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How Culture Wireless Co-Founder William 'Bam' Sparks Is Bridging The Digital Divide Through Community Ownership

Culture Wireless is on a mission to bring affordable internet, better coverage, and community ownership to places that need it most. When the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) rescinded millions in federal broadband funds, it threatened to leave Georgia’s underserved communities further behind, according to The Current. For Culture Wireless, a Black-owned internet provider co-founded by William “Bam” Sparks (chief marketing officer), the impact was deeply personal. “Personally, it affects me because it hinders people in my community from having access,” Sparks told AFROTECH™ in an interview. “The government doesn’t understand how deeply it impacts certain neighborhoods, especially on the west side of Atlanta, where there’s a digital red line and limited access to basic tools.” For Sparks, the funding cuts weren’t just setbacks — they sparked a renewed drive to build solutions beyond traditional telecom and government efforts. Culture Wireless was created to close this...

Jul 18, 2025

UnitedHealth Stock Takes A Hit As Medicare Business Sparks Investor Panic

UnitedHealth Group, a longtime healthcare powerhouse, just took a brutal hit, missing earnings expectations and slashing its 2025 outlook. The company’s stock dropped rapidly Thursday morning, April 17, and it wasn’t just a blip — this was a full-on market reaction to what many are now calling a crisis moment. At the center of it all? A shaky Medicare business, a leadership shakeup, and the long shadow of a massive cyberattack. For years, UnitedHealth was considered untouchable on Wall Street. But now, the once-steady giant is showing signs of severe strain. Medicare Misfire Rattles Confidence In The Insurance Giant Investors didn’t just flinch — they ran. According to The Wall Street Journal, UnitedHealth stock tumbled about 18% in early trading, pulling other major healthcare players like Humana and CVS Health down​. What happened? The company’s Medicare Advantage division, which manages benefits for older and disabled Americans, faces deeper issues than previously disclosed....

Apr 17, 2025

CrowdStrike Sparks Global Tech Outage That Has Impacted Businesses, Airlines, And Emergency Services Across The Globe

Millions are being impacted by an ongoing global tech outage. What Happened CNBC reports CrowdStrike, “the world’s most advanced cloud-native platform,” triggered a Microsoft operating system issue Friday, July 19, when it sent an update, causing a global outage that disrupted airlines, businesses, global banks, and emergency services. CrowdStrike Response At the time of this writing, the outage is reportedly not believed to be the result of a security incident or cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz. “CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We...

Jul 19, 2024

The Jay-Z Effect Sparks Surge In 14,000 New Brooklyn Public Library Memberships With Limited-Edition Library Cards

The celebration of the life and lasting contributions of Jay-Z is the cause of a new surge at the Brooklyn Public Library.

Aug 16, 2023

Former 'RHOA' Star Phaedra Parks Gifts Son An Investment Property For His 13th Birthday

MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16” premiered in 2005 and, for years, had audience members captivated by the lavish celebrations designed to honor the celebrity children’s milestone birthday. Although the show has since ended, the extravagant parties for children have not ceased, and they are not limited to that critical teenage year. Parents of privilege host large-scale parties for their children at almost any age, and former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Phaedra Parks is in that number. Park’s eldest son, Ayden, celebrated his 13 th birthday, and Parks went all out.

Jun 26, 2023

Neko Sparks Not Only Aims To Become An NHL Team Owner, But He Also Wants To Use Tech To Change The World

Neko Sparks is a leader within the entrepreneurial and technological space, a fate that became clear during his childhood years.

May 17, 2023

First NHL Team Under Black Ownership Could Be Underway As Snoop Dogg Reportedly Joins Neko Sparks To Place Bid

Snoop Dogg may be looking to take his interest in professional hockey to the next level with an ownership opportunity.

May 1, 2023

Instacart Shopper Sparks Controversy On TikTok Following Excessive Demands

A recent TikTok video had users in a frenzy over one customer’s tedious Instacart demand. According to a screenshot posted by TikTok user Violetta Le’Mone (@_instaqueen_), one Instacart customer posted a series of commands to be followed by a shopper. The screenshot listed requirements such as a mandatory image of cooling bags prior to shopping, banning the shopper from batching the order, and live updates by the shopper throughout the grocery spree. “Please send me a photo of your insulated cooling bags in your shopping cart IMMEDIATELY before shopping otherwise I will call Instacart promptly and cancel this order to reschedule with a different shopper. If you don’t have the insulated cooling bags or enough of them to keep my food items temperature-controlled, or you do not have the insulated cooling bags, but only plan on using them during delivery then DON’T PICK UP MY ORDER,” the note read. Violetta Le’Mone added she did not pick up this order. Since the video’s initial posting...

Feb 7, 2022

Nijeer Parks Becomes Third Known Black Man Wrongfully-Arrested For False Facial Recognition Identification

Facial recognition technology has been a known issue in police conduct for years now, and the problem has yet to be resolved. New Jersey man Nijeer Parks, 33, has unfortunately become the third known Black man to be falsely identified and wrongfully-arrested for false facial recognition, according to The New York Times. The incident occurred in February 2019, when Parks was accused of allegedly shoplifting candy and trying to hit a police officer with a car at a Hampton Inn in Woodbridge, NJ. Engadget shares officers were called to the Hampton Inn where the alleged shoplifter presented them with a Tennessee driver’s license, which they eventually confirmed to be fake. State agencies then utilized facial recognition systems to analyze the photo from the ID and found an apparent match in Parks’ state ID. Despite being 30 miles from the incident at the time, officers still identified Parks as the suspect. As a result, Parks spent a total of 10 days in jail last year, and $5,000 to...

