\nApple\u00ae today announced its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI), a long-term global effort to advance equity and expand opportunities for Black, Hispanic\/Latinx, and Indigenous communities, has more than doubled its initial financial commitment to total more than $200 million over the last three years. Since launching REJI in June 2020, Apple has supported education, economic empowerment, and criminal justice reform work across the U.S., with recent expansion to Australia, the U.K., and Mexico.<\/p>\n
\nApple launched REJI at a pivotal moment in the U.S., as protests against racial injustice swept the nation. The initiative built upon the company\u2019s years of work to create greater access to opportunity and advance equity for underserved groups, establishing a new entity dedicated to accelerating progress through deep engagements in schools and communities.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cBuilding a more just and equitable world is urgent work that demands collaboration, commitment, and a common sense of purpose,\u201d said Tim Cook, Apple\u2019s CEO. \u201cWe are proud to partner with many extraordinary organizations that are dedicated to addressing injustice and eliminating barriers to opportunity. And we\u2019ll continue to lead with our values as we expand our efforts to create opportunities, lift up communities, and help build a better future for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nThrough REJI\u2019s education grants, Apple has reached more than 160,000 learners through in-person courses and out-of-school offerings, while committing over $50 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to support science, technology, engineering, arts, and math opportunities. With a focus on economic empowerment, REJI funds financial institutions \u2014 including venture capital firms, Community Development Financial Institutions, and Minority Depository Institutions \u2014 that support Black, Hispanic\/Latinx, and Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses. And REJI\u2019s criminal justice reform grants have supported legal services, safe housing, identification services, healthcare access, and other vital reentry services for more than 19,000 justice-impacted individuals.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe launched REJI at a critical inflection point for our country,\u201d said Lisa Jackson, Apple\u2019s vice president of Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives. \u201cWe are resolved to keep building on the progress we\u2019ve made to ensure equitable opportunity for Black and Brown communities across America and around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
New Partnership to Expand Access and Equity<\/b><\/p>\n
\nAs part of its expanding work, today Apple announced a new partnership with the My Brother\u2019s Keeper Alliance (MBKA), a program of the Obama Foundation. Through this strategic partnership and funding, Apple aims to help close opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color by supporting training for community leaders and MBKA staff, expanding programming for boys and young men of color, and strengthening the MBKA network through targeted community impact microgrants. The program plans to train more than 500 leaders and engage over 50,000 youth across the U.S.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cApple\u2019s continued support of the My Brother\u2019s Keeper Alliance empowers the foundation to develop and implement new initiatives that create opportunities for our young people,\u201d said Valerie Jarrett, the Obama Foundation\u2019s CEO. \u201cTogether, we are building a more inclusive educational system that nurtures creativity, fosters innovation, and transforms the lives of boys and young men of color across the country. We are grateful for their partnership and look forward to our continued collective efforts to ensure all youth can reach their full potential.\u201d<\/p>\n
Increasing Investments in Minority Businesses<\/b><\/p>\n
\nApple today committed an additional $25 million to Collab Capital, Harlem Capital, and VamosVentures \u2014 three venture capital funds working with minority-owned businesses. With this new round of investments, Apple has committed $50 million in venture capital support and more than $100 million in overall financing to mission-aligned diverse businesses and financial institutions. These investments are part of REJI\u2019s economic empowerment pillar aimed at addressing systemic barriers to access, creating opportunity, and supplying funding to support underrepresented and underresourced communities and businesses of color.<\/p>\n
Advancing Opportunities Globally<\/b><\/p>\n
\nBuilding on its ongoing work in the U.S., REJI has continued to expand globally. Today, Apple announced new programming in New Zealand in partnership with Te P\u016bkenga \u2014 New Zealand Institute of Skills & Technology, the country\u2019s largest vocational educator. This work will support efforts to equip educators with the skills they need to prepare underrepresented M\u0101ori and Pasifika students to enter the country\u2019s growing technology sector.<\/p>\n
\nIn Australia, Apple announced REJI\u2019s expansion in August 2022 with initial grant funding to support initiatives and nonprofits serving Indigenous communities, including Deadly Connections, ID. Know Yourself, First Australians Capital, Art Gallery of NSW\u2019s Djamu Youth Justice program, and Original Power. New funding will support Karrkad Kanjdji Trust, a charitable trust established by the Traditional Owners of Warddeken and Djelk Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) to achieve their vision for a healthy country. Through REJI and the environmental justice grant program, Apple is also supporting the Women Rangers program with funding to enhance its diverse portfolio of land management, leadership, and skill-building activities.<\/p>\n
