Alexis McGill Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), has proven to be a thought leader for reproductive rights and a true advocate for social justice. After earning her Master of Arts degree from Yale University, Johnson returned to her alma mater as a faculty member. She later served as political director for Russell Simmons’s “Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.” In 2009, she co-founded the Perception Institute, a collective of researchers and strategists dedicated to turning scientific insights into practical solutions for people from diverse backgrounds, per their website . In 2019, she was named president of Planned Parenthood. During the AFROTECH™ Conference 2024 on Nov. 15, the C-suite executive joined board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Simone Whitmore and 1063 West Broad founder Alencia Johnson for a discussion on reproductive health rights, effective advocacy strategies for women, and advancing reproductive health equity....
Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign made significant payments to the production companies of Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé. Campaign finance records from the Federal Election Commission show that Parkwood Production Media LLC, Beyoncé’s production company, received $165,000 on Nov. 19, 2024, according to USA Today. The payment arrived roughly a month after the singer appeared alongside Harris at a campaign event in Houston, TX, her hometown. While Beyoncé did not perform at the Oct. 25, 2024, event at Shell Energy Stadium, she and her Destiny’s Child groupmate Kelly Rowland publicly endorsed Harris in front of the roughly 30,000 attendees. The event focused on reproductive rights , a key issue Harris emphasized on the campaign trail. On Oct. 15, 2024, Harris’ campaign also paid $1 million — split into two $500,000 payments — to Harpo Productions, Winfrey’s media company, USA Today reports. Winfrey explained that the money was for Harpo’s work producing Harris’ “Unite for America”...
AFROTECH™ Fam, the 2024 conference is here, and things are off to an amazing start to build the future we want to live in. As thousands of attendees land in Houston, TX, one of the first orders of business is picking up registration materials, which offer access to various learning sessions, impactful speakers, and limitless opportunities the conference has in store. This year’s convening is pivotal for Black tech innovators and inclusive tech companies. The annual gathering offers attendees a platform to engage in technical deep dives, participate in learning labs, and seize networking opportunities with industry leaders. It also aims to foster a community for Black tech professionals and provide dynamic programming on emerging trends as well as facilitate conversations with top tech recruiters. Wednesday’s opening of the Culture Park Stage, presented by Lexus (Nov. 13) , offers an immersive experience blending music, community, and diverse programming. The unique, inclusive...
The AFROTECH ™ 2024 Conference kicks off in Houston, TX, on Wednesday, with will.i.am and Tobe Nwigwe joining an already impressive lineup of speakers. Tobe Nwigwe — a visionary, artist, and entrepreneur known for his albums “The MonuMINTal,” “moMINT,” and “HOOD HYMNS” — will take the Innovation Stage for a fireside chat on visual storytelling. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AFROTECH™ Conference (@afrotech.conference) will.i.am, the multi-platinum artist, producer, tech entrepreneur, and philanthropist, brings over two decades of experience leading at the intersection of music and technology. From chart-topping hits to impactful tech solutions, he will participate in a fireside chat, offering insights on building a multi-faceted career that intersects creativity and innovation. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, will.i.am sees significant value in the upcoming conference. What particularly piques his interest are the activations planned for this year, which he...
Deion Sanders, “Coach Prime,” has become an investor in one of Iowa’s fastest-growing companies. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, BLK & Bold achieved this feat for the past three years for being disruptors in the coffee industry, making it onto the Inc. 5000 list. The company was founded in 2018 by Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson and prides itself on delivering customers high-quality and freshly roasted specialty coffees and loose leaf teas such as chai, matcha, and lemon ginger, among others. View this post on Instagram A post shared by BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages (@blkandbold) “Accessibility to premium coffee and quality products go hand in hand, but it is important to normalize that experience in coffee,” Cezar told AFROTECH™ at the time. “When we talk about both, it’s easy to let go of the vision of the conscious consumer, especially in something as high commodity as coffee — the second-highest consumer beverage in America — but this does not have to be the case. When you...
They don’t call him Money Makin’ Mayweather for nothing! Floyd Mayweather Jr. has taken his talents to YouTube and in his true nature, it comes along with a big bag. Despite officially retiring in 2015, he returned to the ring in 2017 against UFC star Conor McGregor. The matchup reportedly laced his pockets with $100 million.
Floyd Mayweather is always where the money resides. The boxing elite recently gave a fan $100,000. The lucky winner was able to tap into the opportunity through a giveaway hosted by Mayweather. To qualify, users had to like, retweet, tag five friends in the comment section, and join the Mayweverse Discord. The opportunity drew in over 75,000 discord members in a week, TMZ reports. The winner was chosen at random and ultimately the cash prize went to Instagram user f.ali04. For the launch of my NFT Project @Mayweverse I’m giving away 100,000$ 🎁💰 To win the 100,000$ in cash: 1️⃣ Follow @mayweverse 2️⃣ Like and RT 3️⃣ Tag 5 Friends 4️⃣ Join the Discord : https://t.co/LonXCkrccZ The winner will be announced in 72 hours Good Luck 🥊 pic.twitter.com/fAlTmSLPyE — Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) March 23, 2022 “When you are associated with Floyd and his businesses anything can happen on any given day that will change your life,” James McNair, President of The Money Team said, according to TMZ....
