Commitments build on Apple’s $100 million pledge and include a
first-of-its-kind education hub for HBCUs and an Apple Developer
Academy in Detroit
Apple® today announced a set of major new projects as part of
its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) to
help dismantle systemic barriers to opportunity and combat
injustices faced by communities of color. These forward-looking and
comprehensive efforts include the Propel Center, a
first-of-its-kind global innovation and learning hub for
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); an Apple
Developer Academy to support coding and tech education for students
in Detroit; and venture capital funding for Black and Brown
entrepreneurs. Together, Apple’s REJI commitments aim to expand
opportunities for communities of color across the country and to
help build the next generation of diverse leaders.
“We are all accountable to the urgent work of building a more
just, more equitable world — and these new projects send a clear
signal of Apple’s enduring commitment,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
“We’re launching REJI’s latest initiatives with partners across a
broad range of industries and backgrounds — from students to
teachers, developers to entrepreneurs, and community organizers to
justice advocates — working together to empower communities that
have borne the brunt of racism and discrimination for far too long.
We are honored to help bring this vision to bear, and to match our
words and actions to the values of equity and inclusion we have
always prized at Apple.”
Last June, Apple announced REJI in the wake of protests around
the world following the killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd,
and countless others. The initiative builds on Apple’s work to
advance racial equity in education, the economy, and the criminal
justice system, and is led by Apple’s vice president of
Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, Lisa Jackson. REJI
complements Apple’s internal efforts to improve diversity and
inclusion at every level of the company.
“Every individual deserves equal access to opportunity
regardless of skin color or zip code,” said Jackson. “For too long,
communities of color have faced gross injustices and institutional
barriers to their pursuit of the American dream, and we are proud
to lend our voices and resources to build new engines of
opportunity that empower, inspire, and create meaningful
change.”
Apple’s Support for HBCUs Expands with the Propel
Center
Apple is working with Southern Company and a range of community
stakeholders to support the launch of the Propel Center, a
first-of-its-kind innovation and learning hub for the HBCU
community. Apple’s $25 million contribution will enable the Propel
Center to support HBCU students and faculty through a robust
virtual platform, a physical campus in the historic Atlanta
University Center, as well as on-campus activations at partner
institutions.
The center is designed to support the next generation of diverse
leaders, providing innovative curricula, technology support, career
opportunities, and fellowship programs. The Propel Center will
offer a wide range of educational tracks, including AI and machine
learning, agricultural technologies, social justice, entertainment
arts, app development, augmented reality, design and creative arts,
career preparation, and entrepreneurship. Experts from Apple will
help develop curricula and provide ongoing mentorship and learning
support, along with offering internship opportunities.
The Propel Center was imagined and designed by Ed Farm, a
groundbreaking organization that works to promote innovation and
educational equity. The initiative builds upon Apple’s partnership
with Ed Farm and the company’s work with three dozen HBCUs,
bringing coding, creativity, and career opportunities to campuses
and communities across the US.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Apple on this
extraordinary project,” said Anthony Oni, Ed Farm’s founder and
chairman of the board, and a vice president at Southern Company.
“The Propel Center will help cultivate leadership and drive
innovation in tech and beyond, acting as a springboard for change
in communities across America.”
As part of Apple’s ongoing partnerships with HBCUs, the company
is also establishing two new grants to support HBCU engineering
programs. Apple’s new Innovation Grants will help HBCU Colleges of
Engineering develop their silicon and hardware engineering
curriculum in partnership with Apple’s experts. The new Faculty
Fellows Program will support HBCU educators pursuing R&D with
mentorship programs, curriculum development assistance, and funds
to equip their lab spaces.
Building on its longstanding scholarship program with the
Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Apple is also now offering
scholarships to 100 new Apple Scholars from underrepresented
communities. In addition to financial support, the Apple Scholars
program includes mentorship and career development experience at
Apple.
Apple’s First US Developer Academy to Open in Downtown
Detroit
Later this year, Apple will open an Apple Developer Academy in
Detroit — the first of its kind in the US. Detroit has a vibrant
Black entrepreneur and developer community, with over 50,000
Black-owned businesses, according to US Census data. The academy is
designed to empower young Black entrepreneurs, creators, and
coders, helping them cultivate the skills necessary for jobs in the
rapidly growing iOS app economy. Launched in collaboration with
Michigan State University, Apple Developer Academy courses will be
open to all learners across Detroit, regardless of their academic
background or whether they have any previous coding experience.
The Apple Developer Academy will offer two programs in Detroit.
A 30-day introductory program is designed for learners who are
considering app economy careers and looking to better understand
what it means to be a developer. The full academy program is an
intensive 10- to 12-month program that will help aspiring
developers build the skills needed to participate in the iOS app
economy, and even start their own businesses. Apple expects the
academy’s programming to reach close to 1,000 students each year
with a curriculum that covers coding, design, marketing, and
professional skills.
And next month, Apple will host the inaugural cohort of its
Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers for a virtual
experience, offering one-on-one code-level guidance from Apple
experts and engineers, as well as mentorship, inspiration, and
insights from top Apple leaders.
Empowering Entrepreneurs Through New Funding
Partnerships
To address systemic barriers to access and funding faced by
Black and Brown entrepreneurs, Apple is today announcing two new
investments in the venture capital and banking spaces, with both
projects designed to provide capital to minority-owned businesses.
The company will invest $10 million with Harlem Capital — an
early-stage venture capital firm based in New York — to support its
investments in 1,000 companies with diverse founders over the next
20 years. In addition to providing capital to entrepreneurs of
color, Harlem Capital will also lend its expertise to Apple’s
broader efforts to advance access to economic opportunity. The firm
will offer guidance and mentorship to students at the Detroit
Developer Academy and participants in Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp for
Black Founders and Developers. Apple will also support Harlem
Capital’s internship program, focused on opening doors for aspiring
women and minority investors.
The company will also invest $25 million in Siebert Williams
Shank’s Clear Vision Impact Fund, which provides capital to small
and medium-size businesses, with an emphasis on minority-owned
companies. The fund looks to support businesses that operate in or
serve underserved markets, and that foster inclusive growth
initiatives.
Lifting up Community Organizations
As part of its REJI work, Apple continues to build on its
contributions toward community colleges, nonprofit advocates, and
local organizations working to empower and expand opportunity for
the next generation.
Apple is making a contribution to The King Center, a living
memorial to the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to share his
teachings and inspire new generations to carry forward his
unfinished work. Next week, Dr. King’s daughter and the CEO of The
King Center, Dr. Bernice A. King, will issue a call to action
encouraging young people to give back to their communities as part
of Apple’s “Challenge for Change” series — a set of conversation
guides and learning-based challenges on issues related to race and
inequality.
Apple’s contribution to The King Center joins the company’s
previous donations to nonprofit organizations that advance equity
and justice, including the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and
the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction
of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in
innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV.
Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and
tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and
empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store,
Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000
employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and
to leaving the world better than we found it.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210113005297/en/
Apple Josh Rosenstock, 408-862-1142 jrosenstock@apple.com Rachel
Wolf Tulley, 408-974-0078 rachel_tulley@apple.com
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