\nIn the U.K., Apple partnered with the Southbank Centre to launch Reframe: The Residency, a program designed to reduce the barriers that exist for aspiring Black creatives. In May, the program\u2019s first cohort was selected from London, Birmingham, and Manchester. Artists will present their work at a free exhibition, which opens on Tuesday, July 18, at the Southbank Centre. Also a part of Reframe, Inspire Schools works with educational institutions to teach students new skills by making digital magazines focused on the climate crisis.<\/p>\n
\nContinuing Apple\u2019s Community Education Initiative work with universities across Mexico, REJI has partnered with Enactus to support the expansion of iOS Development Labs that teach coding with Swift\u00ae and prepare learners for careers in Mexico\u2019s thriving iOS app economy. And with the two newest labs in Tijuana and Chiapas, REJI is helping create new opportunities for traditionally underserved communities.<\/p>\n
Spotlighting Impact<\/b><\/p>\n
\nToday, Apple released its first-ever REJI Impact Overview<\/a>, which provides a snapshot of the initiative\u2019s impact across its areas of focus. The company continues to identify new partners and new avenues to advance its mission. In the three years since Apple launched REJI, the programs and organizations the initiative supports have continued to make a tangible impact in communities around the world. The following represent REJI\u2019s three priority focus areas:<\/p>\n Education<\/b><\/p>\n \nBuilding on its longstanding work with minority-serving institutions, Apple is a founding partner of Propel, a global HBCU technology and innovation hub. This summer, Propel will introduce Propel Learn, a new platform that provides experiential learning experiences, career opportunities, and microcredentials \u2014 all developed specifically for and by the HBCU community.<\/p>\n \nApple\u2019s New Silicon Initiative at HBCUs across the country helps prepare students for careers in the growing fields of hardware technology, computer architecture, and silicon chip design. Grants awarded to Alabama A&M University, Howard University, Morgan State University, and Prairie View A&M University are designed to support engineering programs as they develop their curricula in partnership with Apple experts.<\/p>\n \nLaunched with an investment from Apple, the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) aims to equip Hispanic\/Latinx and other historically underserved students with high-demand skills in science, technology, engineering, and math. In collaboration with other California State University campuses and HSIs across the country, the hub accelerates educational equity while equipping students to succeed.<\/p>\n Economic Empowerment<\/b><\/p>\n \nThrough a partnership with fintech company CNote, Apple helps fund mission-driven banks and credit unions that serve low- to moderate-income people, and Black and Brown communities. CNote facilitates cash deposits that help fuel affordable housing and small business loans, and provide a just alternative to predatory lending.<\/p>\n \nApple\u2019s Impact Accelerator expands access to opportunity for Black, Hispanic\/Latinx, and Indigenous environmental solution and service providers. The 12-week capacity-building program helps participants reach their next stage of development and scale their impact.<\/p>\n \nApple Entrepreneur Camp supports underrepresented founders and developers with app-driven businesses as they build the next generation of cutting-edge apps. In addition to attending hands-on technology labs and getting one-on-one code-level guidance from Apple, participating Hispanic\/Latinx, Black, and female founders and developers become a part of a global network that encourages the pipeline and longevity of these entrepreneurs in technology.<\/p>\n Criminal Justice Reform<\/b><\/p>\n \nTo combat systemic racism, REJI is working to address deep disparities in criminal justice that disproportionately impact Black, Hispanic\/Latinx, and Indigenous communities. Apple has partnered with several community colleges \u2014 including the Los Angeles Community College District, Delgado Community College in New Orleans, and Houston Community College \u2014 to implement programs to help incarcerated and paroled individuals learn new skills, prevent recidivism, and create economic opportunity for parolees and probationers.<\/p>\n \nApple has also made meaningful contributions to various nonprofit organizations that advance equity and justice, including the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, Defy Ventures, Vera Institute of Justice, and The Last Mile.<\/p>\n Taking Action Across Apple<\/b><\/p>\n \nEnsuring that racial equity and justice is reflected across Apple, the company partners with local communities to drive impact and achieve meaningful change:<\/p>\n \nNOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom (www.apple.com\/newsroom<\/a>), or email Apple\u2019s Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\u00a9 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Swift, iPhone, iPad, and Mac are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.<\/p>\n View source version on businesswire.com: <\/span>https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20230614348371\/en\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n \nSamya Epps\n
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samya_epps@apple.com<\/a><\/p>\n