The University of Michigan hosted Mayor Alejandro Baños, a “committed activist and scholar,” last week to discuss “technological equity” and “digital sovereignty centered on indigenous knowledge.”
According to the “Unlocking the Complexities of Development and Data Colonialism” event description, technological advancements “are often praised as tools of ‘empowerment and progress.’ [they] “We may inadvertently encourage new iterations of colonialism.”
The U-M Center for Racial Justice and Science, Technology and Public Policy Programs hosted the event.
michigan daily According to the report, the bathroom (picture)founder of the Indigenous Friends Association, who has “honed his expertise at the intersection of decolonial computing, digital decolonization and indigenous media”, wants to “critically evaluate” the notion that technology is always conducive to development .
Baños also said technology development must center the “voices” of indigenous peoples to avoid “negative impacts.” For example, he claimed that “e-waste” from countless technology devices and servers “operating 24/7” is being sent to the “global South.”
“My goal is not to be an expert,” Baños told the audience. “You just have to start thinking critically from where you stand. […] The point is that we all actually have a role to play in making technology better for everyone, and now we are all part of this.”
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“How can we implement the aspects we need to feel safer in our technological environments?” Banos asked. “How can we use technology to foster respect for the land?”
From the story:
[A] The Q&A focused on how to integrate dystopian and utopian perspectives on the place of technology in the social welfare movement. Baños responded with his view that there are no decisive or drastic solutions.
“I don’t think the path forward is extreme,” Baños said. “It’s about how we can start building more important digital skills. “There are great examples of how the technology created can be positive when we bring in a community perspective.”
In an interview with The Michigan Daily after the lecture, public policy graduate student Gabriel Sylvan said it was an exciting opportunity to watch what IFA is doing.
“It’s fascinating to see breakthroughs that combat negative technologies while simultaneously empowering positive ones,” Sylvan said.
According to its website, the Indigenous Friends Association “ignites Indigenous community spirit to create, engage and innovate digital technologies through ethical and community values” and “prioritizes Indigenous interests.”[e] It is the “heart of the technology project”.
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Image: University of Michigan
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