Heidi Anderson, president of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), has filed a $1 million defamation lawsuit against former professor Donna Satterlee over Satterlee’s allegations of plagiarism and racism. Anderson, who is Black, holds a Ph.D. in pharmacy administration from Purdue University, according to The Washington Post. She became UMES president in 2018. In July 2025, Satterlee, who is white, had filed a lawsuit against UMES, Anderson, and other individuals at the school, citing wrongful termination. And later, she filed a complaint with the school accusing Anderson of plagiarizing parts of her 1986 dissertation. On Oct. 15, Satterlee appeared on the Newsmax network, repeating the plagiarism claims, calling Anderson a “scam artist,” and alleging reverse discrimination. “We cannot litigate the case in the press,” Anderson’s attorney, James Walker, told The Post. “We spoke to the school, and they reassured us verbally, in writing, and in an affidavit that Dr. Anderson...

Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurants, a family-owned Jamaican food company with more than 100 locations across the United States, has launched a 3 million Jamaican dollar agricultural recovery initiative to support small farmers in Jamaica impacted by Hurricane Melissa, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. The first phase of the initiative is being carried out in partnership with the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) and provides direct assistance to 10 farmers across Saint Elizabeth, Clarendon, Saint Catherine, Saint Mary, and Manchester. Each farmer received J$300,000 in seedlings, farming equipment, fertilizer, and essential supplies to replant and restart production after sustaining crop losses, flooding, and damage to farm infrastructure during the storm, notes the release. Golden Krust’s leadership team traveled to Jamaica as part of the rollout. They distributed supplies, assessed damage, and met with farmers who supply the ingredients used in the company’s...

Aliko Dangote, the wealthiest Black man in the world, is making a financial commitment to Nigeria’s education system through a philanthropic initiative. The Aliko Dangote Foundation announced it will invest 1 trillion naira, approximately $688 million USD, over the next 10 years to support education initiatives across the country, according to Business Insider Africa. The pledge is one of the largest private investments in Nigeria’s education sector and aims to expand access to schooling while strengthening academic outcomes nationwide. The program is set to begin in 2026 with support for 45,000 students, eventually reaching around 1.33 million over a decade, notes the outlet. The foundation said the initiative will focus on students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as girls’ education and teacher training. Dangote, who serves as chairman of the foundation, said the initiative is intended to address financial barriers that prevent many Nigerian...

Raymond James is scaling its fintech and wealth management footprint with a new partnership, signaling continued momentum in its Financial Institutions Division. According to a press release, Bank Midwest has selected Raymond James’ Financial Institutions Division (FID) to support its investment program, transitioning approximately $692 million in client assets to Raymond James Financial Services. As part of the move, Bank Midwest’s wealth management unit will rebrand as Midwest Wealth Group. The Spirit Lake, Iowa–based team includes six financial advisors, seven branch professionals, and one program manager, per the press release. The partnership represents another step in Raymond James’ national expansion strategy, particularly as financial institutions seek technology-forward alternatives to traditional third-party investment providers. Stephen Kruchten, president of Raymond James’ Financial Institutions Division (FID), said the division was designed to meet the evolving needs of...

Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. has turned down Paramount’s $108 billion bid. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, Netflix agreed to acquire Warner Bros in a deal with a total enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion (equity value of $72.0 billion). The boards of directors for both Warner Bros and Netflix are in favor of the deal. Netflix states the agreement would position it to define the “ next century of storytelling.” “For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come,” President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., David Zaslav, commented in a Dec. 5 press release. Days later, Paramount entered the race for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., making a rival bid of $30.00 per share, for an overall enterprise value of $108.4 billion, per a separate AFROTECH™ article....

