Designing AI 4 the Black Diaspora
RSVP LINK HERE – https://www.ai4bdiaspora.com
Speakers
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Abeba BirhaneCognitive ScientistAbeba Birhane (PhD) is a cognitive scientist researching human behaviour, social systems, and responsible and ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI). She is a Senior Fellow Trustworthy AI at Mozilla Foundation. Her interdisciplinary research explores various broad themes in cognitive science, AI, complexity science, and theories of decoloniality. Birhane examines the challenges and pitfalls of computational models (and datasets) from a conceptual, empirical, and critical perspective.
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Imani Cooper MkandawireMulti-Disciplinary Research; Writer & Experimental DesignerImani Cooper Mkandawire is a multi- disciplinary researcher, writer, and experimental designer completing her PhD at the University of Michigan in the Department of Comparative Literature and the Digital Studies Institute. Her doctoral thesis “Ancestors and Algorithms” mobilizes an integrative approach to machine learning that seeks to bring the methods of ethnocomputing to AI using African and black diasporic knowledge, and culture.
Imani is the recipient of various grants and fellowships including, the U of M Digital Studies Institute Research Grant, The National Center for Institutional Diversity, Social Science Research Council Predoctoral Fellowship, and The Center for European Studies for Research on Integration. Learn more @ imanicoopermkandawire.com
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Anatola ArabaFilmmaker; AI Researcher; Journalist; Visual Artist & speakerAnatola is a filmmaker, AI researcher, journalist, visual artist, and speaker from New York City. Her film and multimedia creations have been featured in film festivals, museums, and art galleries across the globe. Her works have been exhibited at MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, Film at Lincoln Center, Pan African Film Festival, and more.
Her award-winning project, Afro Algorithms, is a 3D animated short film in the Afrofuturist genre that explores the topics of AI and bias. Afro Algorithms has led Anatola to become a 2021 Mozilla Creative Media Awardee, audience award winner at the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, and an active member of AI 4 Afrika.
Anatola has spoken about her work at panels hosted by Unity Technologies, Verizon 5G Labs, and Mozilla, to name a few. She uses her voice to advocate for using creativity to reimagine global futures that lead to better ways of living, especially for the historically marginalized. Her writing has been published in ELLE Magazine and Harper’s BAZAAR.
Anatola graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. With the mantra that “creativity is the greatest tool of humanity,” Anatola’s passion is to innovate, inspire, and reimagine the world as it could be. Learn more at www.anatolaaraba.com.
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