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François Locoh-Donou has several truths he believes Black professionals should apply. Locoh-Donou’s father was from a fishing village on the banks of Lake Togo in West Africa and was the fourth in a family of 16 children, Locoh-Donou explained on stage during AFROTECH™ Conference 2025. When it was time for his father to start school, admission was determined by height. After three failed attempts, he shares that his father refused to leave the school until he was accepted at age 9 into first grade. When it was time to graduate, his father then had the option to become a teacher, but he had broader aspirations. Leaving the village to study at a public high school 300 miles away, he graduated in the early 1960s. He applied for and was awarded a full-ride scholarship from the government to study architecture in college, which enabled him to complete projects across Africa. Locoh-Donou shares that he learned what an “extraordinary figure” his father was. He had not only helped his...
Dr. Astro Teller shares how Google X is pushing technological boundaries to solve global problems. During an AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 panel moderated by Blavity Inc. COO and Co-founder Jeff Nelson , Dr. Teller defined a moonshot as a groundbreaking technology that can solve a major world problem, but may sound like a piece of science fiction. He has worked at Google for 15 years as the co-founder and captain of moonshots at X, the moonshot factory, which engineers technologies specifically to solve global problems. Innovations that have come out of its lab include Google Brain, which is responsible for many of the advancements seen in machine learning today, such as AI chatbots. Additionally, Waymo, self-driving cars, and “Project Wing,” a drone delivery service, emerged. “The idea was not that we would look backwards at Google and try to fix Google’s problems, but instead our mission has always been go out in the world and find new problems to have and then hopefully solutions for...
After 32 years at Black Entertainment Television (BET), former CEO Debra Lee continues shaping culture and business. Today, she sits on the boards of Warner Bros. Discovery, Marriott International, and Procter & Gamble — but her legacy at BET remains untouched. At AFROTECH™ Conference 2025, Lee reflected on how her leadership from 2005 to 2018 helped define generations of Black entertainment, from shaping beloved programming to setting new standards for representation. Lee began at BET as the company’s first in-house counsel, building the legal department from the ground up. She later — and unexpectedly — became president and chief operating officer, succeeding founder Bob Johnson. “When people started writing articles, ‘Debra Lee is the heir apparent,’ it really shocked me,” Lee recalled. “I thought I was just going to continue to do the work, and Bob would get all the credit. That’s the way it went. No big deal. And it wasn’t until Bob left and I became CEO that people started...
Mustafa Suleyman has high hopes for the future of superintelligence and its impact on humanity. During a conversation at AFROTECH™ Conference 2025, he joked that he grew up playing “Snake” on a Nokia phone, which was supposedly a “phenomenon” when it launched in the late ’90s. Suleyman’s fascination with technological advancements never wavered, and his enthusiasm remains strong as the CEO of Microsoft AI. He shared his thoughts on superintelligence, stating early on that it “must always work in service of humanity.” He also offered his predictions for it by 2040. He expressed optimism about its potential to benefit humankind, believing that if developed successfully, it would align with human interests and improve the standard of living. Suleyman explained that it is already capable of world-class medical diagnostics and continues to advance in emotional intelligence and autonomous action. “It’s going to learn to use APIs, send emails, make phone calls, interact with us,” he...
Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche continues to prepare people to take control of their finances. The Budgetnista The Nigerian American and former Newark, NJ, preschool teacher may no longer be working a traditional 9-to-5, but she remains an educator. For 15 years, she has taught financial literacy, a lesson rooted in her upbringing. “I grew up in a household where money was talked about all the time. My father was an accountant and a CFO … It wasn’t really until college that I realized that people didn’t get financial education at home,” she told attendees during the AFROTECH™ Conference 2025. Aliche had a reckoning while teaching on a $39,000 salary, realizing that the corporate world was not her goal and she wasn’t willing to lose her soul for a paycheck, she explained. This led her to become a master of her finances, and she also taught the parents of her students how to do the same. “The kids went to sleep during nap time, and I had Parent University during nap time. I showed...
