Remaining a student has led Carmelo Anthony into various industries. The former NBA player, who retired in 2023 and is a first-ballot Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, reflects on his evolution from the 19-year-old drafted in 2003 to a businessman who is now a serial investor and founder in the wine and cannabis sectors. One of Anthony’s biggest takeaways: He is no longer operating in fear. “A top lesson that I’ve learned was ‘stop being afraid,'” he recalled in an interview with AFROTECH™. “ A lot of times when you’re younger and you in these powerful roles and there’s people who are making decisions and there are people writing checks, it’s like ‘You too young to understand it,’ until you grow and until you get older, you go through it and you understand what you truly want to do.” He continued, “At 19, 20, 21, I didn’t have any type of sense of business. I knew street business, I knew street knowledge. I have foundational ethics and morals that could carry over from the streets...

PepsiCo representatives met with civil rights leaders from the National Action Network (NAN) after Reverend Al Sharpton threatened to lead a boycott over the company’s decision to scale back parts of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives . After sending a letter to the food and beverage brand on April 4, 2025, outlining details of the intended boycott, Sharpton issued a statement on Tuesday, April 15, saying that he and several members of NAN had a “constructive conversation” lasting over an hour with PepsiCo Chairman Ramon Laguarta and PepsiCo North America CEO Steven Williams. During the meeting at PepsiCo’s global headquarters in Purchase, NY, they had a chance “to discuss our grievances over reports they were rolling back nearly $500 million in DEI commitments .” “We agreed to follow up meetings within the next few days,” Sharpton wrote. “After that continued dialogue, NAN Chairman Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson and I, both former members of the company’s African...

After years of letting baristas bring their full selves to work — tattoos, flannels, colored hair, and all — Starbucks is reining things back in. Starting May 12, the coffee giant is introducing a new, streamlined look that puts the brand’s most iconic symbol — the green apron — back at center stage. The 2025 Starbucks dress code will require employees to wear solid black tops (collared, button-up, or crewneck) paired with bottoms in black, khaki, or blue denim. This shift is being framed as a branding move, part of Starbucks’ ongoing effort to create a familiar and consistent vibe in stores across North America. Each employee, known internally as a “partner,” will also receive two company-branded T-shirts at no cost, including options designed by partner networks. Why The 2025 Starbucks Dress Code Signals More Than Just A Wardrobe Change At first glance, it might look like a simple update to the dress code. But the new dress code is actually doing a lot of heavy lifting. It’s a...

Entreprenuership is a risk that Monique Rodriguez was willing to take on. Business Risks Rodriguez is the co-founder of haircare brand Mielle Organics, which she launched with the help of her husband, Melvin. She shares on the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast, hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucas, that her earliest risk in her entrepreneurship journey was walking away from a stable position as a registered nurse. Melvin also took a leap, leaving his corporate role. Together, they trusted in what they believed was a vision from God and created a blueprint that ultimately led to success. “We didn’t just leave our jobs and say, ‘Oh, we don’t have a plan in place or we don’t have income.’ We had to have a solid plan in place to map out how we were going to get some type of income to still keep our bills afloat and food in our kids’ mouth. So we had to plan that out. But it was a huge risk of the unknown, of both of us turning away from our jobs,” Rodriguez mentioned on the...

The Trump administration has rescinded a historic settlement designed to improve wastewater treatment services for residents in majority-Black communities in Lowndes County, Alabama, where inadequate infrastructure has long led to raw sewage exposure. On Friday, April 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the termination of the 2-year-old agreement made with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) under the Biden administration , describing it as an “ illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.” “The DOJ will no longer push ‘environmental justice’ as viewed through a distorting, DEI lens,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “ President [Donald] Trump made it clear: Americans deserve a government committed to serving every individual with dignity and respect, and to expending taxpayer resources in accordance with the national interest, not arbitrary criteria.” On Jan. 20, 2025 — his first day back in office — Trump had signed an executive...

Twin brothers and co-founders Oliver and Alexander Kent-Braham are now behind a multi-billion-dollar company alongside David Goaté. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, the siblings founded U.K. -based digital car insurance startup Marshmallow to combat “unfair insurance prices” for migrants. “We now help 100,000s of UK newcomers get a fairer deal on their car insurance every year. We do this by building our own technology, developing pricing and fraud models that let us cater to their unique experiences, and investing time in getting to know them on a deeper level,” a statement on the company’s website reads.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Marshmallow (@getmarshmallow) According to TechCrunch, Marshmallow made history in 2021 as one of two Black-founded startups in the U.K. to reach a $1 billion valuation. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the company raised $85 million in a Series B funding round with investors that included Passion Capital, Monzo, Investec, and...

President Donald Trump has established an “America first” policy on tariffs and soon big changes will be evident, according to economic forecasting . The tariff war has already had drastic impacts on businesses and the stock market, so there are sure to be others. Along with the controversial federal funding cuts, there are a myriad of moving parts to keep track of as Trump enacts his executive orders. The American people and those abroad keeping abreast of the situation may not be caught up on their international taxation information . For anyone seeking uncomplicated answers, here’s a quick guide to how tariffs work and why they’re so relevant in 2025. How Do Tariffs Work? (Tyler Casey/Unsplash) In a conversation with UChicago News earlier this month, Professor Robert Gulotty explained, “Tariffs are federal taxes, set by Congress, and applied to goods at the border. Unlike income or sales taxes, tariffs vary by product and by the originating country.” These taxes on imported goods...

Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA) is mobilizing support for Black maternal health. Black Maternal Health Week April 11–17 is Black Maternal Health Week (BMHW), an initiative created by the Black women-led, cross-sectoral consortium Black Mamas Matter Alliance (BMMA), with the intent of raising awareness and fostering community around the experiences of Black mothers and birthing people, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. Atlanta-GA-based BMMA traces its origins to 2013 when the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective (SisterSong) began constructive research on the obstacles Black mothers face in accessing health care. Once it had become its own independent entity in 2018, BMMA established Black Maternal Health Week and began working with up to 18 community-based organizations. That number has since grown to nearly 50. Black Maternal Health Week also intentionally coincides with National Minority Health Month,...

The third annual Black Effect Podcast Festival will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, GA. Founder Charlamagne Tha God will join popular personalities from his and iHeartMedia’s Black Effect Podcast Network for the one-day festival — which promises some of the “biggest and best” podcasts — featuring live recordings to amplify Black voices and informative discussions to inspire the next generation of podcasters. The Black Effect Marketplace will also be in full effect, featuring various Black-owned businesses and a lineup of food trucks to keep the energy high throughout the day. “We’re excited to return to Atlanta, building on the incredible momentum of the podcast industry and the growing impact of Black creators in the space,” Charlamagne said in a statement. Mandii B and WeezyWTF, hosts of the “Decisions, Decisions” podcast, will host the festival with sounds by DJ Loui Vee of 105.3 The Beat in Atlanta. Appearances are anticipated by popular...

Being a founder is not an easy journey. James Oliver who is currently behind Kabila, a company connecting underserved founders to co-founders, capital, and community, had his fair share of challenges prior to the venture. In fact, his first startup, WeMontage, failed while he was also navigating the early days of fatherhood — his twin children were born prematurely at just two pounds each via an emergency C-section. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, some of his difficulties were launching his company as a non-technical founder creating software. Two days after his children’s births, he had to attend an accelerator, led by gener8tor, which was a two-hour drive from where he lived in northeast Wisconsin. Ahead of a presentation on demo day, Oliver was greeted by an angel investor group, and they were willing to invest $250,000. “I dropped to my knees and thanked God because everything I was going through at that time was really hard. So that was my introduction to being a parent and...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. President Donald Trump has gone all in on his tariff crusade, announcing last week a 10% tariff on almost every country with even higher tariffs on specific countries. From beauty and food to car automation , every industry is currently reeling with the stock market dovetailing, and the potential negative aftereffects will be felt for decades to come. However, the now billion-dollar AI industry is at risk of being decimated thanks to Trump’s tariffs. Pro-crypto and pro-AI fanatics have curried a lot of favor with the president, so much so that many of them have been appointed as high government officials to advance America’s standing in the global AI race. Even though Trump has reversed his initial thoughts towards technology, his insistence on tariffs may hurt the AI industry after all. According to Time, AI companies, along with several other industries, lost billions of dollars when the tariffs...

Yale University students Nathaneo Johnson And Sean Hargrow have launched what they call “the first AI social network.” Business Insider reports that the duo was inspired to found Series because vanity metrics, such as likes and follower counts, were becoming a barrier to connection on platforms such as LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. “I see it within our generation, the FOMO, the ‘I’m not good enough, I won’t reach out to that person, he’s better than me,'” Hargrow told Business Insider. “Forget your likes, forget your followers, let’s focus on who you are and what you can bring to the table and what you need, and what somebody else can bring to your table if it makes sense.” In 2024, Series was founded with a focus on student entrepreneurs . The platform allows people to chat with an “AI Friend,” whether they’re using an iPhone or Android, to gauge what kind of connections they’re looking for. From there, the AI agent matches them with another Series user who fits...

Beyoncé haircare line is shattering projections at Ulta Beauty. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, in early 2024 the “Cowboy Carter” artist launched Cécred, a science-backed and self-funded haircare brand that was six years in the making, with inspiration from her mother Tina Knowles’ salon. Its products cater to all hair types and include a clarifying shampoo, scalp scrub, moisturizing deep conditioner, and r estoring hair and edge drops, which reached its first-year projections in just one month, WWD reports. View this post on Instagram A post shared by CÉCRED (@cecred) Cécred secured a retail deal with Ulta Beauty, bringing its products to 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores starting April 6, 2025. A party was held at Ulta Beauty’s Westwood location in Los Angeles, CA, to celebrate its launch with Beyoncé sharing kind words. “I grew up in a hair salon, as most of you guys know, with my mother, and this was [our] dream,” Beyoncé said at the event, according to Glossy. “Our team worked so...

Growth Warrior Capital has raised new funding to support enterprise companies being fueled by artificial intelligence (AI). The operator-led venture firm, which invests in early-stage Enterprise AI companies, was created by Promise Phelon, a former Silicon Valley tech CEO with more than 15 years of experience as an angel investor. According to a news release shared with AFROTECH™, her career trajectory has led to an expansive network , some of whom have now invested in Growth Warrior Capital’s first fund, which totals $26 million. Limited partners include Ho Nam and Han Kim (Altos VC) and well as Seth Levine and Brad Feld (Foundry). Amazon Catalytic Capital, Bank of America, Bessemer Venture Partners, Pivotal Ventures, and more are also listed as limited partners. “My goal is to be the first VC fund of significant scale run by a woman of color,” Phelon, founder and managing partner, said in a news release. “We have the backing of VC industry legends, and their support is proof of...

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has received clearance to request personal information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) about undocumented taxpayers. On Monday, April 7, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the IRS filed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to The Guardian. The agreement gives immigration enforcement officials unprecedented access to help President Donald Trump fulfill his promise of mass deportations as his administration continues to investigate undocumented immigrants still in the country after receiving a final removal order from a judge. “As laid out in the MOU, DHS can legally request return information relating to individuals under criminal investigation, and the IRS must provide it,” per a court filing, which outlines the procedures for making such requests and specifies the role of each agency in accessing the...