BHM 2026 Contemporary

As an engineer and entrepreneur, Gerald “Jerry” Lawson transformed the gaming industry with the Fairchild Channel F system.

While working in an insurance company investigating Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints, Janet Emerson Bashen noticed the pitfalls of the paper-based systems — particularly for lost or misplaced files — and recognized the need for a better method for companies to effectively and efficiently handle client claims.

Jessica Matthews, founder of tech platform Uncharted, is helping cities build more sustainable and equitable infrastructure.

Brandon Martin is an entrepreneur and athletics coach driven to improve safety in contact sports, especially for young athletes.

Before he was a Grammy-award winning producer and entrepreneur with a stage name of Bosko, Bosco Kante was born in Accra, Ghana, and raised in Portland, Oregon, in a family of educators and musicians. 

A community college pre-algebra course sparked Aisha Bowe’s interest in studying STEM, and led to a career at NASA and then as an entrepreneur.

Dieumerci Christel is the founder and CEO of Enlightapp, a tool for educators that provides insights into each student’s background