Dr. Jessica Shepherd’s upbringing emphasized education, which led her to become a doctor and chief medical officer. Dr. Shepherd, who brought her expertise to the AFROTECH™ Conference on Thursday, Oct. 30, admits she was intentional at an early age in planning for her future. Her path to being of service to others in health and wellness became clearer through her years of schooling, which started at the University of Oklahoma for her undergraduate studies. She brought that focus to Ross University School of Medicine (Doctor of Medicine), and then completed her OB/GYN residency at Drexell University College of Medicine, according to information shared on her LinkedIn. Today, she is the founder of Sanctum Med + Wellness, a concierge wellness concept founded in 2020 and based in Dallas. Additionally, since October 2024, Shepherd has served as chief medical officer of Hers, a telehealth platform that addresses hair loss, weight loss, perimenopause, menopause, midlife issues for women,...
What started as a spark in San Francisco, CA, has grown into a global hub for Black technology and innovation. Each year, the AFROTECH™ community convenes tens of thousands of professionals and students along with more than 150 global companies to exchange ideas, elevate representation, and celebrate progress. The weeklong experience is specifically curated to include top-tier keynotes, panels, networking events, and culture-driven programming that fuels the next generation of builders and leaders. The Beginning: From Idea To Impact In 2016, Blavity Inc. co-founders Morgan DeBaun and Jeff Nelson saw a gap in the tech industry. Major players hosted large conferences filled with opportunities, but those opportunities did not seem to be fully present for Black and brown people. Determined to change that, they launched the AFROTECH™ Conference in the Bay Area with 650 attendees, proving there was an audience ready for this kind of space. Photo Credit: AFROTECH™ By 2019, the conference...
Jason Mayden’s parents invested in him early on, helping him realize his dreams at Jordan Brand. Self-Belief Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, he believed his imagination was better than his reality after spending time in and out of the hospital. He also observed that he was different from his peers as a neurodivergent individual and often felt overlooked. In an interview held during the 2025 AFROTECH™ Conference, he revealed that he gave himself permission to dream. This became his superpower. “In that imaginative state, I was able to give myself permission to dream and to eventually decide that who I am is enough,” he said. “I rejoice and relish in the fact that people underestimated me and I thank them for that because it forced me to realize that I have to be the progenitor of my own outcomes and, I’m the protagonist in my own narrative. I couldn’t choose my origin story, but I can write my ending,” he continued. Investment From His Parents When Mayden was 10 years old,...
Creators fighting the algorithm may need to have a change of heart, according to Tubi Vice President of Creator Partnerships Kudzi Chikumbu. He took the stage at AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 alongside Patreon’s Head of Business Development Stephanie Smellie on a panel moderated by Dream Con’s CFO Kendale King about how creators can break the revenue ceiling. Chikumbu suggests creators view platforms like businesses that they are looking to scale. They should evolve their content according to user and consumer taste, and lean into what platforms are telling them to be. “People need to stop blaming the algorithm and start being more flexible,” he said. He highlighted the push towards long-form content, which has remained a superpower for Tubi, and has captured the hearts of Gen Z and millennials through original IP and stories. “When people talk about ‘Why can’t I just post my pictures anymore? Why do I need to push for content, long-form content?’ It’s because that’s what people are...
AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 closed out with a bang. The annual celebration of Black technological innovation once again delivered an unforgettable experience. This year’s conference offered an unmatched range of learning opportunities across sectors, including marketing, advertising, engineering, product, and design. And with the debut of the Blavity Creators Summit presented in partnership with Dream Con, esports and streaming officially entered the mix to cap off the week. “I heard a lot about AFROTECH™ just from co-workers, friends… I came for the full experience, and it definitely fit the bill in terms of the programming,” shared Kamsiyochi Nwaiwu, a Nigerian cybersecurity engineer at Visa who flew from Virginia to attend the conference for the first time. Programming on Friday, Oct. 31, included a “GirlTREK x Blavity Health Morning Walk” at sunrise with GirlTREK co-founder Vanessa Renae, before doors opened at 8 a.m. Sessions started with helpful insights for creators to leverage...
