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High school senior Chase Matthews is making history in Georgia. WSB-TV Atlanta reports that as Matthews looks ahead to her next chapter after graduating from Westlake High School in South Fulton County, Georgia, she’s celebrating a record-breaking number of scholarship offers to support her higher education journey. She has already been accepted into colleges in every state, totaling 155 acceptance letters. Some of the schools include Florida A&M University, Howard University, Ohio State University, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “Just hard work, hard work,” said Matthews’ College Advisor Sean Moore, according to WSB-TV Atlanta. Furthermore, the outlet also noted that Matthews has received $6 million in scholarship offers, one of the highest for a high school senior in the state’s history. “Chase exemplifies excellence,” mentioned Gregory Minnis, Westlake High interim principal, per the outlet. Matthews has not yet decided which school she will attend, but the prospects of...
A 13-year-old who attends high school in Conyers, GA, has fulfilled his lifelong dream of receiving an acceptance letter to Morehouse College . Joshua Suddith is currently dual-enrolled at Hills Academy and Augusta Technical College, completing 27 credit hours with a GPA of 3.88, according to 11 Alive News. In his free time, Joshua enjoys playing basketball like typical kids his age — but he is anything but ordinary. By 9 months old, he was talking, and by 18 months, he was reading. At just 3 years old, he authored his first book. “His grit and determination are the most impressive things about him,” his mother, Chaundra Suddith, said. “He didn’t let challenges get in the way of his dream.” Throughout his education, Joshua skipped several grades — he moved from second grade to fifth grade, then to seventh, and then 11th grade. By age 12, he had received over 20 college acceptance letters, including from Jackson State University and Tennessee State University, 11 Alive reported....
High School senior Mantavius Presley has a bright future ahead. As a student at Douglas County High School, located at Douglasville, GA, Presley has prioritized more than just his academics to make a meaningful impact within and beyond school walls. According to WSB-TV 2, he serves as president of Future Business Leaders of America and the National Honor Society , as well as vice president of the student government and Class of 2025. In addition, Presley has taken on leadership roles as the manager of the junior varsity and varsity cheer teams and is a member of the yearbook staff, all while dedicating over 1,100 hours to community service, per Atlanta News First. As he prepares to walk the stage in the spring, Presley’s next chapter in higher learning is already in motion. He has received acceptances from more than 58 colleges and universities. Among the interested academic institutions are The University of Alabama, Mercer University, and Historically Black Colleges and...
Junior Bridgeman has passed away at 71 years old, leaving behind a lasting legacy. The former NBA Milwaukee Bucks player who became a prominent businessman died on March 11, 2025, following a medical emergency. He had collapsed during a luncheon at the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, KY, for the Lincoln Heritage Council of the Boy Scouts of America, according to WDRB. His exact cause of death has not been confirmed, but various Louisville television stations reported that he was seen holding his chest at a point during the event, per ESPN. “We express our heartfelt condolences to Junior’s wife, Doris, their children, Eden, Justin and Ryan, the Bucks organization, and his many friends and admirers in the basketball community,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement, notes ESPN. Bridgeman was a well respected figure for his accomplishments on and off the court. In fact, his jersey was retired at Fiserv Forum, the Milwaukee Bucks’ home arena in Wisconsin, in 1988 to honor his...
Dr. Bernard Harris will be inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The Temple, TX, native graduated from the University of Houston in 1978 with a bachelor of science degree in biology. He then attended medical school at Texas Tech University and completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic in 1985, followed by a fellowship at NASA’s Ames Research Center, according to a news release. Dr. Harris joined NASA as a clinical scientist and flight surgeon. He remained with the agency from 1990 to 2010, and during his tenure, he became an astronaut and served as a mission specialist on STS-55 (1993) and the groundbreaking STS-63 flight in 1995, which made him the first African American to walk in space. In total, Dr. Harris has spent 18 days in space and has flown seven million miles, he notes on his LinkedIn. “Space exploration has always been about pushing boundaries, inspiring future generations, and proving that the impossible is achievable,” Dr. Harris said in a news release. “I am...
Stefanie Thomas-Martin has been promoted after spearheading a $50 million investment vehicle. The Wall Street veteran, who holds an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, joined Zeal Capital Partners—a Washington, D.C.-based venture capital firm focused on early-stage technology businesses —as its managing director in 2023. Before that, she was a founding member and investor at Impact America Fund (IAF), where she helped grow the company’s assets under management from $7 million to $110 million, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. Thomas-Martin was entrusted with leading the VC firm’s $50 million Barclays Black Formation Investment (BBFI) vehicle, which funds Black-led companies leveraging services and technology to bridge wealth and skills gaps. She not only successfully led the initiative but also launched its first scout program to train the next generation of venture capitalists. Her efforts have led to her promotion from managing director to partner,...
Derek W. Bailey is a trailblazer in the automotive industry. He was inspired by C.R. Patterson, born into slavery in 1833. The National Museum of African American History and Culture reports little recollection of Patterson’s life on the plantation, and it is unclear whether his freedom was purchased or if he escaped. Nonetheless, he became a free man and learned the blacksmith trade, which opened doors to carriage-making. He later made history by founding C.R. Patterson & Sons after becoming the sole proprietor of a business venture he had initially started in partnership with J.P. Lowe. Patterson became the first Black automaker in the United States, and now Bailey is carrying the baton. “He was actually born before the Emancipation Proclamation. He built a car company in that period and time,” Bailey told WSB-TV. “Black men have been doing great things throughout history.” Bailey is making his mark as the owner of Atlanta, GA-based Derek Automotive, which has various electric...