Rayna Reid Rayford is aware that her maternal health experience was far from an anomaly. Rayford, a lawyer and strategic communicator, had a challenging start to parenthood. Early on, when she met her now husband, they had conversations about children and agreed they wanted just one. When they embarked on that journey, it was hard for Rayford to conceive, and she experienced two consecutive miscarriages within a couple of months. The second miscarriage was so painful that she went to the emergency room. “We started to meet with fertility doctors and I started to think, ‘Is something wrong with me?’ You really start to internalize a lot. And then it was at that juncture that we actually found out we were pregnant for the third time in the calendar year,” Rayford told AFROTECH™. This was in December 2023. She is grateful to have “survived” pregnancy. She worked with a doula after the first trimester because it was important to her to have a comprehensive 360-degree support system,...

Florida has sued Starbucks Coffee Co. over alleged diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, claiming the coffee chain violated state civil-rights law by favoring minority employees in hiring and pay. Since beginning his second term on Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald Trump has signed several executive orders aimed at dismantling federal DEI initiatives. Following his actions, some companies and universities followed suit, AFROTECH™ previously reported. Attorney General James Uthmeier filed the 21-page lawsuit on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, The Tallahassee Democrat reports. The suit claims Starbucks used racial quotas and hiring goals that discriminated against “non-favored races,” including white, Asian, and multiracial workers. “ Starbucks made DEI more than a slogan,” Uthmeier said in a post on X. “They turned it into a mandatory hiring and promotion system based on race. The coffee empire set numerical racial targets for their workforce, and they tied executive bonuses to...

Omar Shaheed III stepped into unfamiliar territory in technology, and now he is setting an example after accomplishing a historical first. The 23-year-old graduated from Berkeley High School in 2020 and was offered an opportunity to apply to South Carolina State University’s mechatronics engineering program by Dr. Hasanul Basher, a professor and chairman of SC State’s Department of Engineering Technology, according to a press release shared with AFROTECH™. The program was in its infancy, and Shaheed was its first student. The program is geared toward equipping students in electronics, control systems, robotics, communications, computer technology, and power systems to work at companies such as Boeing, BMW, Eli Lilly, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, according to information on the program’s website. When Dr. Basher approached Shaheed, the program was still in development at the Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Shaheed admitted he was...

Michael Johnson’s track and field league, Grand Slam Track, has filed for bankruptcy, according to AP News. Grand Slam Track Promises As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Johnson’s love for the sport, which is reflected in his records in the 200- and 400-meter races, also led him into ownership. He secured “the single largest investment in track and field history,” per Sportico, to launch Grand Slam Track in 2024. Johnson intended to ensure athletes could commercialize their rights and promised never-before-seen payouts of $100,000 for the top winners of four meets. A total of $3 million in funding was allocated as prize money for each meet. What Went Wrong In the end, Johnson was unable to keep his word. The league reportedly fell short in compensating athletes and vendors. “Due to our strong desire to make this right as quickly as possible, we offered dated payment timelines and have been unable to meet them,” Johnson confessed in an August 2025 Instagram post.   View this post on...

An affordable housing project supported by NBA great Allen Iverson in Newport News, VA, is moving forward. Iverson Landing 13 News reports that Iverson teamed up with developer Alvin Keels Jr. on the project named Iverson Landing, which is geared toward working families and part of an overall effort to increase housing options in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones has also been vocal about affordable housing options with a goal of opening 21,000 affordable housing units by 2050, and he intends to reach it by working with emerging developers “who will shape the future of our communities,” he said in a Facebook post. This puts Iverson and Keels’ project squarely in line with a broader agenda to invest in affordable housing. The Iverson Landing will be based in Newport News, Iverson’s hometown, which he credits with shaping the person he is today — an NBA legend, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, tech investor, and vice president of Reebok...

