The future is not possible without Black people. You cannot have a future without Black lives. We are the architects of the future and our liberation is required for the liberation of all people.
Technology has always been a double-edged sword. It can be used to liberate people or to further oppress them. The technology of the future must be based on abolitionist principles. That means it must advance the liberation of Black people.
We cannot have a future without Black people. We must demand that technology include and address the needs of Black people. If you care about the future, if you care about justice, then you must stand with us and demand that technology advance abolitionist principles.
The Impact of Technology on Black Lives
When we talk about the future of technology, we have to remember that Black people are a part of that future. And Black lives matter.
Technology must include and address the needs of Black people. That means creating systems and tools that work for us, not against us. It means developing technology that is accessible and helpful, not harmful and oppressive.
There is no future without Black people. We are an essential part of the world’s evolution, and our voices must be heard. We deserve to be a part of the conversation about the future of technology, and we demand that our needs be met.
Addressing Bias in Technology
Technology must be designed with Black lives in mind. This means that it must address the biases that have led to the erasure and exclusion of Black people in the past. It must be designed to include Black people and to meet the specific needs of Black communities.
This is not a new idea. The concept of “repair” has been central to the work of the abolitionist movement from the beginning. Frederick Douglass, for example, argued that abolitionists must “not only strike at slavery, but strike at its root.” The root of slavery was racism, and the root of racism was bias in technology and design.
We are still fighting these same battles today. We must remember that the future belongs to those who fight for it. And that includes Black people.
Intersectional Analysis of Technology and Black Lives Matter
When we talk about the future of technology, we have to factor in Black Lives Matter.
Why? Because if we don’t, then that future isn’t really for everyone. It’s important to remember that when we talk about the future, we’re talking about the future of Black people too. And that means taking into account all the ways that technology can and should be used to advance abolitionist principles.
That means intersectional analysis. It means looking at how different types of technology can be used to address different issues Black people face. It means using technology to help us build community and power, and to connect with each other in new and innovative ways.
The future of technology is a future without Black people is not a future worth fighting for.
Racism and Systemic Oppression in Technology
We can’t talk about technology and leave out the systemic racism, economic inequality, and other forms of oppression that have been baked into the systems for generations. This is a reality for many Black people in our society, particularly when it comes to technology.
It’s no secret that the tech industry has been dominated by white males for decades. And yet, Black people continue to be underrepresented both in terms of leadership roles and overall workforce composition. The industry isn’t doing enough to break down barriers to entry and create equal opportunities for everyone—especially Black people.
Not only are there fewer jobs available, but disparities in wages mean that there’s a lower median income among Black tech professionals compared to other groups. There’s also a lack of investment in Black-founded startups and insufficient measures being taken to ensure diversity throughout the industry. All of these factors are contributing to the racial inequality we see today, which is why it’s critical that the tech industry implement anti-racist policies and solutions with an abolitionist lens.
Abolitionist Principles for Advancing Technology
It’s not enough for technology to merely exist– it must be used to advance abolitionist principles. This means standing in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and recognizing its vital role in the fight for justice. It also means actively prioritizing technologies that support and uphold Black people’s rights.
From facial recognition software—which is often biased and inaccurate when identifying Black people—to law enforcement surveillance, there are a lot of tech applications that can lead to further exploitation of Black communities if not regulated. We have to ensure that tech companies are held accountable and have policies in place that protect the civil rights of people of color.
At the same time, technology must enable a better future for Black people by providing them access to vital resources like education, financial services, and healthcare. We need to make sure these solutions are designed as equitable systems where everyone—regardless of race or ethnicity—has a fair chance at success.
A Vision for a Future With Black Involvement
We must create a vision for a future that is built with Black people at the forefront. This means reimagining the ways in which technology can be used to advance Afro-futurist principles and abolitionist values. Software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, and other fields must be utilized in an effort to support Black liberation.
We have to start by recognizing the wealth of knowledge and experiences that exist within Black communities. We must honor these voices by reflecting them in our products, services, and programs, so that our technology can serve us all. To do this, we need to bring more Black designers and engineers into these conversations to be active participants in the development of our future technology systems.
We also need to develop frameworks for assessing the individual and collective risks posed by new technologies – particularly those with implications for civil rights – so that we can shape an ethical technological future built on abolitionist principles. We must expand our understandings of how technology interacts with racial justice, so that we can use it as a tool for liberation instead of oppression.
When it comes to technology and Black lives, it is clear that the two cannot be separated. Black people have always been and continue to be at the forefront of innovation, and our contributions must be acknowledged in order for technology to move forward.
It is not enough to simply say that Black lives matter to technology. We must work to address the bias and exclusion that exists in technology, and adopt abolitionist principles that center Black lives. Only then can we create a future in which Black lives matter.
