Black Tech Saturdays

MIAMI 🌴12.07.24 | Connect with creatives and innovators who put their genius to work for their industries and communities—creating economic mobility for all. Bright Future, Black Genius: Harnessing Art and Technology for Economic Mobility 🚀 Free entry + Special Detroit musical guests + Open bar + Appetizers ✨ RSVP NOW ✅ https://bit.ly/49CVgch In partnership with Let's Grow Michigan, You Can In Michigan, Knight Foundation 🌟 #BrightFutureBlackGenius #ArtBaselMiamiBeach #AFROTECH24 #BlackTechSaturdays #Miami #Detroit #BlackExcellence #InclusiveTech

Hola Everyone! My name is Maya Ford. I am a communications expert that focuses on culture and inclusion. In 2022, I had questions about what it will be like to learn in an environment that didn't matter that I was Black but also didn't devalue my blackness. So, naturally I thought to look towards the continent. Africa hosts 54 nations that have distinctive components of terrain, culture, language, and customs. I felt that it might allow me to reflect and learn about my blackness a bit differently than I do in America. I actually got to the most Black populated nation on Earth, which is Nigeria! Second to Nigeria’s Black populous happens to be Brazil. I decided to explore byway of attending the prestigious Lagos Business School, where I honed on my entrepreneurial skills and learned more about business management and nuances. I got to learn and practice complex mathematics and science with other entrepreneurs who had similar complex problems and visions as me. The academic study was the vehicle that allowed me a front row seat into Nigeria’s rich and deep culture. I’m not sure that you all know this but by 2050, 1 in 4 persons on Earth will be born in Africa! The world is about to look distinctively AFRICAN, and the West isn’t very well informed about how to engage, collaborate or include their diverse needs. This is a huge opportunity for us to learn, right? How do we shift, grow, change, explore and build a more dynamic inclusive future? One thing I learned and carried home with me from Nigeria was how to be more nimble. I finally decided to write about the nuances of this innate skill: Nigeria is for the Nimble. In this book, I unpack my observations and hone into some practices that we can do together. If the 21st century has taught us anything, it’s that unpredictability is here to stay for a while. We all need to expand our ability to be nimble. So, let’s get started. Can y’all introduce or reintroduce yourself in the comments section? Let’s connect so that we can practice this work together throughout 2025. I’m excited to meet with and see you! Know that I’ve been doing some cool work behind the scenes to build safe, authentic and useful infrastructure here in the West and in the East to make sure that we accommodate the growing path for these conversations. It’s important to me that we get this cultural expansion and inclusion right. We don’t want to repeat the horrors of the past of colonisation of any type. It is not just white = right infrastructure that does harm; any type of human infrastructure that is intentional about exclusion can do harm. Let’s be better. Let’s have higher standards for ourselves and our future. Happy New Year! #communicationexpert #LagosBusinessSchool #LagosBusinesSchoolAlumni #blackexcellence #newbookalert #culturalheritage #africarising #LBSalumni #fordmomentum #keepitmovin #culturalinclusion #culturalcurrency

New year = new job 🤑 Here are 15 job boards to find paid internships and other early career opportunities as a student or college graduate: 1. newgrad-jobs.com has hourly updates with entry level jobs for new grads with 0-2 years of experience (Jobright.ai) 2. noexperiencejobs.io shares entry level opportunities in tech for new grads (cuSTEM Journeys) 3. trueup.io shares a lot of great opportunities at tech and startup companies, (TrueUp) 4. talentegg.ca (TalentEgg) shares internships and other entry-level opportunities for Canadian early career talent (Intern Insider is another great resource) 5. h1bvisajobs.com shares opportunities in the US for international talent with organizations that provide sponsorship (other great platforms include h1bgrader.com and myvisajobs.com) 6. wayup.com shares internships and other early career opportunities for students and recent grads. they publish an annual list of top 100 internship programs to apply for (WayUp) 7. joinhandshake.com is another helpful job board for entry level talent with internships, full-time work, campus rep roles, etc (Handshake) 8. jopwell.com connects Black, Brown, and Native American students and recent graduates with early career opportunities (Jopwell) 9. extern.com connects students with remote, paid externships at companies such as Beats, Home Depot, PwC, Hugo Boss, and more. (Extern) 10. parkerdewey.com connects students with paid, micro-internships to help build and grow their resumes (Parker Dewey) 💸more job boards for US based talent: https://lnkd.in/gTW636W5 🌎 more job boards for international talent: https://lnkd.in/gErPVxvG 👀What are some other great sites you recommend to find entry level opportunities? Share down below ⤵️ Happy New Year! ✨ #earlycareer #jobhunting #internships #entrylevel #postgrad #jobboards #theninthsemester