The motion isn’t slowing down at the AFROTECH™ Conference. To jumpstart the day, the Blavity Health Community 5K Run was held in partnership with bEHR Health Systems Inc. and attracted participants of all fitness levels. Photo Credit: Christopher Nechodom The day was off to a strong start with the Budgetnista Founder and CEO Tiffany Aliche, who brought her humor to a workshop where she shared game-changing tips on building generational wealth. Aliche, the first millionaire in her family, offered key advice to attendees on how to grow, manage, and protect their finances. Photo Credit: Ismael Quintanilla III The weeklong conference continues to deliver game-changing conversations across industries to help position attendees for long-term success in the evolving tech and business landscape. That included Jordan Brand Chief of Design Jason Mayden , who emphasized the importance of human interaction and authenticity in an era where deepfakes and digital twins are on the rise. “If you...
Debra Lee sees great opportunity in the digital landscape. The former CEO of BET acknowledged during a conversation held at AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 that it’s hurtful to see Black programming under attack. In the past two years, various shows rooted in the culture were cut, such as “61st Street,” “South Side,” and “Sweet Life: Los Angeles,” and in June, it was announced that CBS and NBC were canceling a number of Black-led shows, including “Poppa’s House,” according to the Nubian Message. “It’s very hurtful to see the progress we’ve made in Black programming and programming targeted to the Black community, but also programming we hope all people will watch,” Lee told AFROTECH™ in an interview . “It’s very hurtful to see that under attack. And I think it’s really necessary in our society for groups to understand each other.” Photo Credit: Ismael Quintanilla III She explained, “I think the numbers show that there’s an audience for it. When you look at the movie ‘Sinners’ or you look...
Generosity isn’t just about being nice — it’s the key to earning the trust of a Fortune 100 CEO. At AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 in Houston, TX, Juan Bonilla, president of marketing agency Walton Isaacson, and Ayiko Broyard, executive vice president and head of account management, unpacked the power of strategic generosity as a growth strategy that strengthens relationships, unlocks bigger budgets, and leaves chief marketing officers (CMOs) feeling supported, empowered, and recognized. Broyard shared how this philosophy shaped Walton Isaacson’s long-standing partnership with Lexus. Early on, she noticed how luxury buyers valued the brand’s respect and hospitality — something missing from competitors. To truly understand that experience, she and her team visited dealerships, sat in the cars, and immersed themselves in the customer journey. That firsthand insight became a cornerstone of the agency’s experiential strategy: every event must feature a vehicle people can touch, sit in, and...
Where there’s a will, there’s a way, and this was the case for founder Ryan Wilson. Wilson has only worked one job since leaving college, and that’s as the founder of his own business. After graduating from Georgetown Law, he decided to reject a job offer at a law firm. He has since put his all into The Gathering Spot (TGS), a private membership club, founded in 2016 alongside TK Petersen, with Atlanta being its launchpad. The venture — which has attracted entrepreneurs, creatives, politicians, executives, filmmakers, venture capitalists, and more — has expanded to cities including Atlanta, Chicago, New York City, and Detroit, all featuring a full restaurant and bar, co-working space, and event space. Its most ambitious project is the launch of The Retreat, a 60,000-square-foot space near Atlanta’s skyline that will have a pool, private dining rooms, and cabanas for its members, as previously reported by AFROTECH™ . Gaining Investors One At A Time TGS has raised $30 million in...
Ron Busby, Sr. was born to lead. Dialing it back to his time as an elementary student, the Oakland, CA native would take three-mile hikes to school, which had a donut store nearby. He purchased day-old donuts and sold them for a quarter, his earliest foray as an entrepreneur. In conversation with AFROTECH™ , he admits he was always a “hustler” and “entrepreneur.” What’s more, entrepreneurship runs in his veins. His father also owned a business, and channeled his spirit of leadership as a member of the Black Panther Party. “I kind of understood what leadership was about in reference to making sure that the community understood what your mission was, because there were conflicting conversations about who [the Black Panthers] were because all we saw was the brothers in the leather coats and the shotguns,” Busby, Sr. said. “But the people that were in the community saw something totally different. We saw Black men that were feeding us and helping us with our homework and making sure...
