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DOVE AND RISE.365 CALL FOR BLACK HAIR REPRESENTATION IN EMOJIS

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New research from Dove reveals that 8 in 10 Black people in the US struggle to find emojis that accurately reflect their hair – or don’t even search, knowing they don’t exist

Dove and RISE.365 are calling on their communities to help convince decision makers that natural and protective hairstyles should be added to the emoji library for good

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Emojis are one of the most universal forms of communication today. They shape how we express emotion, identity, and culture in a digital world. Despite 92%1 of the world’s population using the nearly 4,000 emojis currently available, there is a significant gap in the representation of Black people*.

While users can choose from 18 emojis representing mythical characters, there is not a single emoji representing real people with natural or protective hairstyles. Why is there a hair pick emoji, but no hair style to use it on? The importance of textured hair, protective styles, and those who proudly wear them, cannot be overstated.

Unicode Consortium, a non-profit that regulates the coding standards for written computer text including emojis, will soon be deciding what new emoji characters will be added to the library in 2025. Today, Dove and RISE.365 invite you to join them in convincing Unicode to introduce four new emojis that accurately depict Black hairstyles.

Dove believes every person deserves to see their beauty represented in the world around them with care and accuracy. As a co-founder of the CROWN Coalition, Dove has been working to “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair” by supporting the passage of the CROWN Act since 2019. In 2023, Dove continued its mission by advocating for real impact in the virtual world and launched Code My Crown to educate and empower game developers to create more inclusive representation in gaming around the world.

Now, as part of its ongoing commitment to expand beauty representation in digital spaces, Dove is advocating for the introduction of four new emojis to reflect natural or protective hairstyles: afro, locs, braids, and cornrows.

“Dove has championed real beauty and inclusive representation for more than two decades,” said Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer of Dove Personal Care North America and Dove Masterbrand. “Our ongoing support of the CROWN Movement and partnership with RISE.365 aims to highlight the glaring absence in our keyboards and ensure those with textured hair and protective styles see themselves reflected in digital spaces.”

The lack of representation on our keyboards has real-world consequences, affecting self-perception, confidence and digital inclusion. Additional findings from Dove research reveal the need for inclusive emoji representation:

69% of Black people think it is important for emojis to accurately represent hair features69% of Black people say they use emojis to represent their identity, physical characteristics, and culture, yet the absence of relevant hair emojis forces them to compromise.57% of Black people report feeling undervalued due to this lack of representation, perceiving their identity as less important.66% of Black people in the US say it would make them feel seen if a diverse range of emojis were available for natural or protective hairstyles.

In 2019, New York based writer Rhianna Jones submitted a proposal for an afro hair emoji, backed by over 65,000 signatures, that was declined by the Unicode Consortium, which cited the existing “curly hair” emoji as sufficiently representative.

Since then, RISE.365, a London-based community group dedicated to empowering youth and driving lasting, positive change has continued to champion the inclusion of natural textured hair and protective styles in the emoji library. Each proposed emoji was thoughtfully designed by the group’s young leaders, celebrating the beauty and diversity of Black hair. Now, Dove and RISE.365 have joined forces to amplify the call for more inclusive emojis, advocating for the representation of Black hairstyles in the emoji library.

“Emojis are not just symbols – they influence how we see ourselves and each other,” said Joycelyn Buffong, Founder and CEO of RISE.365. “For too long, Black people have been excluded from digital representation, reinforcing the idea that our features and identities are an afterthought. This movement is about more than emojis – it’s about recognition, inclusion, and ensuring that Black and mixed race hairstyles are seen, valued, and celebrated everywhere, including in digital spaces.”

Everyone deserves a chance to see themselves reflected in the digital world. Together, let’s call for natural and protective hairstyles to be added to the emoji library. Show your support by commenting #CodeMyCrown on this post to strengthen the case and make these four emojis impossible to ignore.