As I reflect on this special day, it feels so fitting that we get to celebrate you on the very last day of the year. When I think about this whirlwind of a year, it’s almost impossible to capture all that we’ve accomplished together—so many moments, milestones, and memories that fill my heart with gratitude. Today, I’m overjoyed to celebrate you. To celebrate your love, your light, your spirit, and your unwavering motivation that not only lifts me but pushes so many others forward. You have this incredible ability to inspire and impact everyone you touch, and it’s a gift that I thank God for every single day. I am beyond grateful to be on this journey with you. As we walk through life together, I am praying for many more blessed and joyous years filled with love, laughter, and purpose. Thank you for being unapologetically you—for the love you pour into us all and the way you make this world brighter just by being in it. Happy Birthday, Johnnie Love always, Alexa 💕💕💕

Hey BTS Family! Today, we’re celebrating someone extraordinary—our founder, Johnnie Turnage! 🎉 Let’s show him some love and wish him a very Happy Birthday! 🥳 Johnnie’s unwavering dedication, vision, and commitment to empowering our community are truly unmatched. Thank you for inspiring us to dream bigger and work harder. We’re so grateful for all you do! Drop your birthday wishes for Johnnie in the comments below! 💬🎂✨

2024 has been an incredible year for Reaction Technologies. We've formed valuable partnerships and collaborated with universities, high schools, and youth organizations throughout the year. We've successfully completed our MVP and laid the foundation for our data and analytics platform. Additionally, we've established strategic partnerships that will bring long-term value to our company. As 2025 approaches, we're excited about the soft launch of our hardware product in Q1 of 2025. Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year. We look forward to what 2025 has in store and remain committed to our mission ofenhancing athlete safety and performance through improved technique. Yash Kakkad Torsha Perry Jalen Martin State Champs! Network Black Tech Saturdays Black Sports Business Symposium John W Watson TEDxDetroit Centrepolis Accelerator Centrepolis Accelerator Lawrence Technological University Julia Magallanes Margaret Baker Alexander Stief Evelina Hovis

Many thanks to Fast Company for recognizing how Black entrepreneurs and investors are writing an exceptional story in #Michigan. While work remains to provide greater access to dollars, Michigan has incredible people challenging norms, changing minds, and breaking the status quo: Alexa Turnage, Johnnie Turnage, Derek Batts/Union Heritage, Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, and Michigan Economic Development Corporation staff like Ben Marchionna, Amy Rencher, MBA, Christopher Cook, Hilary Doe, Matt Casby, and Aileen Bovan, to name a few. And, continued political leadership from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, bipartisan state legislators and an engaged federal delegation is setting a conducive policy atmosphere to create wealth for ALL residents, disrupting the color line in the process. We don’t just expand the pie in Michigan; we bake whole new pies with new ingredients. #MakeItInMichigan

ICYMI The Business Development Bank of Canada is investing $200M CAD ($140M USD) in Indigenous and Black-led businesses to drive inclusive economic growth. The government-owned bank is also launching a $50M CAD ($36M USD) financing and training program to support women, Indigenous, and Black entrepreneurs.