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...
A scholarship that provided assistance to HBCU students will no longer exist. In 1992, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created the 1890 National Scholars Program through a collaboration with 1890 land-grant universities, which refer to the 19 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that benefited from resources established by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, according to Montana State University. The first act was established to ensure broader access to education in agriculture, military tactics, and engineering for the working class, and the second act provided further funding to include HBCUs. As for the 1890 National Scholars Program, it aims to increase representation at these schools by funding students, particularly from rural and underserved communities, i n food, agriculture, natural resource, and other related sciences, according to the USDA website. Recipients benefit from full tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Eligibility requirements...
Paula Wright has built an empire of McDonald’s restaurants, having made history at the start of the franchise era. According to MetroWest Daily News, Wright and her late husband, Don, became New England’s first Black McDonald’s franchisees in 1984. Before venturing into the fast-food industry, she had a career in technology at IBM. “A co-worker of mine, her husband was in the business,” Wright told the outlet. “That’s how Don and I got involved.” Their first location was in a newly built mall in downtown Boston, MA. However, the business did not fare well due to low foot traffic, with capacity never more than 60%. “There just weren’t enough people there,” Wright recalled to the outlet. The couple then secured a second location, but once again, sales did not match their expectations, which they believe was due to construction for TD Garden, a multi-purpose arena that opened in 1995. However, success would come when they moved into the suburbs. “We lived in Sudbury (MA), so when we...
Howard University has received a new distinction. According to Diverse Education, the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) has earned the Research One (R1) Carnegie Classification — a first for an HBCU. Not to mention, such an accomplishment is shared with fewer than 150 universities across the country. The criteria entails that institutions allocate at least $50 million toward research and development and award a minimum of 70 research doctorates, the Carnegie Classification website states. Howard University surpassed these expectations in fiscal year 2023, allocating just under $85 million in research expenses and awarding 96 doctorates in a variety of fields — the highest number awarded to Black students at any college or university in America, according to Dr. Bruce A. Jones, Howard University’s senior vice president for research. Dr. Robert T. Palmer, the school’s chair and professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, mentioned, “Howard...
Issa Rae refers to Sienna Naturals’ expansion with Sephora as a “dream come true.” Rae co-founded the award-winning hair care brand Sienna Naturals, which was first envisioned by Hannah Diop in 2012. Diop, reflecting on her own challenges in finding hair products that met her needs, recalls how clarifying shampoos fell short in restoring her hair’s health during her time on the swim team. This firsthand experience played a pivotal role in shaping Sienna Naturals, a brand founded on a proprietary clean chemistry approach that prioritizes scalp health , according t o the brand’s website. The haircare line is powered by hydrating, abiotic, pH-balanced ingredients (H.A.P.I.). “The first impression I want people to have when they use Sienna Naturals is how beautiful their hair is. So that wet-feel design is very intentional,” Diop told AFROTECH™. Photo Credit: Sienna Naturals When Rae discovered Sienna Naturals, she was in the process of learning how to best care for her natural hair...
Former NBA athlete Junior Bridgeman is now a billionaire. From NBA Player To Successful Businessman Bridgeman was among the 1975 NBA Draft class and was selected in the first round as the eighth pick by the Los Angeles Lakers, notes Basketball Reference. He was soon traded to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a deal to bring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the Lakers. He went on to play with the Bucks until 1984 before spending two years with the Los Angeles Clippers. Bridgeman returned to the Bucks for his final season in 1986-87, according to ESPN. His starting salary in the league was two payments totaling $140,000, but he only saw $55,000 due to taxes and agent fees. Over his 12-year playing career, he earned $2.95 million and never made more than $350,000 in a single season. When Bridgeman retired from the league in 1987, he had already considered a roadmap for his post-career as a businessman. Forbes notes that he received guidance from former Milwaukee Bucks owner Jim Fitzgerald, who...
Travis Scott has launched a new program that will fuel the design and creativity of students. In 2020, the rapper and songwriter extended his impact in his hometown of Houston, TX, by launching the Cactus Jack Foundation in November 2020, providing the next generation with educational and creative resources, Variety notes. One year after its inception, the foundation launched the 60,000-square-foot Cact.us Design Center at TXRX Labs, serving at-risk middle and high school students. It offers training, mentorship, and exposure to career paths in graphic design, fashion, and music, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. The foundation also provides $10,000 scholarships to college students in partnership with the Fashion Scholarship Fund through the Design Ethos Program. It has awarded scholarships to two cohorts since 2024. Recipients include: Gerald Baano-Stewart II (Morehouse College, 2024) Amanda Kerr (Savannah College of Art and Design, 2024) Satchel Smith (Thomas...
Christina Betancourt Johnson has made history in the cannabis sector. The Washington, DC, native with 15 years of experience as an executive — per Honeysuckle magazine — is the founder and CEO of Standard Wellness Maryland, which launched in 2019. The company had an interest in catering to consumers as well as patients looking for premium products for their medicine. Its offerings include flowers, topicals, tinctures, vapes, and concentrates, its website mentions. At the heart of S tandard Wellness Maryland’s lies a mission t o ensure there is greater representation in the cannabis industry, and this became part of Johnson’s call to action to drive equity in partnership with Rooted Therapeutics, her first company. Benzinga reports that Standard Wellness Maryland’s existence is historic as it is the first v ertically integrated cannabis company in the United States majority-owned by an African American and Latina, according to the social equity office in Maryland. It is licensed to...