Whether we realize it or not, Black creativity is one of the world’s most lucrative assets and it’s time we take back control over our superpower – the power to shift the world’s dynamic and how it connects with our culture. Through platforms like DNABLOCK, all Black creatives, and even non-creatives, have the opportunity to access and utilize the art of animation to personify our cultural experiences for the world to behold. DNABLOCK — a 3-D animation platform that enables the world’s greatest creative minds to take their narratives from concept to creation — was founded by tech specialist Anthony Kelani, who had a vision to democratize a technical form of creative expression for Black and people of color. The startup, which is loosely referred to as “ Pixar for the people,” removes the barriers between tech and creativity to bridge the gap and empower these groups to take charge of their own narratives. By offering a unique platform to visualize and build our creations from...

Black History Month is always a beautiful (albeit too short) celebration of Black excellence across the diaspora throughout the years. And let’s be honest, there’s a host of things that wouldn’t exist without Black women, including much of today’s modern-day entertainment. Black women, like Dr. Shirley Jackson, invented technologies that changed communication, and as a result, enhanced the way we are entertained, whether watching a basketball game on TV, streaming a movie on Hulu, or throwing a party via Zoom. Without further ado, tip your hat to these four Black women inventors who laid the groundwork for modern-day technology. Martha Jones Before we honor the women who are responsible for modern-day entertainment, we must salute Martha Jones from Amelia County, VA. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Jones became the first Black woman to be granted a U.S. patent in May 1868. Although her invention, a cornhusker, is unrelated to entertainment, we can assume...