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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) spent time at the 2024 National Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week Conference in Philadelphia, PA, showcasing its initiatives aimed at engaging underrepresented and underserved students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The conference — which started Sept. 15, 2024, and ends Sept. 19 — is part of an ongoing White House initiative that brings together the nation’s leading HBCU leaders to celebrate the vital role the institutions will continue to play in advancing workforce development, economic advancement, and higher education. According to NASA , one of the highlights of its participation at the event is the Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) Innovation and Tech Transfer Idea Competition (MITTIC), featuring a hackathon where students will develop innovative solutions that benefit humanity. This year, the focus was on using NASA technologies to tackle common...
College football quarterback Shedeur Sanders still remains at the top of name, image, and likeness (NIL) earners. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Shedeur was listed at the top of the 2023 college football season, with an approximate $3.8 million valuation. This was also the highest NIL valuation at the time. In 2024, not much has changed. Shedeur — who now plays for the University of Colorado and is being led by his father and head coach Deion Sanders — has a NIL valuation that has soared to an estimated $5.1 million , according to the latest data from On3. He is joined by his teammate, Travis Hunter, who is ranked third with an estimated $3.1 million valuation. View this post on Instagram A post shared by On3 NIL (@on3nil) Signing To Nike The news follows just weeks after Shedeur made history as the first college football player to sign an NIL deal with Nike. His presence within the athletic apparel giant is now a family affair, as his father is also signed to a deal with the...
If “International Players Anthem” by UGK has ever been in your song rotation, then you are very likely familiar with the talent and personality of Texas native Bun B. Bun B entered the entertainment industry in 1987, and with his groupmate Pimp C, the two helped pioneer a significant era in rap music, particularly in the South. With a slew of hits like “One Day” and “Diamonds & Wood,” UGK’s impact has been referenced and appreciated by peers and emerging artists. After a successful career in music, Bun B decided to highlight another skill set and enter the restaurant business. According to a previous AFROTECH™ report, the 51-year-old entered the food service industry in 2021, specializing in smash burgers, burgers with super-thin, crispy-edged patties. “For years I’ve been fascinated with the culinary scene, trying to find the best entry point for me,” said the rapper in an Instagram post . “Today, I can say I’ve found it.” Bun B’s restaurant Trill Burgers now has a brick-and-mortar...
College football player Travis Hunter has made wise financial decision with his latest name, image, and likeness (NIL) deal. NerdWallet Wide receiver for the Colorado Buffaloes, Hunter will now be working with finance platform NerdWallet, joining USC basketball superstar JuJu Watkins, Sports Illustrated reported. He is the first football athlete on their roster. The conditions for signing an NIL deal with NerdWallet include stipulations that the athlete must fulfill a smart money action and release publicly the terms of their contract. Hunter was given three smart money options and he moved forward with the plan to place 20% of his earnings into a savings account. “Preparation is the key to success both on and off the field, and I’m excited to plan for a strong financial future with the help of NerdWallet,” the NCAA athlete said in a statement. “The opportunity to earn and be smarter with managing my NIL money in the right bank account while playing football was too good to pass...
Once again, Beyoncé’s impact is being taught in school. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Harvard Museum of the Ancient Near East offered a virtual course titled “Black Is Queen: The Divine Feminine in Kush” in 2021, taught by Dr. Solange Ashby, who has a Ph.D. in Egyptology and was an adjunct professor at Barnard College at the time. Beyoncé has also been taught at Cornell University, Arizona State University, and Rutgers University, among others. Now, Widener University in Pennsylvania becomes the latest school to feature a course on the “Cowboy Carter” artist, according to CBS News. T his time to a class of nearly 10 freshman students, all young women. “Who doesn’t want to take a course on Beyoncé? I grew up listening to her music,” Grace Schneider, a Widener freshman, said, according to the outlet. Jayla Stone, another freshman at Widener, commented: “This is the class I talk the most in. It’s a small class and we’re able to connect more.” The course is taught by Dr. Richard...
Will Drewery previously worked with Tesla and now works for himself through his own technology company. From Tesla To Building His Own Technology Company Silicon Valley Business Journal reports Drewery worked with Tesla in 2013. Among his contributions to the company includes sourcing $3.5 billion in equipment to its plants based in Fremont, CA, and Buffalo, NY, over a five-year period. TechCrunch mentioned the delivery, testing, and installation of equipment was a process that could often take months or even a few years for companies that lacked the team members or tools. “This is why I felt the market needs a Diagon,” Drewery told TechCrunch. He later transitioned to work for Astra and recognized discrepancies in the market that would lead him to launch his own company, Diagon Technologies. What he recognized were issues with the sale of manufacturing equipment — including satellites, rockets, batteries and semiconductors — from some other countries due to national-security...
In the entertainment industry , some of the biggest players live most of their lives out of the spotlight, securing multi-million dollar deals and planning world tours for today’s creatives. Among them is 56-year-old Kevin Liles – the son of an accountant and railway conductor from Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from Woodlawn High School, the future millionaire was off to study electrical engineering at Morgan State University on a scholarship from NASA . He later dropped out and changed his focus to music, joining a group called Numarx in the 80s before securing an unpaid internship at Def Jam in 1991. Kevin Liles’ net worth was low then, but in just seven years, he was offered the role of record label president, which he held from 1999 to 2004. What Is Kevin Liles’ Net Worth? (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage) While he presided over Def Jam’s artist roster and handled day-to-day business, company revenues doubled to $400M. This was through diversification of the brand, “...
