Johnnie Turnage: Detroit Could Be America’s Premier Black Tech Ecosystem
My name is Johnnie Turnage. Less than a year ago, I founded Black Tech Saturdays with my wife Alexa, and the results have been out of this world! We grew from five people in a coffee shop to over 6,000 Detroiters, Michiganders, and visitors from all over the world. We’ve supported founders as they worked to gain traction, revenue, and capital faster than ever. We’ve also supported over a hundred people in their quest to get jobs, and we’ve witnessed more of our community find pathways into the tech
Quinton E. Primo lll Building a Home for Google at the James R. Thompson Center
by Alan Hughes Quintin E. Primo III is one of relatively few African Americans operating at the highest level of the commercial real estate business. His company, the Chicago-based Capri Investment Group, boasts more than $14 billion in real estate investment transactions completed – with more high-profile deals in the pipeline. The Capri Investment Group and commercial and residential real estate development company, The Prime Group, acquired the James R. Thompson Center, an historic building in Chicago’s Loop District. The center, built in the mid-1980s houses Illinois state government
The Sharon Reed Show: One-on-One with Judge Greg Mathis
On the latest episode of The Sharon Reed Show, Sharon goes one-on-one with Judge Greg Mathis. In this new podcast, Judge Mathis discusses his family, meeting his wife, being raised in politics by Rev. Jessie Jackson, his support for media mogul Byron Allen, his next TV project, and more. Watch the full interview now. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTqE4zSANTE[/embed]
GM Chair and CEO, Mary Barra Says Gerald Johnson Leaves an ‘Indelible Mark’ on the Auto Giant
Who's Who in Black is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of Black men and women and recognizes living legends who in successfully navigating their careers have created a blueprint for the fortunate men and women who follow in their footsteps in their own pursuits of excellence. One such individual is GM retiree Gerald Johnson of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. General Motors revealed the retirement of its long-serving executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability, Gerald Johnson. Johnson, who has served the company for an impressive 44 years,
The Clean Energy Economy: Will Blacks Get Left Behind in the Race to Green?
America continues to plod the course toward a clean energy nation – albeit glacially. Though hampered by an aging infrastructure and other factors, widespread clean energy – or power that does not, in its generation and consumption, add pollution or contribute to climate change – appears to be a certainty. Unfortunately, this particular scenario could lead to yet another great divide for African Americans. As the world slowly moves toward increased clean energy generation, a gap is widening and hindering African Americans positioning themselves to benefit from the
Zendaya Makes Emmy History: Becomes Youngest Producing Nominee & More
Courtesy of Black Information Network Zendaya has made Emmys history once again! On Tuesday (July 12), the 74th Annual Emmy Awards nominees were announced and for the second year, Zendaya made history thanks to her work on Euphoria. The 25-year-old actress, who plays Rue on the hit HBO drama series, also serves as an executive producer for the show, which was nominated in the Outstanding Drama Series, making her the youngest woman to receive a producing nomination at the Emmys. Zendaya also landed a nom for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series, making
NFL Partners with Contract With Black America to Strengthen Economic Equality
New York, NY – The National Football League (NFL) announced today its partnership with Contract with Black America Institute (CWBA), an economic inclusion-focused initiative led by artist and entrepreneur O'Shea Jackson, also known as Ice Cube. The CWBA and NFL partnership enhances the NFL's dedication to increasing economic equity and partnerships with Black owned businesses. The collaboration focuses on identifying League-wide opportunities in the financial, tech, and production sectors, with a concentration on increasing direct and indirect spend to national Black businesses to help close America's racial and
Willie O’Ree, 1st Black Player in NHL, is a Real Ice Man
By Tamara Shiloh Historically, professional hockey has held fast to its tradition of lacking diversity among its players. But no Black on the ice did not hold Willie O’Ree back. He started playing hockey at age 3 and instantly had a passion for the game. Born on October 15, 1935, in Frederickton, New Brunswick, Canada, O’Ree at the age of 14 years old, played with his brother Richard in organized hockey. Within a year, he was playing with the Frederickton Falcons in New Brunswick Amateur Hockey team. O’Ree played in
Black Asset Managers and the Fight for Investment Capital
Whether working in academia, a municipal, state or federal department or within Corporate America, Black employees contributing to their retirement plans have one thing in common: their retirement assets are managed almost entirely by people who look nothing like them. And this longstanding dynamic is draining wealth from Black communities. The asset management industry, one of the remaining bastions of the old boy network, is not only frighteningly non-diverse at the upper levels, but those professionals of color within the industry find themselves struggling to raise capital from
Study Shows Black Farmers Lost $326 Billion Worth Of Land Over Decades
Zuri Anderson, Black Information Network A new study is highlighting how state-sanctioned discrimination has financially disenfranchised Black farmers for generations. Black farmers lost over $326 billion worth of land during the 20th century, according to research published Sunday (May 1) in the American Economic Association’s Papers and Proceedings journal, per Reuters. Researchers found that racial discrimination and violence permitted by state laws ultimately led to a steep decline in Black-owned acreage between 1922 and 1977. They reportedly analyzed U.S. Department of Agriculture census data to determine their findings. Land ownership can provide