Visit Dove.com/CodeMyCrown to learn more and join Dove to help expand the representation of textured hair and protective styles in digital spaces.

Contact: Dawn.Chevalier@edelman.com

About the research:
Online survey conducted by Edelman DXI, a global, multidisciplinary research, analytics, and data consultancy, in the US, UK and Brazil in February 2025 with 900 Black / mixed-race individuals who are emoji users aged 18+ (n=300 in each country).
*Please note that while the stats above mainly refer to Black individuals, the survey also included respondents who self-identify as mixed race and are using emojis.

About RISE.365
RISE.365 is a dynamic Community Interest Company (CIC) dedicated to empowering young people by providing holistic support, employability training, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Through our innovative programs, we challenge inequality, advocate for systemic change, and create pathways for a fairer society.

Our work has positively transformed the lives of hundreds of young people, many of whom face social and economic disadvantages, experience school exclusions, or are navigating the complexities of the care system. We provide tailored support, mentorship, and practical life skills, ensuring young people develop the confidence, resilience, and independence needed to thrive.

From our RISE.365 Community Shop, which fosters workplace readiness and financial literacy, we champion diversity and representation, and we are committed to breaking barriers and creating opportunities. Our programs not only support young people but also work with families, schools, and local authorities to reduce exclusions, prevent youth disengagement, and create lasting, positive change.

In addition to our direct youth support services, RISE.365 has led and contributed to various high-impact campaigns for equality and diversity, advocating for representation in industries where people of colour are underrepresented and often face barriers. Our Texturism Emoji Campaign is one example of how we challenge beauty standards and push for more inclusive digital representation. Through strategic collaborations and community-driven initiatives, we continue to raise awareness, influence policy, and drive meaningful change. At RISE.365, we believe in the power of community, the importance of strong relationships, and the potential in every young person to rise and succeed. For more information, visit www.rise365.co.uk or follow us on @rise.365.

About Dove
Dove started its life in 1957 in the US, with launch of the Beauty Bar, with its patented blend of mild cleansers and ¼ moisturising cream. Dove’s heritage is rooted in care – proof, not promises grew Dove from a Beauty Bar into one of the world’s most beloved beauty brands.

Real women have always been our inspiration, and since the beginning, Dove has been wholly committed to providing superior care to all, and to championing real representations of beauty in our advertising, communications, and campaigns. Dove believes that beauty is for everyone, and the Dove mission is to ensure a positive experience with beauty is universally accessible to all.

For 65 years, Dove has been committed to broadening the narrow definition of beauty in the work they do. This includes the ‘Dove Real Beauty Pledge,’ and commitment to:

Portray women as they are in real life with honesty, diversity, and respect. We feature women of different ages, sizes, ethnicities, hair color, type, and style.Represent individuals with zero digital distortion, with all images approved by the women they feature. This includes never using AI to alter or distort real people in our marketing, advertising or campaigns.Help young people build body confidence and self-esteem through the Dove Self-Esteem Project, the biggest provider of self-esteem education in the world with a goal to educate 250 million young people by 2030.

1  Adobe. (2021). Global Emoji Trend Report. Adobe Inc

 

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Axon Announces Body 5: Next-Generation Camera Built for the AI Era

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Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power of earlier-generation cameras, with upgraded connectivity, audio and battery life to support real-time situational awareness in the field

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Axon (Nasdaq: AXON), the global leader in public safety technology, today announced Axon Body 5, its newest body-worn camera designed to bring more powerful intelligence, connectivity and real-time support directly to officers in the field.

For years, Axon body cameras have helped agencies capture critical evidence and create greater transparency. Body 5 is built to help officers during the call, with information, assistance and backup on the spot.

“Officers shouldn’t have to choose between getting information and watching the scene. With Axon Body 5, they don’t,” said Rick Smith, Axon Founder and CEO. “They capture a license or document with the camera, keep their hands free and eyes up, and get information faster than writing it down and calling it in by radio. An officer fully engaged with the person in front of them, not down at a notepad, is a safer officer and a better-served community.”

