African American Consumer News

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions. The updated release reads: SUNDIAL MEDIA & TECHNOLOGY GROUP NAMES CEDRIC J. ROGERS CHIEF PRODUCT & PLATFORM OFFICER Former Apple Executive and Culture Genesis Co-Founder, One of the Largest Black-Owned Digital Media Networks, to Lead Creator Ecosystem, Platform, and AI Strategy Across Sundial's Portfolio of Cultural Brands Sundial Media & Technology Group today forma...

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Black Girls Code (BGC), the trailblazing nonprofit dedicated to preparing young girls and women for careers in technology, announced today the promotion of Lauren Idoko to Vice President of Program Strategy and Impact from Director of College and Career Programs. As Vice President of Program Strategy and Impact, Idoko will lead the implementation of BGC’s redesigned program model: a developmentally sequenced, outcome-driven, culturally responsive tech education...

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® returns to New Orleans July 3–5, 2026, unveiling its night-by-night Evening Concert Series lineup with newly announced performances from Babyface and Leon Thomas, joining a cross-generational mix of artists across hip-hop, R&B, soul, and funk at the Caesars Superdome. The announcement builds on previously revealed performers including Cardi B, Latto, Kehlani, Patti LaBelle, Brandy and Monica, Public Enemy...

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® will welcome Mara Brock Akil, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Nina Compton, as its 2026 Cultural Curators, joining previously announced Chief Curator Teyana Taylor in shaping the experiences that define this year’s festival. Their work will take shape across the festival in distinct ways, each rooted in their discipline. From what is written and discussed, to what is screened and shared, to what is served and experience...

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sundial Media & Technology Group (SMTG), a human connections platform and the parent company of iconic brands like ESSENCE and Refinery29, has appointed Amanda Butler as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer to lead the integration and evolution of marketing strategy across SMTG's portfolio, overseeing Consumer Marketing, Communications, Creative Strategy, Insights, and evolving Content Production into a full-scale studio. Her role elevates marketin...

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® today announced that Teyana Taylor and her creative team, The Aunties, have been named Chief Curator for the 2026 festival, set for July 3–5 in New Orleans. In this newly created role, Taylor will bring her signature lens rooted in Black culture, feminine power, and intentional creative storytelling to shape the programming experience across the festival’s most celebrated stages and spaces. An Oscar and GRAMMY-no...

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BET is expanding its daytime programming slate through a new partnership with AFRO TV that will bring two daily talk shows, The Sisaundra Show and Point of View (POV), to BET Her. The agreement brings the AFRO TV-produced live shows to BET Her’s weekday lineup, premiering March 16. The Sisaundra Show, hosted by acclaimed vocalist and television personality Sisaundra Lewis, is a live daily talk show blending celebrity interviews, musical performances, faith-driven and...

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In celebration of Women’s History Month, ESSENCE Festival of Culture® presented by Coca-Cola® unveils the first wave of performers for its 2026 Evening Concert Series, leading with the LADIES welcoming Cardi B, Patti LaBelle, Kehlani, Latto, and former ESSENCE cover stars Brandy & Monica to the Caesars Superdome, July 3–5 in New Orleans. Together, the artist collection signals a stage shaped by women who have set standards, broken ceilings, and built careers on...

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second consecutive year, a four-student team from Fisk University took the top prize in the 2026 #IYKYK Pitch Competition (If You Know, You Know) for their idea to amplify Experian’s Big Financial Friend campaign, sponsored by Experian and HomeFree-USA. Nicknamed Team F2, Hannah Daniel, Habeebah Dawodu, Remi Adeshina, and Kanchan Thapa earned a $40,000 prize for their presentation, “FinCheck.” A social-first campaign inspired by the viral “fit check”...

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MIC Unplugged: Los Angeles, produced by the Military Influencer Conference with National University serving as title sponsor, will take place Saturday, Feb. 28, at Hollywood American Legion Post 43, Legion Theater, bringing Black military leaders together for a public discussion on how leadership and influence evolve after military service. Presented in partnership with the BLK OPS Foundation, a veteran service organization dedicated to empowering youth in underser...