Amongst the new announcements include
investment in the Propel Center, a global
innovation and learning hub for Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well
as an Apple Developer Academy designed to
support coding and technology education for
those living in Detroit, and a venture capital
fund for black and brown entrepreneurs in the
United States.
The company says that the new announcements
will “expand opportunities for communities of
color across the country and to help build the
next generation of diverse leaders.”
Speaking of the announcements, Apple’s
CEO Tim Cook said: “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. 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.”
Apple’s REJI scheme was first announced
in June 2020, in the midst of the
#BlackLivesMatter protests around the world,
and is designed to build on Apple’s work to
improve racial equity in education and the
economy. The scheme is lead by Apple’s VP of
Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives, Lisa
Jackson, and sees Apple work with a range