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The White House’s decision to remove degree requirements from major federal IT contracts isn’t just about procurement reform — it’s about economic mobility. It’s creating real economic mobility for talented people who’ve been systematically shut out of the tech industry. I’ve spent years advocating for more inclusive hiring practices, and I see this as a […]
In the face of ongoing legal and political threats toward programs addressing inequality, a global VC firm opened a new fund to support underresourced entrepreneurs — and chose DC as the place to do so. Portfolia, a San Mateo, California-headquartered firm, on Tuesday launched its 14th fund that specifically caters to founders investors typically overlook, […]
This is a guest post by Tony Bridges, assistant secretary for the Maryland Department of Transportation. For small businesses and those owned by people from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, securing government contracts can change the game. Government contracts provide businesses with a steady revenue source, credibility and the chance to expand into new markets. And prime […]
Farmers of color are not backing down. John Boyd Jr., a fourth-generation Virginia farmer, civil rights activist and president of the National Black Farmers Association, delivered a fiery keynote speech at the 2024 BIPOC Farmers Conference in Smyrna, Delaware, on Nov. 12, as Black, Indigenous and other farmers of color face potential reversal of years […]
There’s a bright yellow billboard along I-95 between New York City and Philadelphia. You can’t miss it. “Potholes suck. AI can fix them.” That’s something most drivers can get behind. Will it be Boston Dynamics’ robot dogs? Amazon delivery drones? Is some other company building androids with jackhammer arms and stomachs full of asphalt millings? […]
About a month after a VC firm and a conservative group settled a lawsuit over a grant program for Black women business owners, legal experts urge companies and investors to be aware of the risk. While the settlement avoided setting a legal precedent for targeted grant programs, its impacts are still monumental, lawyers specializing in […]