Axon Body 5: Built for the AI Era

Built from the ground up for the AI era, Axon Body 5 delivers 25x the AI processing power than earlier generation Axon body cameras, alongside advancements in connectivity, audio, video and battery life. Together, these upgrades give the camera the physical power to run smarter AI features — both today and as new AI tools are developed in the future — while also making it more dependable for officers to use every day. 

For the first time, Axon is also introducing two versions of its latest flagship camera: Axon Body 5 and Axon Body 5 Pro.

Both models feature several key advancements, including:

25x more processing power for AI: A powerful new computing architecture creates the capacity to support current and future AI features directly on the body camera.Enhanced video: Improved video captures clearer evidence across challenging environments, including better low-light performance.Improved connectivity: Seamless connectivity in urban and remote environments – and more precise location capability – helps officers, cameras and remote support teams stay connected when timely information matters most.Longer battery life: 20% more battery life than the previous generation helps keep the camera ready and connected throughout an officer’s shift.

The Axon Body 5 Pro will continue to gain new AI capabilities as they become available, growing along with the AI Era Plan. Additionally, new hardware features include:

A near-focus camera: An additional dedicated camera lens lets officers scan driver’s licenses to check status and search for wants or warrants in seconds, without returning to the patrol vehicle, with relevant information sent to Axon Fusus to support real-time operations.Front-facing speakers: Four additional speakers project even more powerful audio toward the person an officer is speaking with, helping real-time translations from Axon Assistant carry more clearly over heavy traffic or crowd noise. Additional memory: Extra space lets the camera run several AI tools at once, helping officers stay better informed and work faster.

Bringing More of Axon’s AI Era Into the Field

Axon Body 5 helps officers get more out of the Axon AI Era Plan by bringing smart tools right to the scene. Axon’s portfolio already supports public safety professionals across a growing range of tasks. For example, Draft One helps officers turn body-camera audio into high-quality report drafts and Axon Assistant provides voice-based information access and real-time translation.

Increasingly, Axon is also bringing AI into real-time operations.

Axon Guardian is a new category of AI features within the AI Era Plan that was specifically created to work with an officer’s field-based devices – starting with body cameras and in-car cameras – to improve safety. Guardian is designed to flag potential risks as situations unfold and create alerts when additional attention may be needed. Two of the first features include:

Escalation Detection: When an Axon Body 4 or Axon Body 5 camera is activated and recording, Guardian has the ability to detect potential conflicts in real time and create an alert in Axon Fusus. A human reviews the livestream and decides if additional support or action is needed.Approach Alert: When active on Axon Fleet 3, Guardian can detect if the door of a stopped vehicle opens and alert the officer through the in-car display and their body-worn camera.

Combined, Axon Body 5 and the expanding AI Era portfolio demonstrate the importance of AI as a critical resource to assist public safety professionals before, during and after an incident — reducing administrative burden, improving situational awareness and helping protect more lives.

Innovating Responsibly

Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework guides the development of all of its products. Designed with this in mind, Axon Body 5 and Guardian prioritize human oversight and maintain agency control over data. As a key part of the responsible innovation process, Axon’s independent Ethics and Equity Advisory Council was created to help responsibly develop and deploy new technologies with transparency, while aligning with community expectations.

General availability dates for Axon Body 5 and Axon Guardian will be announced soon. Product features and capabilities vary by configuration. For more information on Axon’s current products and services: Axon Product Catalog – Axon.com.