🎉 Kicking off 2025 with Funding Opportunities: Join Me and a Room of Investors at the House of Scale! 🎉 I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be the MC and curator for Culture Shift Labs' House of Scale NYC on January 15, 2025, sponsored by Verizon and hosted at Morgan Stanley’s New York office. This isn’t just an event—it’s a movement. We’re bringing together over $1 billion in actively managed capital from leading investors committed to supporting ALL founders. 💡 Here’s why this matters:  - In 2025, we’re creating new opportunities despite headwinds. - The room will be filled with brilliant entrepreneurs and some of the most forward-thinking investors from Andreessen Horowitz, Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Group, Techstars, Zeal Capital Partners, Anthemis Group, Level Up Ventures and more. 🚀 What to expect:  - Fireside chats with trailblazers like Alysia Reiner (award-winning actress and storyteller), Jon Gosier, Founder of Audigent, a part of Experian (who scaled and exited his startup via a $350M sale to Experian) and John Pasmore (founder of Latimer.AI).  - Panel discussions featuring investors like Nasir C. Qadree of Zeal Capital Partners, Kofi Ampadu of Andreessen Horowitz, LaToya Wilson and Alice Vilma of Morgan Stanley, Shashi Srikantan of Level Up Ventures (Hearst) Andres Barreto of Techstars NYC, Sherrise Pond of Anthemis Group, Abdul Abdirahman of F-Prime Capital, and Ashley Ryder of VamosVentures. - Moderator insights from incredible leaders like Kange Kaneene of Level Up Ventures, Dominic-Madori Davis of TechCrunch and Monica Wheat of Techstars Detroit.  - We will offer select founders the opportunity to pitch the investors in the room. My mission has always been to close the network gap and help ALL founders gain access to the capital and connections they deserve. That's why I founded MyCofoundr.AI. This event is a reflection of that mission, and I couldn’t be prouder to curate this experience. Special thanks to Andrea Hoffman for the opportunity. If you’re a founder ready to scale or an investor seeking the next transformative idea, this is your chance to start the new year with intention. 🎟️ Seats are limited—register today: https://lnkd.in/e47t79zA Let’s step into 2025 with optimism, action, and the right connections. Together, we can turn bold ideas into enduring success. 🌟 #HouseOfScale #NewYearNewOpportunities

Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind, by Coauthor: In 2024, Animation Discovery Studio proved that dreams don't just need believers - they need builders. From an idea born at Apple Developer Academy to becoming a force for change in Detroit's tech landscape, every step reinforced what matters most: creating pathways for our youth. What started as a vision to empower Detroit kids through animation has transformed into real impact: • Hosted over 70 workshops reaching 300+ students • Secured game-changing support as Black Tech Saturdays Rising Star • Featured in Detroit News for innovative approach to tech education • Built a growing team through two hiring rounds • Created sustainable pathways for youth to monetize creative skills But the real story? It's in the moments that show why this work matters: • Watching students discover they can turn their love of cartoons into careers • Returning to Apple Developer Academy as an employer, not just a graduate • Building partnerships that expand access to animation education • Seeing our community rally behind Detroit's creative future Three moments that captured our journey: "Community is meant to feel like family..." On being recognized as a Rising Star by Black Tech Saturdays and receiving the regrant that's helping us expand our impact. https://lnkd.in/gSxMSavK "Yesterday, I had the incredible opportunity to return to Apple Developer Academy..." Coming full circle from student to employer, showing our youth what's possible. https://lnkd.in/gFYaVfxx "The Power of Relationships in Entrepreneurship" On how connections and community support turn visions into reality. https://lnkd.in/gyPmTkrx Looking ahead: 2025 is about scaling our impact while staying true to our mission. We're expanding access to animation education and creating more opportunities for Detroit's youth to turn creativity into careers. Animation Discovery Studio isn't just teaching skills - we're building futures, one frame at a time. To every student who trusted us with their creative journey, every partner who believed in our vision, and every team member who's helped build this dream - thank you. Detroit's creative future is bright, and we're just getting started. 🎬✨ #AnimationDiscoveryStudio #DetroitTech #YouthEmpowerment #TechCommunity #LinkedInRewind