Graduating from college is a special time in a person’s life, and last month, a mother-daughter duo made it even more memorable by both earning their bachelor’s degrees from Alabama State University (ASU). Nicole Cosby and her daughter Kaiya King earned a Bachelor of Science in social work and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance, respectively, the school announced. Cosby first attended Alabama State University in the 1990s. However, she took a step back from her studies to become a wife, a mother, and a licensed cosmetologist , according to WSFA 12 News. In 2023, she decided to refocus on completing her studies at the school. Cosby told the school that she and King did not plan to graduate at the same time. “My daughter applied, enrolled, and was accepted. At the time, I was a full-time salon owner and had completed nonprofit work in underserved communities,” Cosby said. “That work ignited a passion in me to become a licensed professional who could offer the best care to those I...

T.D. Jakes stresses that the world as we know it will no longer be the same due to AI. The bishop was the 2025 commencement speaker at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA. Among the points addressed in his speech, which lasted over 30 minutes, was the importance of understanding the reality of artificial intelligence (AI) and its permanent impact on the workforce . He emphasized that although it is a “traditional graduation,” the times were changing. “I am honored also to understand what a critical time it is that we are celebrating a traditional graduation in an untraditional time,” T.D. Jakes told the audience, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. “Make no mistake about it that as you go forward from Morris Brown, you go forward to face a world that is different than any age or era or period that we have ever seen in the history of this country. It has not been since Henry Ford discovered the automobile or the Wright brothers the airplane that we have seen the impact of what artificial...

Despite his circumstances, high schooler Max Jones never gave up. Jones was brought up in a challenging environment where money was scarce and having a roof over his head was not guaranteed, WDTV 5 reports. He was raised by a single mother and lived with his half-siblings. “She did work a lot when we were growing up, an extreme amount,” Jones told the outlet. When times got their toughest he made the decision to leave his home state of North Carolina and move to Richmond, VA. While attending George Wythe High School in Richmond, and wearing the same clothes in rotation, Jones at one point was living out of his car, which he purchased with his earnings from working at a restaurant. “I went through a lot,” he said to WDTV 5. “I was homeless for a long period of time.” Jones did receive support at times, sleeping in different homes and occasionally receiving food and a complimentary hotel stay, thanks to the generosity of mentors and teachers. “It wasn’t every single day but every...

High school senior Jayme Anderson has been admitted to multiple top colleges. Black News reports Anderson is a student at Forest Hill High School in Jackson, MS, recognized for his discipline in education and his participation in the school’s band. He has a bright future ahead, having been accepted into schools such as Stanford University, University of California Los Angeles, University of California Berkeley, and others. What’s more, he has also received over $10 million in scholarships from more than 50 universities “for his academic excellence and musical talent,” the school district wrote in a post shared on Facebook. “A standout scholar and dedicated member of the Pride of Forest Hill Band, Jayme’s achievements include offers from top institutions like Stanford, UCLA, Penn State, UC Berkeley, and San Francisco State,” the Facebook post read. “We’re so proud of you Jayme and can’t wait to see where your journey takes you next. Anderson joins a group of bright young Black...

No matter who occupies the White House, Maryland Governor Wes Moore remains steadfast in his commitment to three core pillars for his state’s 6.2 million residents: work, wages, and wealth — and creating pathways for all three. At AFROTECH™ Conference 2024, Moore — Maryland’s 63rd and first Black governor — joined Blavity Inc. Co-Founder and COO Jeff Nelson for a powerful fireside chat focused on economic empowerment, youth engagement, public safety, and sustainable community development. The governor shared insights on building resilient, self-sufficient communities, equipping the conference room of innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers with tangible steps to create a lasting impact. Buy your AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 ticket now! Reflecting on his personal journey into public service, Moore shared that he didn’t come from a political dynasty — far from it. Now, he says he sees the world in two categories: Marylanders and future Marylanders. “I had to convince members of my...

Several scholarships supporting Black medical students in Cincinnati, OH, are under review, The Washington Post reports. The shift is influenced by a pushback against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts under the Trump administration. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, DEI programs, roles, and initiatives were dismantled at the federal level. This led corporations and universities to adjust their policies in response to pressure from conservative groups. In 2023, the Supreme Court also reversed its stance on affirmative action, effectively ending the consideration of race in college admissions, according to NPR. “I got into medical school in 1972, and I’m not ashamed to tell anybody that it was because of affirmative action,”  Kenneth Davis, a former Black general surgeon who retired in 2020, told The Washington Post. “I wasn’t the dumbest guy in the class. There were the children of faculty, alumni, and donors, and some of them struggled a lot more than I did, so I say...

Shaquille O’Neal wants to sport a new hat in the coming years. O’Neal has established his footprint in various ways outside of his time in the NBA, which concluded in 2011 after 19 seasons. He walked away with four championship rings and career earnings totaling $286.3 million, notes Spotrac. He has since gone on to establish himself as a businessman and sports commentator, serving as a host of “Inside the NBA,” where he reportedly signed a contract extension with TNT that will earn him a $15 million annual pay day. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, O’Neal’s ventures over the years include his fast-casual restaurant franchise, Big Chicken, which operates in various states and even has a rewards deal with Carnival Cruise. He’s also the second-largest shareholder of Authentic Brands Group, a company that benefits from his name and likeness through merchandise and endorsements, in addition to those of other prominent figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Muhammad Ali, and...

High School senior Victoria Mathieu has many reasons to celebrate! The Bensalem High School student shared a video on TikTok of her seated beside her family while receiving a status update on her college applications. She applied to schools like Harvard University, Columbia University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University, Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. To her surprise, she was admitted into five of them, in which the acceptance rates toggle between 3% and 9%, according to 6abc Philadelphia. Mathieu was waitlisted at Harvard and Dartmouth. “I did not expect to get into really into any of the schools at all. Once I saw my acceptances and everything, it was just like crazy, insane. I was just thanking God,” she expressed, per the outlet. @tori.math for all my black queens who think they aren’t capable of ivy league schools, let me be the one to tell you WE CAN DO IT!! don’t let people’s prejudices of black women dictate how far you reach for...