A hub has opened in Houston’s historic Third Ward to combat health and housing disparities. Urban Public Health and Housing On Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2025, Texas Southern University unveiled a new Institute, Urban Public Health and Housing, which resides in the W.R. Banks Child Development Center, according to a news release . The 6,000-square-foot hub will address public health, affordable housing, and community wellness. It was also a focus area for the late Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who secured a $2 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the initiative, the Houston Chronicle reports. She wanted Third Ward to be the “example to impoverished communities around the nation.” “It’s a reinvestment in the future of urban public health, housing, and community empowerment,” said Michelle John, Texas Southern’s vice president for research and innovation, according to the outlet. The hub will offer conference and workforce training rooms,...

Many Americans are asking, “Is the government still shut down?” As the standoff enters its sixth day, senators have returned to the Capitol seeking a deal to restore funding and reopen federal operations, CNN reports. Is The Government Still Shut Down? Yes, and the government shutdown, which began on Wednesday, Oct. 1, as AFROTECH™ previously reported, has already disrupted services nationwide. In Dayton, OH, residents encountered closed national parks and museums. According to another CNN report, Howard Patterson, a DHL worker, said he had planned a family visit to the Wright Cycle Company, part of the national park on aviation, but found it locked with a sign reading, “Due to the current lapse in federal government appropriations this site is closed to the public.” The political standoff centers on disagreements between Republicans — who fully control the federal government but lack the 60 votes needed in the Senate — and Democrats, who are demanding extensions of tax credits to...

The U.S. government officially shut down on Oct. 1, 2025, after lawmakers failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund federal operations before the fiscal year deadline. The question many are asking this week is simple: Is the government shut down? The answer is yes — agencies without approved funding have halted or reduced operations, marking the 21st time since the 1977 fiscal year, as ABC News reports. Is The Government Shut Down Right Now? According to the outlet, essential services — such as air traffic control, certain military, the U.S. Postal Service, and border security — continue to function, but many other public-facing offices and programs are closed or delayed. This shutdown began after Congress was unable to reach a deal on funding, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. Republicans proposed a short-term measure to keep the government running for a few more weeks, while Democrats sought additional provisions, including extensions for health care benefits like the...

Jasmine Lee’s path into technology has been anything but conventional — and that’s exactly what makes it powerful. After earning her accounting degree in 2022 from Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, she joined Accenture as an analyst, according to her LinkedIn. She has since been promoted to management consulting senior analyst. In an interview with AFROTECH™, she shared that she hopes to make healthcare systems more accessible through innovations, including generative AI. Her work aims to enhance pricing transparency, improve claims processing and maintain the human element in healthcare, ensuring technology serves people, not just processes. Her career journey is only part of the story. At the same time, Lee has built a leadership presence in Black Wings, a program within Rewriting the Code (RTC) that connects and uplifts more than 2,500 Black women pursuing STEM careers. After receiving a multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis in 2023, Lee has leaned even further into her...

Morgan State University, located in Baltimore, MD, is moving forward with plans to launch its own medical school after receiving a $1.75 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the HBCU announced in a news release. “This investment represents a pivotal moment for Morgan and for the communities we serve,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University, per the release. “For more than a decade, we have been committed to the idea that a medical school on our campus can be transformative — not only for our students but for the state of Maryland and the nation. With the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s support, we are charting a new course toward a public, nonprofit M.D. program that will train physicians where they are most needed, close gaps in care and reflect the diversity of the populations served.” Endia DeCordova, vice president for Institutional Advancement at the university, said the grant highlights “the importance of strategic philanthropy in...

Romy Antoine has raised funding to promote health and wellness in the workplace. Born in Haiti, the founder moved to America before he was one year old. He says his mother often cooked healthy meals throughout his upbringing, and he played sports. When he was age 13, his father purchased a weight set, and Antoine began working out in the living room. He was also infatuated with various magazines that discussed health and wellness. This is something he developed into a lifestyle and carried over into high school and college. While pursuing higher education, he became a personal trainer, studied biology as a major, and minored in exercise science. “There’s so many myths out there, so I wanted to make sure I had all the right information, and it’s all backed by science,” he told AFROTECH™ in an interview. One Stop Wellness For nearly six years, he focused on an online personal training business, working with clients from across the globe on meal plans and workout programs. In 2018,...

Editorial Note: Opinions and thoughts are the author’s own and not those of AFROTECH™. The current and future benefits of AI have been mostly what is centered in conversations about the emerging technology, but recently, people have been bringing attention to what this may be costing people, especially Black and brown ones. We are all aware of how racism exists as it relates to systems, but you can also see signs of racism in the way environments are formed and how they are, or are not, tended to over time. Prominent Black figures and organizations have recently been calling out how AI could affect Black communities. Billboard reported that R&B artist SZA stated her concerns about how much energy and pollution goes into running AI. She specifically mentioned Memphis, TN, where the NAACP has notified Elon Musk’s xAI with their intent to sue the company for the pollution it’s creating in the city, as reported by AP. Environmental racism is not a new topic, but it has come to light...

Recently, more than 125 students graduated from Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy, a one-of-a-kind, free 10-month program launched in 2021 through a partnership between Apple and Michigan State University (MSU), according to a news release shared with AFROTECH™. But the Apple Developer Academy is about more than just coding. It equips Detroiters with real-world skills and the confidence to thrive in app development, business, and today’s ever-evolving tech landscape, per the release. A Pipeline For Real-World Innovation What makes Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy truly unique is its approach. Beyond mastering Swift coding, students dive into AI, UX design, marketing, and project management. The program is also backed by the Gilbert Family Foundation, which helps connect graduates with internships, mentors, and career opportunities across Detroit. “As Detroit continues to emerge as a national hub for technology, the Apple Developer Academy is creating pathways for Detroiters of all...