Joshua Ogundu

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Since Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook , knowing how to code has been one of the most in-demand skills of the century. Millennials were first exposed to the world of programming via Myspace, where users could use HTML & CSS to customize their profiles to their liking. During the focus on code, there have been increasingly more companies focused on making it so anyone who wants to create an app or a website can do it without having to have studied computer science. Since the early days of the dot-com era, companies have been developing tools to make website creation accessible to those without a background in computer science. WordPress is one of the first to do this at scale—and one of the most recognizable. WordPress was founded in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg, focusing on making blogging more accessible for people who did not know how to write HTML/CSS & Javascript. As of 2024, 44% of all websites are...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. The meaning of words changes over time and often shifts based on who is using them and why. One example that comes to mind is the word “Woke.” In the context of social justice, “woke” was used as early as the 1920s by Marcus Garvey in his article “Wake Up Ethiopia! Wake Up Africa!” where he urged Black people to become more politically and socially aware. The phrase “Stay Woke,” which we are more familiar with, became widely known during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Originally intended to promote social and political awareness among Black people, the term has since been co-opted by others as a negative label. Today, “woke” is often used in a derogatory way to criticize liberal ideologies or actions. “Woke” isn’t the only term that has undergone a shift in meaning. The phrase Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), which traces its origins back to affirmative action , has also evolved. When...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. The heart of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is about creating equitable access to opportunities, but unfortunately we are seeing the ladder of opportunity be systematically pulled up ever since President Donald Trump started his second term. Once he was sworn in, a slew of companies in the private sector, including large tech companies like Amazon and Meta, rolled back their previous commitments to DEI, with some in the financial sector like banks JPMorgan Chase and Citi Group following suit. This focus on the rollback of DEI is not only impacting the private sector but the world of education as well. Through Critical Race Theory (CRT), which started as a legal topic back in the 1970s and 1980s at Harvard Law School, Derrick Bell argued that racism appears in policies, even when these policies seem neutral. He stated that they are not just on the individual level but are present institutionally...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Significant layoffs have been a consistent theme throughout the world of work for over three years. Whether you work in tech, media, or finance you have seen the news or know of those who have been impacted. Gone is the employment heyday of the pandemic, when firms across the board ramped up their hiring efforts in 2020 and 2021. This led to people embracing new opportunities and getting bumps in compensation that were not previously available. Unfortunately, when the boosts to businesses and balance sheets went away, firms started laying off their workforces in droves. Initially, the reasons behind the cuts were due to overhiring, and companies were looking to streamline their workforces and management in order to move the organizations more nimbly. The media started to refer to it as a “White-Collar Recession” because while other sectors like hospitality and health services saw employment...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. OpenAI has been the talk of the town ever since it released ChatGPT two years ago. Since then, the company has continued to showcase where it sees opportunities in artificial intelligence. In December, OpenAI held a 12-day event called 12 Days of OpenAI , a play on the song The Twelve Days of Christmas, in which each of the 12 days leading up to Christmas featured a new announcement. We all remember the lyric: “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.” The releases that captured the most attention during this period included ChatGPT Pro, which provided access to OpenAI’s latest models and tools for $200 a month; advancements on Sora, its tool that enables users to create images or videos via text; and 1-800-CHATGPT, a phone-accessible AI service that enhances accessibility, particularly for older generations. These 12 days made it clear that OpenAI wants AI to be seen as a partner...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion has been in the spotlight since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, in 2020, which millions of people witnessed via social media. That reminded me of how the civil rights movement didn’t spark real change until people saw the violence against protestors broadcast directly into their homes. Similarly, in 2020, many witnessed injustice unfold in real time on their phones. We can draw parallels between the civil rights movement of the 1960s and the events of the past five years. Just as some supported integration while others opposed it, there are divided views on DEI today. Gallup Inc. helps track public opinion on these issues over time. George Gallup founded the American Institute of Public Opinion, the precursor to Gallup. In 1935, they conducted their first political public opinion poll and have remained independent, never conducting surveys on behalf of...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. “Oligarchy” is the word that has been spread across the internet and used to describe what has been observed during Donald Trump’s inauguration. “Oligarchy” is defined as “a country, institution, or organization led by a small group of people.” Observers saw the leaders of the most powerful tech companies in the world not just in attendance but sitting where friends and family sit. They had better seats than Trump’s cabinet. It’s not uncommon for business leaders to convene in Washington D.C. to usher in the exchange of power, but the previous relationship that Trump had with these tech CEOs, and its change to what is seen now, is something to take note of. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Meta; Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon; Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet; Tim Cook, CEO of Apple; and, of course Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, were all close to the president during his swearing in. Each one of...