About Axon
Axon (Nasdaq: AXON) is the global leader in public safety technology supporting state, local, federal and international public safety agencies with technology designed to Protect Life. Complementing its mission, Axon’s growing Enterprise market focuses on protecting critical infrastructure and frontline workers across multiple industries including corporate security, hospitality, retail and healthcare. Founder-led since 1993, Axon builds products with transparency and responsibility. From TASER energy devices to today’s connected network of hardware – including cameras, drones, and robotics – cloud software, sensors, and AI-tools, the Axon ecosystem helps seamlessly protect people and places when it matters most. To ensure these technologies align with community expectations, Axon’s independent Ethics & Equity Advisory Council guides the ethical, inclusive, and accountable design of its products and services. Learn more about the EEAC and Axon’s Responsible Innovation framework at Axon Responsibility. 

Non-Axon trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Axon, TASER and the Delta Logo are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved.

Please visit https://investor.axon.com and https://www.axon.com/newsroom for more information.

Media Contact:
Kate MacKinnon
Vice President, Communications
press@axon.com

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In HelloNation, Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle Explains a Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design

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The article explains why smart geometry, not thicker walls, creates stronger, more efficient aluminum components.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What early design choice causes many custom aluminum projects to become heavier, costlier, or harder to manufacture? That question is addressed in a HelloNation article featuring insights from Custom Fabrication Expert Mark Coyle of American Custom Metals, Inc. in Rochester, New York, that outlines how misunderstanding aluminum behavior leads designers to rely on thick walls instead of stronger geometry.

The article begins by explaining that many people assume thicker walls automatically make aluminum parts stronger. It notes that aluminum does not respond to wall thickness the way steel does. Instead, its performance is shaped by how the metal flows through the extrusion die. The article states that custom aluminum design is more effective when profiles use ribs, chambers, and flanges to create stiffness without adding unnecessary weight. This guidance helps readers understand why adding material often increases cost without improving strength.

The article also highlights that thicker walls change how aluminum moves during extrusion. When heavy areas fill more slowly, the metal cools unevenly and can develop stress that only appears later. The HelloNation piece explains that well-balanced geometry keeps extrusion smooth and predictable. This consistency makes it easier to maintain dimensional accuracy across long production runs. By focusing on geometry, custom aluminum design avoids the problems that come with slow extrusion speeds and uneven cooling.

Another insight in the article centers on how ribs and internal supports influence stability. It describes how a thin wall supported by a properly placed rib often performs better than a thick wall with no reinforcement. This happens because the rib helps distribute load, improve stiffness, and guide the aluminum as it cools. The article explains that this structural approach makes custom aluminum design more efficient and gives designers more control over how the final part behaves under pressure.

The article also shows why early collaboration between designer and fabricator prevents costly changes. It states that a fabricator familiar with extrusion can catch potential issues before a die is built. Small adjustments to corners or transitions can remove weak points or improve metal flow. The article notes that this teamwork keeps the design aligned with real-world production. By working together early, both sides reduce the risk of redesigning the die after the first test run.

Machining is another area where the article explains how wall thickness affects performance. Features such as deep pockets or sharp internal angles may require slow feed rates or special tooling. When walls are thicker than needed, those areas can become difficult to machine cleanly. The article states that thoughtful custom aluminum design makes machining more predictable. Small changes, such as adding radiused edges or sizing features to match standard tools, help shorten cycle times and prevent tool wear.

Thermal behavior receives detailed attention as well. The article explains that aluminum retains heat differently depending on the mass of each section. Thicker walls hold heat longer, which increases the chance of distortion during extrusion, machining, or finishing. When a design uses geometry to create strength, the material cools more evenly. This reduces warping and helps long profiles stay aligned. The article notes that stable cooling is important for components that require a precise fit and consistent shape throughout an entire production run.

Cost is also a key topic in the article. It states that heavier profiles increase material use, extrusion time, and tooling needs. A custom aluminum design that relies on geometry instead of mass lowers material consumption and keeps the fabrication process efficient. The article explains that lighter parts are easier to handle, ship, and assemble. This saves money across multiple stages of production and supports long-term manufacturing efficiency.

