Articles
For Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, innovation has always been the driving force behind his work as a shoe designer. With more than 50 patents under his belt, as well as a college among the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, he is committed to uplifting the next generation of designers. Collaborating with brands like Nike, adidas, and quite a few household names, his love for creating keeps him going every day. 2024 has been quite the year for Edwards. In February, he reopened the doors to the first HBCU with a focus on design through the Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC), which he founded in 2021 in Detroit, MI. Now, he has officially partnered with Target to launch ÜNOS by Sz, an adjustable footwear line created uniquely for growing families. “For a long time, it’s always been my goal to do something that was much more affordable for people who could afford everyday things,” Edwards told AFROTECH™ in an exclusive interview. “I just felt like everyday things, if...
Big Sean has never been one to shy away from showcasing the love he has for Detroit, MI. He knew very early on that he was called to not only put on for his city but also put on for others along the way. He isn’t the only one who sees something special in Detroit. Dubbed one of the Blackest cities in America, Detroit has a population that is 76% Black, according to the United States Census Bureau. Among its other attributes, the Motor City got its nickname for being the center of the U.S. auto industry for more than a century. Detroit is also home to Motown, one of the culture’s most revered musical styles and Black-owned music labels, founded by Barry Gordy in 1959. It served as the catalyst for Black music becoming some of the most popular music, not only in America but also across the globe. Throughout his music, Big Sean has always amplified his city’s stance in the world and its impact on culture. Now, he’s taking it a step further, partnering with Pensole Lewis College of...
Technology never stops evolving, and neither does Matthew Robinson. As a senior UX design manager at Google Photos, Robinson’s motivation in his career is rooted in the “understanding that design and technology will undoubtedly continue to change the world as we understand it.” “It’s critical to have a seat in the rooms that are making the decisions that ultimately affect all of us,” said Robinson in an interview with AFROTECH™. “My roots as a designer with a knack for all creative endeavors will always be my foundation. Still, I’m increasingly interested in creating products that balance innovation with what’s ultimately good for the world around us.” Robinson says that due to his firsthand glimpse at how strategic design can frame products and define humans interactions , he is passionate about bringing his expertise to this year’s AFROTECH™ Conference. A speaker on day 2, he will lead a conversation titled “Creative Summit: Diverse Design: User-Centric Innovation.” View this...
Some years ago, Maurice Kuykendoll was simply an attendee at the AFROTECH ™ Conference. Now in its eighth year, he will approach the annual tech affair as an official speaker on the Executive Stage. It’s not lost on him that when he attended the conference, he was responsible for global expense management at insurance company Prudential, with one of its largest expenses being technology. During the transformation, he notes how vital the event was to his leadership development. “I was transforming my team simultaneously, so it was an area of development for me,” Kuykendoll said in an interview with AFROTECH™. “So, a couple of days at this conference, where there’s Black people, and they know all about technology, I was like, ‘I’ll go and see if this can be one of the things I put on my calendar every year to make sure that I am developing this essential part of what’s going on in the world.’” After sitting in many rooms alongside founders and talking to them about their latest...
Jehron Petty isn’t just talking the talk — he’s leading by example when making the technology space more equitable and diverse. Upon graduating from Cornell University with a degree in computer science in May 2020, Petty prepared to step into a career in corporate America, but life had other plans. Although he received an offer as an associate product manager at Google, his deep desire to build up his community lingered. It was not long before he gave up the Google opportunity to found ColorStack, a startup technology company on a mission to increase the number of Black and Latinx computer science graduates who go on to start rewarding technical careers. “So I studied computer science at Cornell. I also like to help people naturally; my first instinct when in a group or a space is, ‘How can I help?’ And so the combination of those two things led me to be a very involved mentor while I was in school,” Petty shared in an interview with AFROTECH™. “I noticed other computer science...
Beyoncé is taking her talents to the spirits industry! The “Cowboy Carter” songstress continues to defy industry standards while paying homage to her Southern roots. This time, she’s introducing her line of American whisky alongside Moët Hennessy, which falls under the French luxury goods giant LVMH. In a press release shared with AFROTECH™, the brand revealed that SirDavis has been in the making for years, offering an “unexpected take” on whisky through its “ bespoke recipe,” unusual maturation process, and distinct taste profile, influenced by Japanese and Scottish styles. Beyoncé debuted the beverage i n a post shared to Instagram, with the comment “Davis in my bones” alongside emojis of whisky glasses. According to Forbes, the whisky industry is the same one that made her husband, Jay-Z, a billionaire. The Houston, TX, native may very well join the billionaire ranks herself with an estimated net worth of $760 million. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beyoncé...
R&B sensation Eric Bellinger isn’t afraid of artificial intelligence (AI) and the role it’s taking within the music industry. Instead, he’s embracing how it can enhance his work as an artist. As one of the first artists to appear on Hooky, a music startup specializing in artist-first solutions in voice AI, Bellinger is allowing creators to experiment with their songs using his AI voice model. “If you aren’t afraid of it, it could be your best friend,” he told AFROTECH™ about AI technology. “But I think if you’re afraid and thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to lose my job,’ it’s different in other fields. But for music, I definitely think it could be beneficial as a tool. I use it in all my sessions in different ways — whether it’s coming up with an idea for artwork, titles, or something else. There are so many different platforms, and I personally take advantage of all of them.” No stranger to using technology like social media to connect with his fans, affectionately known as the...