Floyd Mayweather has added yet another notable investment to his growing portfolio. Shortly coming off of being welcomed into NASCAR as an official team owner alongside Michael Jordan, the business heavyweight is now linking with a fellow athlete in commercial real estate. Through the partnership, Mayweather aims to build on his goal to make $1 billion through the industry. Mayweather has joined baseball legend Alex Rodriguez as an investor in global investment management firm CGI Merchant Group’s $650 million Hospitality Opportunity Fund, according to Forbes. “Over the years, Mayweather’s savvy investment decisions have made him a notable figure in business fueled by the desire to create a platform of financial independence for the people and communities around him, this desire is directly aligned with my own vision for CGI to be a vehicle for this type of change,” CGI Founder and CEO, Raoul Thomas, said in a statement. Mayweather’s onboarding as an investor is a part of the CGI...
Morris Brown College did it! According to CBS 46, after 20 years in the making, the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) has announced its candidacy to regain its accreditation from the U.S. Department of Education. In 2002, the college was stripped of its accreditation due to debt and financial mismanagement. The new candidacy confirms that the institution is in compliance with the standards and criteria, has been evaluated by an on-site peer team, and provides sound instruction and student services in the professional judgment of the evaluation team and the Accreditation Commission. Now, Morris Brown College will make history as the first HBCU to regain its status! “We intend on making history as the first HBCU to regain its status after a 20-year hiatus and the first HBCU to have a flagged hotel on its campus for a hospitality education program,” said Morris Brown President Kevin James, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. “These achievements have sparked other closed HBCU’s...
The latest jobs report from the United States Department of Labor suggests that there’s a glimmer of hope. But that hope doesn’t really exist for Black workers, who — shockingly, but not surprisingly — are being left out in the cold when it comes to economic recovery. The report outlines that nearly one million people obtained a non-farm payroll job in March of 2021, and that the national unemployment rate has dropped to 6 percent. “These improvements in the labor market reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that had been curtailed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Job growth was widespread in March, led by gains in leisure and hospitality, public and private education, and construction,” read the report. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Black workers are not reaping the rewards of this new ray of light. In fact, Black unemployment still remains at 9.6 percent nationwide. While this is a marginal improvement over February 2021’s 9.9...
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere — thanks to this Black-owned tequila brand! Nayana Ferguson is a ceiling smasher as the first Black woman to co-own a tequila company, something she says she initially never really saw for herself, reports Click On Detroit. While in the race to climb the corporate ladder here in America, Nayana’s health took a turn for the worse when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 32. In 2012, the Detroit native found herself headed down a similar path with a breast cancer diagnosis after she found a lump in her breast. She also learned that she has Neutropenia — a disease that lowers her white blood cell count, in turn increasing her risk for infection. What all of this taught Nayana is that life is too short and so she began to truly focus on her passions. After meeting her husband Don online in 2014, they both discovered their love for tequila and made it their mission to learn all of the ins and outs about the business. A trip to the Dominican...
If we’ve learned anything about Black creatives this year, it’s that they undeniably hold the strength and will persevere even in the face of adversity. During such unprecedented times — a global health pandemic, social reckoning, and an uncertain future — Black creatives have been the backbone of inspiring joy and inspiration. The influence of Black culture is felt everywhere on a global scale — from beauty and fashion to music and entertainment. The Black creatives who have flourished tremendously in 2020 are for sure destined for great things in the new year. Below are just a handful of some of the budding Black creators and media moguls in the making who need to be on your radar for 2021 and beyond: Danielle Young Photo Credit: Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images Journalist, writer, host, and digital content creator Danielle Young is a woman whose talents know no limits. When the pandemic first hit, Young did the one thing she does best — create. Her Instagram Live series, “Real Quick,”...
For Quavo, getting to the money never stops. The rapper shared that he has partnered with sportswear brand, Legends, where he’s acquired a minority stake in the company that includes investors like Matt Barnes, Willie McGinest, Steve Nash, and Baker Mayfield, reports Complex . View this post on Instagram Humbled to announce our latest investor and collaborator. @quavohuncho. Since 2018, we’ve worked with Quavo to merge culture and sports through product creation, building youth athletic programs, and hosting philanthropic events. Together, we’ll continue to introduce high-quality performance apparel that helps the next generation of athletes look and feel good on and off the court. We’re just getting started. Now, we can officially say WELCOME TO THE FAM. #WeAreLegends A post shared by Legends (@legends) on Nov 10, 2020 at 10:07am PST “I’m excited to officially be a part of the Legends family,” he said, according to Complex. “Legends is about striving to be the best no matter...
LIFEWTR is making a statement on behalf of the Black Lives Matter movement in a move that merges Black art and technology together. PepsiCo brand LIFEWTR — a premium water brand with a history of amplifying social progress through art — recently announced the launch of Black Art Rising , an infinite digital gallery that documents the diverse responses to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LIFEWTR (@lifewtr) In an effort to further amplify the Black Lives Matter movement, the brand has turned its channels over to eight purpose-driven artists to preserve this moment in time and immortalize our progress as a people through a historical exhibition, a press release reports . “People get easily distracted. It’s necessary we keep the conversations going and people focused on what really matters. Art is influence. Why wouldn’t we use our platform,” burgeoning hip hop artist, Tobe Nwigwe , said in a statement. In addition to Nwigwe, the...