Marketing strategist Mahdi Woodard is helping Black entrepreneurs harness their marketing power. His mission follows nearly 10 years of experience in corporate marketing. Ultimately, it was a nudge from a mentor that opened up his mind to the possibility of venturing further into the marketing sector on his own terms. “He said, ‘If you got the financial chops to do corporate finance, investment banking, you’ll thrive in marketing. Because it’s not just the creative things, you are the person that’s running the business. You need to have that analytical rigor and that creative muscle,'” Woodard recalled the advice on the “Black Money Green Tech” podcast hosted by Will Lucas. The branding specialist also recognized he had become a trusted resource for many who were looking for advice, which he later recognized as consulting. By placing a calculated bet on his skills, he forged his path as a brand strategist under his own company, Mahdi Woodard, Inc. In that same breath, he is...
The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates for the first time since March 2020 — the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forbes reported that on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, the U.S. central banking system announced the significant move that will have a widespread effect on Americans’ finances, making borrowing less expensive. Following a split decision on whether to make a 25- or 50-basis-point cut, the Fed’s policy-setting committee reduced the federal funds rate by 50 points. As inflation continues to moderate, the adjustment lowers the interest rate to a range of 4.75% to 5%, down from 5.25% to 5.5%, which were the highest levels since 2001. “Today, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to reduce the degree of policy restraint by lowering our policy interest rate by 1/2 percentage point,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said at a news conference following the announcement. “ This decision reflects our growing confidence that, with an appropriate recalibration of our policy...
Angel Reese is among a trio of powerhouse Black women who are now investors in the DC Power Football Club. The Maryland native and current Chicago Sky player is already making strategic business moves in her rookie year. In May 2024 Reese joined an ownership group for the DC Power Football Club, a new professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, DC, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. “I want to help grow women’s sports and elevate female athletes across the board,” Reese said in a statement, per Sportico. “We’re taking over, and I’m honored to be able to support Power FC and invest in women’s soccer in the DMV community.” Jason Levien, D.C. United’s CEO and co-chairman, commented: “Angel’s decision to be a founding investor alongside us in Power FC is groundbreaking. As a Maryland native, Angel is so passionate about being a catalyst for positive change in women’s sports in the DMV as well as globally while inspiring the next generation of female athletes. We’re looking...
Juicy J’s late mother, Shirley Houston, played a part in his knowledge of the music business. At 13 years old, Juicy J, born Jordan Michael Houston III, was already learning how to make music by relying on the tunes from his grandfather’s piano, he explained on the “Springhill” podcast in conversation with Wiz Khalifa. “I used to always tell him, I used to be like, ‘But I got to be on the piano.’ He like, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘I got to get ready.’ ‘Ready for what?’ I said, ‘Man I’m going to be rich, famous,” Juicy J explained. “ I always felt that I was going to be great in music.” The “Bandz a Make Her Dance” hitmaker had so much belief in his musical potential, he also made it his mission to to learn about the business side as well. He asked his late mother, who was a librarian, to check out some books that would expand his knowledge. “My mom saved my life. Rest in peace,” he said. “She saved my life, because when I was 13 she worked as a librarian, and I told her I want to know...
September is one of the most exciting months of the year for football fanatics as the NFL ramps things up again for the season. Already there have been injuries , athletes removed from teams and drama between players, coaches and viewers, but that’s nothing new in the world of professional sports . In particular, the Miami Dolphins have been getting a lot of attention after their starting quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, sustained a concussion in a game against the Buffalo Bills earlier this month. While he won’t be placed on the injured reserve just yet, coach Mike McDaniel spoke with ESPN about how the team is handling the situation. Just one of the measures they’ve taken amid Tagovailoa’s recovery is signing Tyler Huntley, a QB from the Baltimore Ravens practice squad, to their roster. What’s Next For Tua Tagovailoa? (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) As their star QB focuses on healing, McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier are standing behind him. There’s been discourse among...
Shaquille O’Neal says he took a pay cut while playing for the Miami Heat. The NBA Hall of Famer played for the team for four seasons, between 2004 and 2008, according to Sports Illustrated. Previously, he was a three-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played alongside his teammate Kobe Bryant. O’Neal’s tenure with the Heat was accompanied by a decision that cost him $20 million, he explained on “The OGs” podcast. He recalls a conversation with former Lakers head coach Pat Riley, that presented him an ultimatum surrounding his salary. “Pat came in and he said, ‘Shaq I love you. I can give you the whole 120 [million] and we can have nobody, or I can give you 100 [million],'” O’Neal said. “‘Give UD some more money. I can bring in Posey. I can bring in GP. I can bring in all them guys.'” O’Neal decided to take the pay cut because he was purely motivated by his desire to win. He added, “And I was like, ‘You know what. I need to win. Cause I gotta win one before Ol’...
Amazon is pulling the plug on its remote work policy and reinstating a full-time office presence, reverting to pre-COVID operational norms. CEO Andy Jassy shared the news on Monday, letting employees know to prepare to return to the office full-time starting on Jan. 2, 2025, as the world’s largest online retailer works to strengthen its culture and teams. In a memo to employees , Jassy stated, “When we look back over the last five years, we continue to believe that the advantages of being together in the office are significant.” He asserted that the last 15 months of hybrid work have only strengthened this belief, noting that “collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective” when teams are physically present. According to Fox Business, Amazon shifted from a remote work model to a mandatory three-day-in-office policy in May of last year. The retail giant’s CEO reflected on the pre-pandemic work culture in his memo, explaining, “Before the pandemic, not...
