Awareness of racial injustice, discrimination, and inequities has soared in the US recent months, motivated by the tragic killing of Black Americans—including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and many others. This has created a wave of social protests and calls for change, from reforming police departments to removing symbols of the Confederacy to increased investment in Black businesses and more.

There is much work to be done to achieve the goals of the United States of America—that every person is treated as equals and have access to the same opportunities. This is a societal issue, but can data and technology help us? There are notable examples of technology being used to discriminate and persecute, in the US and globally, and of data that clearly shows inequities and injustices.

How do we use data and analytics to make things better? How do we ensure that technologies use to promote equality and fairness and not to enable injustice and discrimination?

Join our distinguished panel of experts as we discuss how data and technologies have been used for injustice and inequality, but how they can be powerful tools for change, equity, and progress.

Featuring:

Janice Omadeke, Founder and CEO @ The Mentor Method

Meme Styles, Founder and President @ Measure Austin

Eunice Chendjou, VP of Partners @ OpenTeams

Michael Ward Jr, President and CEO @ Austin Urban Technology Movement

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As usual, the ‘doors will open' at 6:00PM, but this means the Zoom session will ‘open’ so that people can begin connecting and testing their devices and settings (and asking us for help via email or the Slack workspace if needed).

We look forward to ’seeing’ you online on August 4th We will resume in-person meetings when it is safe, in conjunction with online meetings.

We welcome your participation! Please email us with your questions, answers, and prognostications in advance.

Admission to the Austin Forum monthly events is always free and open to everyone!

The Austin Forum accepts donations of used smart phones, tablets, and computers at all our events. Since the events are no online, please let us know via the ‘chat’ window during the event if you have devices to donate. All devices will have a factory reset and be set up as new by the team at Austin Pathways’ nationally-recognized “Unlocking the Connection” initiative, which will connect every public housing resident with a digital device, digital literacy, and a free or very low-cost internet connection. Your donated devices can change lives and help close Austin’s digital divide, thanks to Austin Pathways.