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California Gov. Gavin Newsom has vetoed Assembly Bill 7 (AB 7), a proposal introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, D-Los Angeles, that would have allowed colleges and universities to give admissions preference to descendants of enslaved people in an effort to address the long-term effects of slavery, the Los Angeles Times reports. The bill passed both the State Assembly and Senate before reaching the governor’s desk in October. Supporters said the measure recognized the continuing effects of slavery and systemic inequality in access to higher education. The California Faculty Association and several civil rights groups, according to Politico, supported the legislation, stating that it aligned with the state’s broader discussions on reparations and equity. AB 7 would have given colleges the option — but not the obligation — to consider whether an applicant was a descendant of an enslaved person as one of several factors in admissions decisions. The bill was written to comply with...
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...
Google has removed more than 50 organizations tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from a public list of groups that receive support through its U.S. Government Affairs and Public Policy team, according to a report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP). The report found that Google dropped 214 organizations from the list and added 101 new ones in February. Of those removed, 58 were categorized as DEI-related — the largest category of removals, based on mission language referencing terms such as “diversity,” “equity,” “inclusion,” “race,” “activism,” or “women,” according to TTP. DEI Organizations No Longer Listed Several organizations that were previously listed as recipients of Google’s public policy contributions are no longer included. Some are: African American Community Service Agency, which supports Black and historically excluded communities Latino Leadership Alliance, which focuses on equity for Latino populations Enroot, which offers support for immigrant...
Black shoppers’ spending habits have changed at retailers no longer upholding DEI. Amazon, Walmart, and Target have scaled back their DEI commitments, leading some shoppers to take their dollars elsewhere. This also prompted several boycotts, including one on Feb. 28 by The People’s Union USA, which held a 24-hour boycott of major retailers and chains, refraining from both in-person and online purchases, notes PBS. According to Retail Brew, Black shoppers spent under $1 billion on Feb. 28, leading to a $220 million decline. A drop of this magnitude had not been seen within the past year. The outlet also notes that Black shoppers contributed to an 18.7% decline in sales and a 17.6% decline in trips particularly to Amazon, Walmart, and Target, and they are leading the way in the “economic blackout.” Furthermore, for Target particularly it has experienced a great blowback, with 10 straight weeks of its foot traffic in decline across all demographics. CBS News reports it has lost over...
The consumer boycott against Target will continue, according to Rev. Jamal Bryant. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Target’s retraction of its three-year diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) commitments — which included ending a program designed to highlight Black and minority-owned businesses — impacted the company. Shareholders filed a lawsuit and Rev. Bryant led a 40-day consumer boycott, garnering over 200,000 sign-ups. The major retailer subsequently experienced a decline in its stock for at least eight consecutive weeks. “When we started this Target fast, … a Fortune 500 company was trading on the New York Stock Exchange at $138 a share. Because of how it is, that stridently you have put your hand to the plow, their stock started at $138 a share. As of Friday, it is down to $94 a share,” Bryant said Sunday, April 20, at his church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest, GA, reports The Christian Post. Furthermore, Target’s foot traffic decreased year over year...
The Trump administration has rescinded a historic settlement designed to improve wastewater treatment services for residents in majority-Black communities in Lowndes County, Alabama, where inadequate infrastructure has long led to raw sewage exposure. On Friday, April 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the termination of the 2-year-old agreement made with the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) under the Biden administration , describing it as an “ illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.” “The DOJ will no longer push ‘environmental justice’ as viewed through a distorting, DEI lens,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “ President [Donald] Trump made it clear: Americans deserve a government committed to serving every individual with dignity and respect, and to expending taxpayer resources in accordance with the national interest, not arbitrary criteria.” On Jan. 20, 2025 — his first day back in office — Trump had signed an executive...
Costco shareholders want to uphold DEI policies. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Costco’s board of directors has requested that its shareholders reject a proposal introduced by the National Center for Public Policy Research (NCPPR) to eliminate its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The NCPPR argues that upholding DEI efforts should not be permitted due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on affirmative action in June 2023. The ruling struck down race-conscious affirmative action across colleges and universities, NPR notes. However, Costco’s board of directors contends that the NCPPR has an agenda of “abolishing diversity initiatives,” and its critique of Costco’s DEI policy “reflects a policy bias,” according to Fox Business. “Our success at Costco Wholesale has been built on service to our critical stakeholders: employees, members, and suppliers. Our efforts around diversity, equity and inclusion follow our code of ethics: For our employees, these efforts are built...
Jaylen Brown has designed courses that champion STEM education to empower students. As the founder of the 7uice Foundation, he aims to create better educational outcomes for underserved youth of color, with support from institutions, organizations, and social change leaders, its website mentions. Its four pillars include: Entrepreneurship and financial literacy Health and wellness Leadership and activism Sustainability and technology The foundation also offers a Bridge Program in partnership with MIT’s Media Lab with a four-day camp held during the summer for students in eighth through 12th grade. Brown designed a science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) curriculum for the program, which includes space exploration, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence, as he revealed during a conversation on “The Stephen A. Smith Show.” “I designed a curriculum over at MIT pretty much every summer… I take kids from Dorchester, from Roxbury, from underrepresented...