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is still on top. ‘Cowboy Carter’ Tour The artist has been having quite a year. Her most recent album, “Cowboy Carter,” was released in March 2024 and honored her southern country roots. She earned Grammy awards for “Album of the Year” and “Best Country Album” the following year and began a global tour. “This was born from my love and respect for the rich country genre,” Beyoncé told Pollstar about “Cowboy Carter.” “The overall intention for this tour was to celebrate American resiliency,” she continued. View this post on Instagram The “Cowboy Carter” tour has now become the top-earning world tour in 2025. According to IQ Magazine, the tour generated $407.6 million from 1.57 million ticket sales, across 32 shows. “The impact of the ‘Cowboy Carter’ era on the country genre will only continue to grow. It has reinvigorated a space that now has a new audience. And in ten years, the young girls and boys who saw the show will become adults who believe they can be...

These two Black women leading autonomous vehicle companies are leaders to watch out for in 2026, according to Forbes. Aicha Evans Aicha Evans, who has led Zoox as CEO since 2019, oversaw a major industry milestone when Amazon acquired the self-driving auto startup in 2020 for about $1.2 billion, as AFROTECH™ previously reported. The acquisition aimed to advance ride-hailing while keeping Zoox as a standalone business under Amazon. Evans said the deal “solidifies Zoox’s impact on the industry” and expands opportunities to develop fully driverless vehicles. Before joining Zoox, Evans spent more than a decade at Intel in senior engineering and strategy roles, bringing extensive tech and operational experience to her leadership at the startup. In an interview with Bloomberg, Evans discussed the recent launch of Zoox’s self-driving shuttles in Las Vegas, calling it “more than a decade in the making.” “We finally launched it essentially to the public, which is really nice,” she said. “If...

The Weeknd has closed an unconventional catalog deal. AFROTECH™ has reported various master’s and publishing deals over the years, which include Nelly, Hit-Boy, Wiz Khalifa, and T-Pain, who all secured deals with Black woman-owned HarbourView Equity Partners. The Weeknd — also known as Abel Tesfaye — appears to be the next artist in line to secure a deal tied to his catalog. Variety reports the “Wake Me Up” artist has finalized a deal with Lyric Capital Group, an investment firm focused on music royalties, to invest in his master’s and publishing catalog through 2025, while he and his team maintain creative control and continue as shareholders and owners. Additionally, half of the artist’s publishing rights were owned by Chord Music Partners. The exact value of the deal was not disclosed . The deal is said to be a “first-of-its-kind,” per Variety. The Weeknd was not interested in the sale of his catalog, which opened doors to an agreement that allows him and his team to maintain...

Bun B always saw the full potential of what has become a beloved burger spot in Houston. The UGK rapper is co-founder of Trill Burgers, which offers smash burgers, lemonade, and fries, and on Tuesdays, smash tacos. Andy Nguyen (creative director) and Nick Scurfield (chief marketing officer), as well as chefs Mike Pham (chief operating officer) and Fernando Valladares (executive chef) are also co-founders in the business. Trill Burgers’ first storefront opened in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston in 2023 and had already secured the accolade of making the best burger in America by “Good Morning America” a year earlier, as AFROTECH™ previously told you. The business has been a fixture at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo since 2023 and also earned its Gold Buckle Foodie Award for Best Classic Fair Food. Additionally, Trill Burgers is a vendor at Texas Dow Employees Credit Union Stadium for University of Houston football games, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. “I’ve...

Is T-Pain taking over Twitch? The “I’m Sprung” artist currently has 1.1 million followers on the platform. While speaking on “Club Shay Shay,” he shared that he’s using Twitch to take fans behind the scenes on how he develops his music, starting with the first beat, leading up to the release of a song, which can sometimes be done in the span of a week. He says most of his studio workflow is a solo grind, with his wife and children occasionally joining him to help write a few bars. “I’m making all my music on Twitch,” he said on the podcast. “Every single that I release, everything that happens right now, you can clock it from me making the first sound to putting it out. Like all the way from me making the first sound of the beat, making the whole beat, recording the vocals, and then putting it out. I can show you the entire process on Twitch. It’s been not only a liberating thing for me, but it’s turned into an eyeopener to the viewers, for other artists,” he added. And he’s not the...