*This summer, a new Black-owned app is set to change the dating game.
Upfront is launching as the only AI-powered, healing-first dating platform specifically for Black professionals. At its core, it’s not just a dating app—it’s a movement to restore Black communities through love, marriage, and mental wellness.
“So I’m a student of history, a historian by background,” said Upfront founder John Graham. “I’ve always recognized that community was our strongest point of power, which is why it was the first thing that they destroyed.”
The idea for Upfront was born from this belief. “My thesis was, if we can raise our marital rates, then we also have a shot at restoring community,” Graham said.
With that vision in mind, Upfront is intentionally designed to serve Black professionals aged 25 to 55+. “They want to meet people who are aspirationally driven, ambitious, seeking stability, growth and things of that nature,” Graham said.
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AI, but Make It Culturally Competent
Upfront integrates culturally rooted artificial intelligence guides—Langston and Zora—trained on Black psychology frameworks to support users on their relationship journeys.
“I noted that AI’s ability to be trained and rooted in Black psychology and specific frameworks that were relevant and germane to us as Black professionals… could be a great and powerful tool to help us get out of our own way when it comes to relationships,” said Graham.
“These apps aren’t working. They’re leaving us frustrated, unmatched, and certainly not giving us a great experience by virtue of them not being built for us,” he explained other dating platforms.
Langston and Zora aren’t just chatbots—they are companions on a guided journey through healing and self-reflection, the foundation of Upfront’s model.
A Dating App Without Swipes or Bias
Unlike other platforms that rely heavily on visuals and chemistry, Upfront eliminates swiping entirely.
“We’ve been really thoughtful about creating a specific process,” said Graham. “Upfront is a mandatory 30-day healing journey before you ever get introduced to connection.”
This healing-first approach was built in partnership with The Black Girl Doctor, founded by Dr. Taisha Caldwell Harvey. “We were really thoughtful about working through eight different psychological frameworks rooted in Black psychology,” Graham explained.
When it comes to matching, the app focuses on compatibility, not quick reactions. “We wanted to bring a balance… understand your compatibility points, your values, your vision, your backgrounds, aspirations.”
Graham emphasized the importance of challenging assumptions. “Is your preference really your preference, or is that how we’re conditioned to think we should prefer and or choose?”
A Village, Not Just an App
Upfront is structured like a village with distinct “districts” that guide users beyond dating.
“We ultimately wanted to recreate this notion of ‘it takes a village,’” said Graham. “We were conscious of not just getting people matched and then sending them off.”
After the Healing and Connection Districts comes the Wedding District, where users can access Black wedding vendors—from tailors to planners. Then comes the Legacy District, focused on estate planning, financial literacy, and wealth building.
Finally, there’s the Mentorship District. “We have a community of married folks who’ve been married for seven years or more, who are actively transferring that knowledge of healthy, sustainable relationships to aspiring spouses.”
The Goal: 1 Million Black Marriages
With such a bold vision, what does success look like for Upfront?
“Yes, a million Black marriages facilitated is a big, bold, audacious goal,” said Graham. “We don’t control who says ‘Will you marry me?’…
What we’re rooted in is removing the barriers to getting people to that point.” He added, “Even if you don’t find your partner on Upfront, you will have at least started your healing journey or continued on it.”
Reclaiming the Narrative of Black Love
Graham is clear about the broader impact of Upfront. “The narrative of Black love needs some help right now, to put it mildly,” he said. “I think we first have to get back to trusting each other.”
He sees the app as a new standard for dating. “We envision a world where… there’s some romantic interest for them to ask the question, ‘Are you up on Upfront?’ And if the answer is no, that they turn and walk away.”
Sign Up for Early Access
Early adopters can join the waitlist and meet the app’s AI guides at upfront.love.
“You can not only sign up, but you can actually have an experience with Langston or Zora… and get a sense of what the experience is going to be like,” said Graham.
As the app prepares for its Summer 2025 launch, one thing is clear: Upfront is not just filling a gap in the dating market—it’s building a foundation for the future of Black love.
Watch our conversation with John Graham below.
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