Apple Announces Racial Equity and Justice Initiative Has Doubled to Over $200 Million

Apple has announced that its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) has more than doubled its financial commitment to more than $200 million over the past three years.

The REJI tackles the long-term global effort to advance equity for Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Indigenous communities while also expanding new opportunities for them. Apple first launched the REJI in 2020, where the initiative helped support education, economic empowerment, and criminal justice reform in the U.S. as well as Australia, the U.K. and Mexico.

In 2020, Apple launched the REJI as protests against racial injustices swept the U.S. The initiative was built in order to build off Apple’s already established commitment to providing opportunities for underserved groups. This included accelerating progress through deep engagements within the education system and across communities.

“Building a more just and equitable world is urgent work that demands collaboration, commitment, and a common sense of purpose,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a press release. “We are proud to partner with many extraordinary organizations that are dedicated to addressing injustice and eliminating barriers to opportunity. And we’ll 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.”

Flashforward to the present day and the REJI has reached more than 160,000 learners through in-person courses and out-of-school opportunities, Apple confirms. $50 million has been committed to historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). In both cases, the investments support science, technology, engineering, arts, and math opportunities.

The REJI also supports criminal justice reform grants to assist with legal services, safe housing, identification services, healthcare access, and more for more than 19,000 individuals.

Apple also announced a new partnership with My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBKA), a program of the Obama Foundation. The Cupertino company hopes to close the opportunity gap of younger males of colour via support training. The program plans to train more than 500 leaders and engage with 50,000 youths across the U.S.

Finally, Apple also committed $25 million to Collab Capital, Harlem Capital, and VamosVentures. These three venture capital funds work with minority-owned businesses.