievements of Black professionals and entrepreneurs across the UK. Pamela Maynard Pamela Maynard, formerly CEO of Avanade, a Microsoft-Accenture joint venture, led the company to significant growth and secured its 18th Microsoft Partner of the Year title. During her acceptance speech, Maynard emphasized the ongoing work to break down
Brand new Techish! This week, hosts Michael and Abadesi dive into: • Microsoft lays off a DEI team (00:00:20)• AI bias in performance reviews (00:08:16)• The myth of meritocracy (00:12:31)• The UK has a new government (00:15:00)• Make politics attractive again (00:19:12) Listen on Spotify or Apple podcast also. Watch On YouTube Extra Reading & Resources • Microsoft Faces Backlash After DEI Team Layoffs [POCIT]• We asked ChatGPT to write performance reviews and they are wildly sexist (and racist) [Fast Company]• Black Man Who Got A Job Interview After Using A Fake Name On Resume Files Lawsuit [POCIT]
Microsoft’s recent decision to lay off a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team due to “changing business needs” has stirred controversy within the company, Business Insider reports. Internal Email Criticizes Microsoft’s Commitment A prominent leader from the DEI team, whose identity has been confirmed by Business Insider, sent an email to thousands of Microsoft employees. The email criticized the company for deeming DEI work “no longer business critical or smart” as it was perceived in 2020. This message resonated strongly across the organization, reflecting a sense of betrayal among employees
Ron Simons, a tech executive turned Tony award-winning Broadway producer, died at the age of 63. Simons left his job as an executive at Microsoft to pursue his dream of acting, later becoming one of the few Black theatrical producers on Broadway. “It is with heavy hearts that we share the unexpected passing of our beloved, blessed, and highly favored friend, Ronald Keith Simons,” Simon’s production company, Simonsays Entertainment, wrote on Instagram. “Funeral details will be forthcoming.” Simons died on June 12, 2024. A spokesman declined to say where he
Food critic and TikToker Keith Lee, also known as “The People’s Champ,” has partnered with Microsoft to amplify Black restaurants further. Lee’s viral food reviews continue to highlight Black and African-American-owned restaurants, and he uses his platform to connect with worldwide food lovers. Striving to place community at the center of his partnership, he is teaming up with Microsoft to help restaurants future proof their businesses with their AI-powered tool Copilot. Lee Partners With Microsoft Lee has partnered with Microsoft to provide restaurateurs with AI tools to help their businesses
