HBCUs are at the forefront of AI-driven innovation in higher education through the ALDA project, which has helped faculty streamline course design, promote equity-centered teaching, and bridge the digital divide by empowering under-resourced institutions with accessible, creative AI tools.
Category: Technology
Posted inTechnology
New cybersecurity tech hub launches in Congress Heights
The University of the District of Columbia, in partnership with Accenture and PeopleShores, has launched a Cybersecurity Tech Hub offering a paid apprenticeship program to equip D.C. residents with hands-on cybersecurity training and career pathways in a high-demand field.
Posted inTechnology
The Digital Equity Act tried to close the digital divide. 47th president calls it racist and acts to end it
The 47th president’s move to end the bipartisan Digital Equity Act—a federal program providing internet access, devices, and digital literacy training to underserved communities—threatens to widen the digital divide, especially for rural residents, low-income families, seniors and veterans, despite its broad support and essential role in modern life.
Posted inWord In Black
Black students are being watched under AI — and they know it
I surveillance technologies in U.S. schools, often funded by COVID relief and disproportionately deployed in Black and low-income areas, are raising civil rights concerns for criminalizing students and replacing support systems with punitive monitoring.
Posted inTechnology
How artificial intelligence could close gaps in mental health care for women and girls
Artificial intelligence (AI) could help close persistent gaps in mental health care for Black women and girls by improving access, affordability and cultural relevance. Experts say when designed with intention, AI tools can offer early intervention, personalized support and relief for overburdened care systems.
Posted inTechnology
Protect your data: Expert tips for safely using public Wi-Fi
Protecting personal and financial data on public Wi-Fi is essential to avoiding fraud carried out by hackers. Experts stress using VPNs and personal hotspots to secure information, as public networks are often vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Posted inHBCU
SC State STEM Showcase highlights student innovation and research excellence
The STEM Showcase at South Carolina State University (SC State) featured diverse student-led research across transportation, energy, biology and more. The event spotlighted SC State’s R2 research status and its role as a leading HBCU in science and engineering education.
Posted inTechnology
STEM City Baltimore receives $100,000 Maryland grant to bring AI and Metaverse training to youth
STEM City Baltimore has received a $100,000 grant from the State of Maryland to deliver immersive AI and metaverse training to youth, advancing digital literacy and tech equity in alignment with national efforts to prepare students for future careers.
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Harnessing Emerging Technologies to Power Your Business
Small business owners are increasingly using AI to drive innovation, efficiency and growth, with 80% already using or planning to implement AI, focusing on customer-facing applications like chatbots and customer service automation.
Posted inTechnology
Is artificial intelligence key to economic mobility or will it increase disparities?
By Leah Mallory Artificial Intelligence is definitely a tool for financial empowerment, but not the key to economic growth since the racial wealth gap predates AI, experts explained. “I don’t think AI is an end-all-be-all and the mothership to Black economic mobility because the systemic issues that Black communities have faced on a general scale […]
Posted inTechnology
AI application tackles literacy challenges with audio summaries
Husband and wife team K.C. and Jayne Hopson created ZingFrog.ai to transform long-form content into short, accessible audio summaries called “zings.” Their goal is to reach busy audiences—and those facing literacy or vision challenges—through technology that makes information easier to understand and engage with.
Posted inTechnology
Parents need to pay attention to artificial intelligence, too
The rapid rise of AI in K-12 education has sparked debate, with advocates praising its potential while critics warn of built-in racial biases that disadvantage Black and non-native English-speaking students.