Black Innovation: Creating and Appropriating Technology to Survive and Thrive

Abstract

Taking tech to task means more than pointing out the problems and injustices. My research will seek solutions and innovative ways to create and reimagine technology that will better serve historically disenfranchised communities. In addition to learning about how technology has fallen short for those communities, I also want to learn how such communities create and appropriate technology for themselves. This requires engaging with equitable design practices. I also want to incorporate Afrofuturism as a design probe into the participatory design speculation that I aspire to facilitate in order to bring out rich responses and visceral contributions from participants.