A historic Black-owned beach in South Carolina is quickly becoming one of the hottest luxury vacation destinations in the states, and it is currently the only incorporated Black beach to sit in the U.S. During the early 1930s, Atlantic Beach was founded by a group of Gullah Geechee as a haven for Black people who were not allowed to occupy the same beaches as white people in South Carolina. Defying Jim Crow laws, the strip of primarily Black-owned coastal properties, dubbed “The Black Pearl,” broadened the enterprises of coastal Gullah Geechee people. A host of hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and novelty shops were developed just miles from Myrtle Beach. Now, two trailblazing founders are on a mission to continue honoring the rich history that makes up the area. Although they are business partners, Tiffany Bailey Lash, Ph.D., and Tashni-Ann Dubroy, Ph.D., MBA, have a relationship that is rooted in sisterhood. Together, the HBCU alums and friends are on a mission to revitalize and...
Keturah Orji isn’t your average Olympian. As a force in track and field, Orji is attending the 2024 Olympics through the USA Track and Field team. Her eyes are set on the gold as her retirement plans are underway. Orji is a two-time Olympian and a 10-time U.S. champion in the sport. When she’s not on the track, she is committed to helping to spread financial literacy to others, especially the youth in her community. “When people believe in you, you’re able to accomplish so much more,” Orji told AFROTECH™. With a busy schedule, she said she still wants to find time to use her love for learning to inspire others. Importance Of Financial Literacy As a financial planning major in college, Orji took courses on wealth management, retirement planning, and various money-related topics . “It opened my mind to how much information there is that we’re not exposed to,” she said. “I didn’t grow up knowing any of that; I only knew about saving.” As a full scholarship student at the University of...
Sisters Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen are considered national treasures to the culture, so it’s only right that they come from royalty! The Houston, TX, natives are best known for their contributions to the world of entertainment. Rashad gained notoriety in her role as Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” and went on to serve as a guest lecturer, faculty member, and dean in the arts at Howard University. Her sister, Allen, is known for transforming the choreography world in Hollywood as we know it today as well as having a hand in shows like “Fame,” “A Different World,” and more. Recently, their mother, Vivian Ayers Allen, was acknowledged by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for her contributions to the field of space. During a ceremony held in their hometown of Houston on July 19, the organization honored the women who assisted with the Apollo 11 mission, ultimately leading to Neil A. Armstrong’s legendary landing on the moon in 1969, Blavity reports. The...
Google has pulled a recent 2024 Olympics ad after being accused of promoting the use of AI technology in place of creativity. In an ad titled “Dear Sydney,” a father narrates his journey to using the platform to help his daughter write a letter to U.S. hurdler and sprinter Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who just so happens to be her favorite athlete and inspiration, CNBC reports. While Google maintains that its AI chatbot Gemini is used solely to enhance or even jumpstart its users’ creativity , many social media users dragged the company following the ad’s airing, citing that it promotes too heavy a reliance on technology. “We believe that AI can be a great tool for enhancing human creativity, but can never replace it,” said a spokesperson for Google in an official statement following the incident, per CNBC. “Our goal was to create an authentic story celebrating Team USA.” Shelly Palmer, a professor of advanced media at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications,...
Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has taken the creative industry by storm, but a new bill has been introduced to protect creators’ rights. U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), and Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) introduced the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act of 2024, or the NO FAKES Act, on July 31. According to a press release shared by Coons, the bill was created “to protect the voice and visual likenesses of creators and individuals from the proliferation of digital replicas created without their consent.” “The NO FAKES Act would hold individuals or companies liable for damages for producing, hosting, or sharing a digital replica of an individual performing in an audiovisual work, image, or sound recording that the individual never actually appeared in or otherwise approved – including digital replicas created by generative artificial intelligence (AI),” per the release. “Everyone...
As the internet continues to evolve, so do the ways that shared information can wind up in the wrong hands. Cortney Worthy is a passionate enterprise data leader with over 15 years of experience in the technology, government, and consulting sectors . Her skills equip her to lead cross-functional teams on their respective paths to optimizing business processes and solving enterprise challenges. As a data governance leader at file-hosting platform Dropbox, she spearheads and oversees intricate programs across public and private divisions, ensuring the implementation of robust solutions on a broad scale. “Data privacy and security are fundamental rights in today’s interconnected world,” Worthy told AFROTECH™. “Helping individuals and organizations navigate these challenges while fostering a career in this dynamic field is both a personal mission and a professional commitment.” As she prepares to take the stage during the 2024 AFROTECH™ Conference in November, Worthy looks forward to...
Our relationship with artificial intelligence (AI) technology has the power to transform human interaction and this professional wants us to use it to our advantage. Tanneasha Gordon has had a first-hand look at how AI has come in to change our relationship with technology as well as how markets and businesses operate at scale. With more than 17 years of advising on privacy, she leads the charge at Deloitte US Data & Digital Trust by building durable ad privacy and compliance solutions along with advising content compliance, data governance, and security. As a go-to leader in times of crisis, Gordon has no issue with the ever-evolving landscape of technology. She helps to direct companies with developing remediation strategies, interpreting requirements, assessing readiness, and a host of other qualities needed to push the needle forward in the space. “As we move from simple AI systems to complex foundational models and usher in AGI – understanding how this technology can benefit...
Artificial intelligence (AI) can sometimes seem unpredictable and even scary, but Cliff Worley wants to help business owners understand how it can help them take their companies to the next level. Worley stresses the importance of taking the time to learn AI tools rather than immediately running away from the ever-evolving technology without ever attempting to understand it . As an accomplished marketing leader and growth advisor to startups, he has an affinity for helping entrepreneurs elevate their businesses. Worley is on a mission to do so by teaching them how to use AI to the advantage of the business they’re looking to grow and scale. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH™ Conference (@afrotech.conference) Currently, Worley is the head of portfolio growth marketing at Kapor Capital. He provides strategic coaching to venture capital-backed companies on how to effectively go to market and scale customer acquisition. He also curates a newsletter called “Cliff...