The article also notes that smart custom aluminum design creates profiles that behave predictably during extrusion and machining. Smooth transitions, balanced wall dimensions, and structural features help reduce the chance of distortion or dimensional drift. These elements also lower scrap rates and support reliable performance. By using geometry instead of excess material, designers build parts that maintain strength without compromising manufacturability.

As the article concludes, it emphasizes that avoiding thick walls is one of the best ways to improve performance and lower cost. It states that the most dependable custom aluminum components come from designs that use structural features to strengthen the profile. When designers understand how aluminum behaves at each stage of extrusion and machining, they create parts that are strong, efficient, and consistent from batch to batch. This approach turns custom aluminum design into a predictable process rather than a series of uncertain adjustments.

A Common Mistake in Custom Aluminum Design features insights from Mark Coyle, Custom Fabrication Expert of Rochester, NY, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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World Young Scientist Summit 2026 Opens in Wenzhou, Zhejiang

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WENZHOU, China, Oct. 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — This is a report by China Daily:

On October 24, the World Young Scientist Summit 2026 opened in Wenzhou, Zhejiang. The event is hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, and the World Association of Young Scientists. Nearly 800 representatives, including scientists, educators, and entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries and regions, are attending the summit.

He Junke, Vice President of CAST in charge of daily work and First Secretary of its Secretariat; Lian Yimin, Chairman and Party Group Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Marcelo Knobel, Executive Director of The World Academy of Sciences; and Zhang Zhenfeng, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee and Secretary of the CPC Wenzhou Municipal Committee, attended the summit and delivered remarks. Yao Gaoyuan, Vice Governor of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Government, presided over the first segment of the plenary session.

With the theme “Gathering Talents Worldwide to Create a Better Future,” the summit’s annual agenda is “Global Youth Action in the AI Era: Building a Sustainable Future.” It aims to draw on the insights of young people around the world, deepen international sci-tech cooperation, and jointly address questions about young people, science, the world and the future.

Efim Zelmanov, Fields Medalist and Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Chen Yunji, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computing Technology, CAS, and Director of the National Key Laboratory of Processor Chips; Mary Garson, President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; and Lu Chaoyang, Member of the Standing Committee of CAST, Executive Dean of the Shanghai Institute of Advanced Study, University of Science and Technology of China, and Chairman of the Council of the World Association of Young Scientists, delivered keynote speeches respectively on education reform in the AI era, AI and processor chips, young women scientists’ participation in science, and quantum computing. They explored new opportunities for scientific research, talent cultivation, and international cooperation in the AI era.

This year’s summit placed greater emphasis on the growth needs of young scientists, with young talents under the age of 45 accounting for 88 percent of participants. It aimed to build a cluster of international journals, bring together young scientific talent, facilitate a batch of international collaborative projects and advance the application and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. The summit released the Report on the Distribution and Mobility of Young Scientists in the Field of Embodied Intelligence, launched the World Young Scientist Summit Partner Journal Program and the 2026 World Young Scientist Innovation and Entrepreneurship Growth Support Program. It also published the “Young Scientist Pioneers 2035” list and announced the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award. The awards were presented to four Chinese and foreign scientists.

Chen Tianrun, Founder of Hangzhou Moxin Technology Co., Ltd.; Yuan Yang, Assistant to the Dean of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences at Tsinghua University; and two of the 2026 Sustainable Development Young Scientist Award winners, César de la Fuente and Nicola Segata, among other Chinese and foreign young scientist representatives, spoke at the flash-talk session to share their research practices and reflections.

In addition, the conference focused on fields such as future manufacturing, quantum information, embodied intelligence, brain-computer intelligence, environmental science, deep-sea resources, and life and health, and held 12 parallel forums. It also included the “Gravitation π” Future Technology and Concept Products Exhibition and Exchange, local thematic side events, and sci-tech and humanities study visits, further building an interdisciplinary, cross-regional and cross-sector platform for youth sci-tech exchange and cooperation.

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