Dec 30, 2020

The Hidden Genius Project Sparks the Minds and Talents of Black Youth

The U.S. consumer technology industry generates hundreds of billions in revenue each year. From Silicon Alley to Silicon Valley, the tech industry represents the pinnacle of success. Yet minorities remain critically underrepresented in the field, drastically cutting billions in potential tech revenue. Studies conducted by TechRepublic between 2014 and 2018 revealed the low percentages of non-Asian, minority workers at major tech companies, such as Google, Twitter, Pinterest, and eBay. A more recent study by Statista shows minority representation in the tech industry increasing slowly and steadily, but not enough to match the number of youth exploring the field. Nathan Dudley, an alumnus of The Hidden Genius Project, convinces a Bank of America employee to invest in the pivotal program. That is where programs such as The Hidden Genius Project have stepped in and made their mark. The Oakland-based program is the brainchild of Executive Director Brandon Nicholson and several other...

Jan 27, 2020

Toys “R” Us Video Surveillance Sparks Controversy

The return of Toys “R” Us has been heralded by many. However, the praise falls short when it comes to the former toy giant’s new video surveillance, which some say, targets children. In its new incarnation, Toys “R” has partnered with tech startup bt8a and analytics expert Retail Next to obtain information about its customers. The system’s ability to track the movement of shoppers to better understand their interests and cater to them is considered problematic, as many Toys “R” Us customers are minors, and there are laws in place to protect their privacy. As noted in a recent WIRED article, “ Collecting information on kids is a highly sensitive issue, and US law carves out various additional protections or restrictions when it comes to minors .” In addition, informed parental consent is generally required. A spokesperson for RetailNext has indicated that personal data of children is not obtained intentionally or retained, and that height parameters help ensure that children are not...

Dec 13, 2019

Joe Budden’s Podcast Network Is Projected To Earn More Than $20M In 2025

Joe Budden might have gone from chart-topping rapper to podcast host, but today, he’s building a business on his own terms. The 44-year-old podcaster recently gave The New York Times a rare look into the numbers behind his booming podcast network. According to Ian Schwartzman, CEO of the Joe Budden Network, the company is projected to generate more than $20 million in 2025, the outlet reports. When A Flex Turns Into A Teachable Moment In June, Budden posted a screenshot on Instagram showing his Patreon traffic — Patreon being the fan-funded platform where his most loyal supporters subscribe for exclusive content. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the image accidentally revealed he made just over $900,000 in earnings that month, sparking headlines and internet buzz. The image showed more than 30 million visits in 30 days, per The New York Times. Budden confirmed to The New York Times that his podcast network brings in an average of $1.04 million per month through Patreon alone, based...

Jul 23, 2025

NAACP To File Lawsuit Against Elon Musk's South Memphis AI Firm Over Pollution In Black Neighborhoods

The NAACP plans to sue Elon Musk ‘s Memphis, TN-based AI company, xAI, over concerns about air pollution stemming from a supercomputer facility allegedly operating gas turbines without proper permits. Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the NAACP filed its legal challenge on Tuesday as the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) reviews xAI’s permit application, according to The Associated Press. Activists and opponents say the facility is polluting predominantly Black neighborhoods in South Memphis. The NAACP sent a letter to the SCHD and Memphis Light, Gas, and Water on May 29, demanding an emergency order to halt xAI’s operations or, at the very least, cite the company for violating clean air standards, AFROTECH™ previously reported. “While data centers are becoming more prevalent across the country, there is a growing need to guarantee transparency regarding environmental and climate concerns, the burden these centers have on communities, and ensuring...

Jun 18, 2025

Magic Johnson Says One Of His Hardest Tasks Was Convincing Shareholders To Green Light A Starbucks Deal That 'Changed Everything'

NBA legend Magic Johnson relies on his intuition when it comes to making business deals. The billionaire holds stakes in several teams, including MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, MLS’s Los Angeles Football Club, WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, NFL’s Washington Commanders, and NWSL’s Washington Spirit, AFROTECH™ previously reported. He most recently expressed interest in owning the New York Knicks, telling ESPN “First Take” host Stephen A. Smith that he’d be “first in line” if current Knicks owner James Dolan ever put the team up for sale, according to Fadeaway World. Last year, Johnson expressed his excitement about joining the Washington Spirit’s investor group. “I’m so excited to join the Washington Spirit’s investor group at such a pivotal time in the club’s history!,” he said in an Instagram caption. “Partnering with a visionary like Michele Kang and her team to advance the growth of the Washington Spirit and the NWSL is an incredible opportunity.” View this post on Instagram A post shared...

Jun 17, 2025

Federal Contractor Minimum Wage Cut To $13.30 Under Recent Trump Executive Order

The Trump administration has repealed a Biden-era policy that guaranteed a baseline wage for workers on federal contracts, cutting the federal contractor minimum wage down from $17.75 an hour. However, the move still leaves an Obama-era rule in place that puts the minimum at $13.30 an hour. With that single change, hundreds of thousands of private-sector workers employed by federal contractors are at risk of wage reductions up to 25% — a shift that will disproportionately affect workers without college degrees and those already earning near-poverty wages, the Center for American Progress reports. The Federal Contractor Minimum Wage: A Lifeline Now Lost The now-defunct regulation, established under Executive Order 14026, raised the federal contractor minimum wage in 2021 to $15 and indexed it to inflation, bringing it to $17.75 in 2025. It was designed to ensure that janitors, cooks, maintenance workers, and other federal contract laborers earned a livable wage. More than 327,000...

Apr 14, 2025

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