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. TikTok may go dark in the United States. As a former TikTok employee, the way the ban will work here in the United States will be different than the one in India in 2020. The first difference is the politics surrounding why the bans are happening in the two countries in the first place. In India, the ban was less about TikTok and more so about the strained relationship between India and China. The root of their strain comes from the dispute that China and India have related to who owns Aksai Chin, which India claims to be part of its Ladakh region. China has claimed the land since 1962 and the Sino-Indian War. Due to the longstanding tensions between the two countries since, India opted to use economic tools against China, which in this case meant banning Chinese companies from doing business in India. When TikTok was banned from India so were WeChat, Alibaba, and Xiaomi. In the United States,...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Venture capital has transformed over the last 15 years from a little-known industry to one of the most sought-after fields, thanks to the rise of iconic tech companies and the media spotlight on their stories. Movies, television, and digital media have brought the narratives of this once-obscure sector to screens worldwide. The first major story to captivate global attention was “ The Social Network” in 2010, chronicling Mark Zuckerberg’s journey from founding Facebook (now Meta) in his Harvard dorm room to building one of the world’s largest companies, with a market cap of $1.5 trillion. The allure of startups also made its way to the small screen with the hit HBO series “ Silicon Valley ”. Over six seasons, the show followed Richard Hendricks and his fictional startup , Pied Piper, portraying the highs and lows of launching, scaling, and exiting a startup. Each week, viewers gained insights into...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Donald Trump will soon start his second term as president of the United States and will have to show the people who voted for him that he will follow through on promises made on the campaign trail. He promised to raise tariffs on exports from countries like China to prioritize American workers and companies here in the United States. Given how impactful tariffs can be on certain countries and within certain areas of the tech industry, it is best to prepare ahead of time for how those tariffs will change the industry and affect opportunities. Tariffs are an additional tax added on a country’s imports or exports. Trump’s relationship with tariffs started during his first administration, and they were primarily targeted at China. The first exports he put tariffs on were solar panels and washing machines at a rate of 20%-50% in January 2018 , which affected China and other countries. He subsequently...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Companies and products are often designed with younger generations, like Gen Z and Millennials, in mind. However, this emphasis often causes the industry to overlook older generations who also need technology tailored to their needs. One would think this would be an obvious market, given that Gen X and Boomers hold more wealth than younger generations. That wealth alone makes them an attractive customer base because they can afford the products and services being developed. Even so, there hasn’t been much focus from tech investors or founders on creating solutions for this demographic. How often have you come across a founder or investor saying, “We’re building this for Gen X or Boomers”? Rarely, if ever. This is a massively overlooked opportunity. One reason for this lack of attention is that the tech industry is perpetually focused on the future. Rarely does it look to the past. When developing...

Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta —the company that owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, which collectively have a combined daily active user base of 3.3 billion—will be implementing sweeping changes to content moderation. The announcement was made via a Reel on Zuckerberg’s Instagram . Anyone on the internet knows that, over the last five years, content has often taken precedence over real connection. Considering the incoming presidential administration and the immense influence platforms like Facebook and Instagram have on what content is seen or suppressed, it’s unsurprising that Meta is overhauling its approach ahead of this political transition. This is especially relevant given the strained relationship Donald Trump has had with social media companies like Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter) over the years. Content moderation has become a highly polarizing issue in the United States, especially due to the political nature of our cultural spaces and the increasing...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Since the release of ChatGPT two years ago, everyone has been talking about how artificial intelligence would change the world. Whether it was getting any answer you needed at the drop of a hat or creating any image or video you wanted just by describing it, the hours and money that would have gone into either are no longer an issue because AI does all the work on your behalf. When techies discuss the work AI could help someone do, they always focus on those in white-collar jobs, assisting them in searching or summarizing vast amounts of unstructured data to provide the insights they need or the creations they want. That may explain why many AI companies target the same use cases and markets. However, I believe the power of AI doesn’t just lie in reimagining how we experience our digital and physical worlds. After the pandemic, a term was coined : “ revenge spending” — essentially, people getting...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. Washington, D.C ., has long been a hub for Black individuals seeking community and opportunity. Known affectionately as “Chocolate City,” the area is home to a thriving population of Black professionals who live, work, and play in the region. D.C. is not only the home of prestigious HBCUs like Howard University but also serves as the political heart of the United States, with most career opportunities tied to government work. Companies such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Deloitte offer consulting roles that bridge the gap between the private sector and government. As interest grows from both the government and the technology industry to strengthen their collaboration, career opportunities at the intersection of these sectors — at the federal, state, and local levels — are expected to rise. This is an emerging opportunity that aspiring professionals should pay attention to. In this article, I’ll...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. TikTok is once again finding itself at odds with the U.S government as it fights to stay available here in the U.S. Previously, TikTok had to go up against The Commitee On Foreign Investment In The United States because the company’s ties to China through its owner Bytedance prompted some concerns by the U.S. government for national security. President Joe Biden signed a new law in April 2024 that would force the sale of TikTok to a U.S.-owned entity, or it will face a permanent ban here in the U.S. starting January 2025. TikTok then asked the Supreme Court to place a pause on the potential ban to hear its arguments on why the platform should be able to operate in the U.S. The Supreme Court will hear the start to its arguments on Jan. 10. Today, TikTok is a place not only to discover content but also to engage in commerce. TikTok Shop launched in September 2023 and has quickly become a mainstay...