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Nakia Booker’s introduction into the art world began as a young child learning different mediums of art from her grandfather. Decades later, the Southern University and A&M College graduate has returned to her roots through her brainchild The Black Artivism Capsule. The curated collection is now a home for 26 creatives to share their realities with the world through a Black lens. Featured artists include Raphael Adjetey Adjei Mayne, Ashley Nesmith, Khalid Thompson, and the late Crystal Kirk. The spread will feature the Black experience through all its facets such as civil unrest, health crises, and snapshots of a more hopeful future. “The place where I was at this time when all this was going on — I was feeling upset, angry, frustrated, like everybody else. This project I started during the pandemic gave me hope and joy because it is timeless. It captures the past, present, and future so when you look at it you’ll be reminded of where we used to be and where we are now,” Booker...
This group of men is on their way to building a future that is for us, by us. As a Black-owned Internet Service Provider, Culture Wireless was birthed in Atlanta, GA to empower communities by providing them with quality and affordable internet service. “Even in 2022, between 9 to 12 million children in the U.S. and 1.3 billion worldwide lack access to quality and affordable Internet,” said Culture Wireless CEO and Founder Vernell Woods in an interview with AfroTech. “As technologists and members of the community, it is Culture Wireless’s responsibility to help narrow that gap to zero.” Woods, alongside William “BAM” Sparks, Jerome Howard, and Al Adjahoe are on a mission to change the world through technology and are one step closer to helping to close the digital divide that plagues the nation starting with the state of Georgia.
It’s never too early to begin looking ahead to the future, especially not for Trey Brown, who is a young entrepreneur with a very promising one. As previously reported by AfroTech, Brown continues to level up whether it be through his second retail store for his brand SPERGO or wooing the sharks on ABC’s “Shark Tank.” He is the future and from the looks of it, the kids are indeed alright. Brown, a true wealth generator, first began his entrepreneurial path at the age of 12. Now, at 15-years-old, he has managed to bring in millions of dollars in sales — even landing an investment deal that could set him on the right path to fulfilling his dream of becoming a millionaire by the time he is age 21. The teen originally launched SPERGO, a boutique fashion collection for men, women, and children, after receiving a birthday gift. Today, the business has two storefronts, one located in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA, and the second in Washington, D.C. at Pentagon City Mall. Brown...
Sometimes the American dream is what you make it. For Nicole Enearu and her family, that dream has paid off. When the word “changemaker” comes to mind, one’s mind may go to the person who is out and about making things happen in the community. Enearu has been making it happen with one McDonald’s franchise at a time! As previously reported by AfroTech, Enearu and her family have managed to successfully open 13 McDonald’s franchises, generating nearly $50 million in revenue and employing more than 700 people in the community. The impact that this has had on her family is one thing, but for the community — it’s a whole different story.
Most pre-teens have their minds on tons of things but building an empire as a digital architect may not be one of them. As previously reported by AfroTech, at age 12, Nyla Hayes created the Long Neckie Collection — a non-fungible token (NFT) collection worth about $3.4 million in digital currency. She is also TIMEPiece’s First Artist-In-Residence and the founder of NFT Children’s Day, an initiative launched to encourage more youth to get involved in tech. For Hayes, her first introduction to tech and the metaverse started with Roblox. Hayes has had a love for art since an early age. She started drawing at the tender age of four and the rest has truly been history. AfroTech sat down with the young artist to discuss her collection, making money doing what she loves, and what the future holds.
Golde’s co-founder and CEO Trinity Mouzon Wofford’s entrepreneurial path has always been about calling shots on her own terms. Whether it be daringly reaching out to fellow entrepreneurs or standing firm in letting her brand grow naturally, she always goes with her gut. While her initial decision to not take venture capital wasn’t one that she describes as being backed by consciousness, it’s a move that demonstrates how trusting the process can be just as effective. As a young Black female CEO a part of a group that isn’t typically embraced by investors, the way her business unfolded ultimately worked in her favor. Not having to focus on the ins and out of the investing world allowed her to flip the narrative on its head of the effects of someone of her background being shut out of the space. It’s following the beat of her own drum that has landed Golde in the stores of big-name retailers such as Sephora and Target. View this post on Instagram A post shared by GOLDE (@golde)...
All geniuses don’t wear lab coats. Sometimes, they ditch the lab coat and lead the way for innovation in technology! When Josh Aviv first conjured up the idea for SparkCharge, he was simply just trying to create a solution that would provide accessibility to the smart car industry for more people! “I started this company in my dorm room,” said Aviv in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “While on the campus of Syracuse University, we were the definition of a dorm room startup. From there, we had the opportunity to really receive some really good investments.” He continued: “And we were able to grow the company from one founder to a team of just about 40 employees.”
AFROTECH is honoring individuals across the tech industry — including the disrupters, innovators, wealth-makers, and overall game-changers in the industry in honor of Black History Month. The inaugural AFROTECH™ Future 50 list honors 50 rising titans in the tech industry. These are up-and-coming visionaries from sectors across CPG, FinTech, D&I, VC, Board Directors, Product Leaders, Beauty, Crypto/NFTs, Social Impact, and Entrepreneurship. You’ve seen their stories on here, and elsewhere. You’ve followed their journey and watched them change the face of technology. You even may have been inspired to begin your own entrepreneurial journey after reading about theirs. And that, really, is what they’re here for. AFROTECH prides itself on bringing you the best — and brightest — Black men and women who overcame impossible odds to become thought leaders, disruptors, and innovators. Black men and women certainly don’t get enough credit, and recognition, for their role in the ever-changing...