A Black woman is leading the establishment of New York City, NY ‘s first HBCU Early College Prep High School, a groundbreaking initiative developed in partnership with the historically Black college from which she graduated. Dr. Asya Johnson, chancellor’s master principal of NYC Public Schools, is a passionate advocate for racial justice and educational equity with over 16 years of educational experience. A proud Delaware State University alumna , she stated that the prep high school aims to “bridge the accelerated academics of a rich tradition of HBCU experience,” Waymaker Journal reported . She is now paving the way for a new generation to follow in her footsteps. The HBCU Early College Prep High School will open in Southeast Queens in September 2025, fast-tracking NYC Public School students’ path to college. They will be able to start receiving college credits as early as ninth grade and graduate high school with a diploma, a tuition-free associate degree, and guaranteed...
Business coach Precious Azuree is helping Black-led organizations measure their impact. Precious Azuree Group The Houston, TX, native has been leading her own coaching business for more than a decade. The pathway nearly fell into her lap upon graduating from high school as a self-taught web and graphic designer and blogger. Quickly gaining a reputation for social media marketing, many began to reach out to Azuree for her services, which evolved into the launch of the Precious Azuree Group, originally established as a project management and branding agency. “I was working with influencers, helping small business owners develop their brand identity, monetize their brand, build out their teams,” she told AFROTECH™ in an interview. Through her business, she worked with a myriad of clients which included Stacy Ike Inc., earning them over $100,000 in brand deals, as well as Essence Festival, AT&T, Pantene, and Regal Cinemas, on social media strategics that enhanced their brand engagement...
During Donovan Mitchell’s off season he is educating himself on the wine sector. The starting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers is said to be the first-ever NBA star wine apprentice, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. Mitchell dove into the various aspects of winemaking with the help of The Prisoner, a Napa Valley-based wine brand that has worked closely with the NBA since 2020. The company also works with 100 growers in the northern region to produce various blends, according to their website. Mitchell’s introduction to the winery dates back to two years ago, while attending an event in the midst of the summer league in Las Vegas. “Ever since then it’s been a non-stop in my house,” he explained in a YouTube video. Now, as a student in the field and through the assistance of The Prisoner’s head winemakers, Chrissy Wittmann and Todd Ricard, he became more familiar with the systems in place to blend wines while in the barrel room and has gained an understanding of the...
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has revealed his thoughts amid the ever-changing landscape of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices. In a shareholder letter shared via Axios, Dimon reiterated the bank’s commitment to DEI, noting its programs that include resource groups for Black, LGBTQ+, and employees living with disabilities, as well as other initiatives, including a fund geared toward helping entrepreneurs of color, investing efforts in rural communities, and recruiting at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Moreover, Dimon revealed that the $30 billion racial equity commitment made by JPMorgan Chase in the wake of racial unrest and turmoil in 2020 is “nearly completed,” with plans to make the initiative a permanent program. “We’re thoughtfully continuing our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts,” he wrote. Dimon also confirmed that the initiatives will adjust as laws continue to evolve around these issues. His statement comes at a time...
A program working to “break the cycle of homelessness for good” in the Bay Area of California has launched, and Google is backing its mission. Google.org, the charitable arm of Google, is a funding partner for It All Adds Up (Bay Area Thriving Families Study), a pilot program that is providing 450 families in the Bay Area who have faced homelessness with guaranteed basic income for a year. Each family is given a randomized amount of either $1,000 a month for 12 months or $50 a month for 12 months, according to the program’s website. Its fellow funding partner is J-PAL North America, a regional office of the global research center Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab housed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Bay Area families that receive services from Compass Family Services or Hamilton Families and are part of their rental subsidy/rapid re-housing programs qualify for the recurring cash payments as long as they are in the final three months of their housing subsidy....
Gina Belafonte is someone who walks the walk and talks the talk. As the executive director of Sankofa, she’s combining the arts and activism to carry on her father’s legacy. Though initially starting out as an actress, Gina Belafonte is now focusing her efforts on the organization her father started and choosing to focus her efforts on larger social justice causes. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t use entertainment to get her point across. On March 1, HB95 — a celebration of Harry Belafonte’s 95th birthday — will be a star-studded event that will take place at the Town Hall Theater in New York City. Proceeds will benefit Sankofa, whose mission “educates, motivates, and activates artists and allies in service of grassroots movements and equitable change,” per the organization’s official website. Their outreach is, of course, grassroots in nature — they work with local partners to amplify their message, but their amplification involves some of the biggest names in the entertainment...
