Posted by Have you seen the film “The Social Dilemma?” In a previous post, I shared a couple of fine reviews specifically concerning the lack of diverse representation in the film – particularly when it comes to breakthrough thinking, practicing, research and imagining about the future in tech and beyond. Most concerning is the lack of inclusion of the voices of Women of Color who have been conducting important work in this space for many years. Of course the issues in the film are important. But the way the story is being told is incomplete from where I sit. This post is singularly dedicated to amplifying the voices and work of some of these extraordinary people that I have been learning from on my own futures journey. It is by no means exhaustive. But no study of the future, or equity, of imagination and of shared possibilities in tech or beyond it is complete without their collective vision, intellect and passion. I offer this list with gratitude and admiration.
This is an essential learning space for social workers committed to future readiness and the expansive and equity-centered thinking that is required to thrive there.
(an incomplete list – ever in development)
Ruha Benjamin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. Expert on algorithmic racism, bias and tech justice. Presentation of her work.
Pupul Bisht, MA – specialist on decolonization frameworks for foresight and worldbuilding.
Meredith Broussard, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University. Specialist on artificial intelligence and bias. Presentation of her work.
Adrieene Maree Brown – Author, pleasure activist and poet. Presentation of her work – Emergent Strategies.
Kimberly Bryant – Biotechnologist and Founder, Black Girls Code.
Afua Bruce – Chief Program Officer, DataKind, public interest technologist. Presentation of her work.
Joy Buolamwini, Research Assistant, MIT Media Lab, poet of code, data scientist and algorithmic justice activist. Presentation of her work.
Octavia Butler, Author and MacArthur Genious Award Recipient. Overview of her work and relevance today. Interview with Ms. Butler.
Rumman Chowdhury – Global Lead for Responsible AI at Accenture, AI expert. Presentation of her work.
Courtney Cogburn, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Social Work, Columbia University. Filmmaker, psychologist, VR expert. Presentation of her work.
Kishonna L. Gray, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Department of Communications and Gender and Women’s Studies, University of Illinois. Author, researcher and game developer – expert in equity and inclusion in gaming. Presentation of her work.
Walidah Imarisha – writer, educator, Afrofuturist, poet. Presentation of her work.
Anab Jain – designer, futurist, filmmaker and educator. Co-Founder and Director of Superflux. Presentation of her work.
Ingrid La Fleur – Afrofuturist, artist and pleasure activist. Founder of the Afrofutures Strategies Institute. Presentation of her work.
Kwamou Eva Feukeu – Futurist at UNESCO with specialization in decolonization of futures methodologies, and emerging issues of foresight in Africa. Co-Presentation of her work with Riel Miller.
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Ph.D., Founder of Urban Ocean Lab. Climate Scientist and Marine Biologist. Presentation of her work.
Shalini Kantayya, Filmmaker, documentarian. Director of “Coded Bias” film.
Aarathi Krishnan – Humanitarian futurist. Presentation of her work.
Vanessa Mason – futurist specializing in “the future of belonging.” Research Director at Institute for the Future.
Alondra Nelson, Ph.D. – Professor, School of Social Science, Institute for Advanced Study. President of the Social Science Research Council, science scholar. Author of “The Social Life of DNA.” Presentation on “Society after Pandemic.”
Claire Nelson, Ph.D. – futures and foresight leader with focus on global issues. Interview about her work.
Safiya Noble, Ph.D.- Associate Professor of Information Studies and African American Studies. Author of Algorithms of Oppression. Co-Director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry. Presentation of her work.
Tawana Petty – digital justice advocate and Director of the Data Justice Program for the Detroit Community Technology Project.
Devon Powers, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Klein College of Media and Communication, Temple University – specialist in trends and trend analysis. Presentation of her work.
Sushma Raman, MPA – Executive Director of the Harvard Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, author and expert on the future of human rights. Presentation of her work.
Ainissa Ramirez, Ph.D. – author of the Alchemy of us: How humans and matter transformed one another. Brief film/interview.
Latanya Sweeney, Ph.D., Professor of Practice, Government and Technology – Harvard Kennedy School. Founding Director or the Data Privacy Lab at Harvard. Presentation of her work.
SR Toliver, Ph.D. – specialist in literary possibilities of speculative fiction for educators with focus on Black femme/female sci-fi and fantasy.
Ytasha Womack, Afrofuturist, author, filmmaker, scholar and dance therapist. Presentation of her work.
Alisha B. Wormsley – interdisciplinary artist and cultural producer. Creator of the “There are Black people in the future” project. Brief film about her work.
Social Work Futures 