This Florida A&M University student bet on herself and landed in national stores. Kah’Milah Ledgester submitted her designs for Target’s 2021 HBCU design contest and JCPenney’s Young, Gifted and Black design challenge. And, putting her hands in various baskets paid off. Ledgester was informed she won both competitions during the spring of 2021 and to expect them displayed on a national scale for Black History Month of 2022. FAMU senior graphic design student Kah'Milah Ledgester recently appeared in a @Target commercial showcasing her work for their 2022 Black History Collection! Way to strike from the top, Kah'Milah! Check out the commercial below! #famu #rattlers #blackbeyondmeasure pic.twitter.com/q2k7HukC3F — FAMU School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (@FAMUSJGC82) November 26, 2021 “I always get a little excited because of the fact that I did the Target challenge, and I also did JCPenney and won both of them. It made me feel very good because I took a chance,” said...
Evolving with social media is no small feat, yet Rickey Thompson and Denzel Dion have made it look easy. The online world has watched the two influencers and best friends grow up from six-second Vines to becoming YouTubers — because before TikTok, YouTube was where a class of Black content creators entered the space and took the Internet by storm. And things were clearly just beginning, as Thompson and Dion seemingly went on to make even bigger moves in the entertainment industry. In my opinion, their success is marked as wins, especially when up against not being awarded the same level of opportunities as their white counterparts. However, t he two have stayed ten toes down in the game for nearly a decade — even though the way Black content creators get treated hasn’t really improved much. Take, for example, how Black TikTokers are the creative masterminds behind some of the biggest trends on the platform, but still, Forbes’ list of the highest TikTok earners featured no Black...
When taking a look at Mattaniah Aytenfsu’s resume, your first guess wouldn’t be that she had no prior experience within her pursued field going into her freshman year of college. While balancing being a student in college, the young science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) student worked with the likes of NASA and TaskRabbit — which eventually led to Google. At 24-years-old, Aytenfsu is a UX engineer for YouTube and a budding TikTok influencer.
Years ago, a space exploration documentary was watched by a young and curious mind. The experience proved to be life-changing and would instill purpose into Mary Spio, who would eventually become a space engineer. Her heart longed to one day walk on the moon and with the help of an Oculus headset, her dream came true. Now, Spio has become a huge contributor to the shift in innovation and technologies within the movie industry and beyond. She wants to imprint hope and purpose into the next generation of changemakers by making virtual reality accessible globally. “I always go back to this documentary that had me thinking about what if and then led to me creating industry-changing technologies today that have already impacted the lives of so many and multiple generations thereafter. I just want to make these technologies more accessible,” Spio said exclusively to AfroTech.
We promise this is not your average vending machine. Shania Morris is the mastermind behind Blinkz On A Budget, a luxury vending machine that allows you to purchase lashes on the go. The unconventional route found favor in the eyes of the 24-year-old as it forged a connection between customers while cutting down operational costs. The Jamaican native stirred up the idea to launch a vending machine after recognizing the ever-growing popularity within the United States. Morris’ passion project soon went from an idea to reality after scoring a vendor in Florida who could provide a home for her human lashes. She planned to debut her machine at a local outlet mall in Florida but she soon realized to stand out among competitors, her dispensary would need a unique twist. In decked-out fashion, the vending machine received a stellar makeover sporting an adorned floral wall perfect to snap a few selfies while operating as a hidden marketing strategy. @thelashdoc #minklashes...
This founder is making feminine care accessible for all. Arion Long, who sometimes refers to herself as the “Chief Estrogen Officer” is the heart and brain behind Femly. The company — founded in 2016 — has become a powerhouse shaking up a multi-billion dollar industry while revolutionizing feminine care. Arion Long was compelled to launch the brand after a health scare shortly following her time in college. She experienced weight gains, abnormal mood changes, and pain in her ovaries. After several visits to obstetrician-gynecologists, Arion Long was told she had a cervical tumor. Her doctor believed chemicals found in popular feminine care products were a likely cause. “We assume because some of these pads are white, that they’re clean. That is so far from the truth. Historically, many of the popular pad brands were made with synthetic materials like nylon, which is known for harboring heat and bacteria. The other side of that is many of these pads included ingredients like...
The first Black-owned contactless grocery just hit the Atlanta market thanks to husband-and-wife, Jamie and Jilea Hemmings. According to TechCrunch, the dynamic duo created Nourish + Bloom Market to provide more than 1,000 locally sourced, healthy food products to the community, which includes baked goods, dairy, meats, prepared meals, and produce. Their journey to entrepreneurship began for the pair when their eldest child was diagnosed with autism at the age of six. After researching the impact that autism can have on one’s diet, the husband-and-wife built a food company that took “child favorites” and turned them into healthier options. Now, the sentiment is the same after finding themselves in need of healthier food options upon moving to Atlanta two years ago. “We thought of the idea a year ago, during the pandemic, to provide a solution for customers where they wouldn’t have to wait in line or touch anything while checking out,” said Jamie Hemmings in an interview with...