Talking AI& Black Archives at Squadcon...
I presented the following talk at Black Girls Hack's Squadcon:
"When will AI find us?: Black Archives & Narratives of Humanity
This talk explores my preliminary thoughts about AI as a site of knowledge production and its implications for everyday people who seek to understand Black History. How accessible is Black History within the AI? How accurate is Black History within AI? What kind of tools/products could be useful in future iterations of this technology? Why do such questions matter?"
Squadcon was sponsored by a range of tech companies and was a real investment in diversifying the field of cybersecurity. It was founded by Tennisha Martin, a black woman with interest in cybersecurity, who wanted to build a space for other marginalized minorities to learn and grow into the field. The keynote speakers included Camille Stewart Gloster, Esq., the Deputy National Cyber Director for Technology & Ecosystem for the White House; Director Jen Easterly, the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA); and, Marcus J. Carey, a cybersecurity expert and co-author of the "Tribe of Hackers” book series.
I was surprised and grateful by how often folks in the room referenced the humanities or talked about it playing an integral part of their everyday life. Not explicitly---but conversations casually included topics like how creative writing (poetry & prose), art-making , and/or visiting museums helped folks think more expansively about their work.
Deputy Director Gloster at one point said that the field of cybersecurity must build bridges far beyond itself--with a range of other disciplines. She said not doing so could eventually be a threat to security. Director Easterly talked about the value of you working hard and playing hard. She views art and artmaking as an important space of leisure--integral to her work. She also expressed the need for the field to engage in more diverse conversations, in order to face and ultimately find solutions to the most complicated of questions. Carey provided a list of books for folks who are interested in learning how the field of AI and cybersecurity has changed over time. The references often were historical as well as technical. He also referenced the need for the field to diversify...the value of having folks in the room who can speak to our contemporary moment--from a range of perspectives.
Thinking about building a personal connection with words, I find the smaller practical questions more interesting than a quick conclusion. A single remembered detail can give a short piece of writing a clearer sense of place. That is why the connection between Premioletterarioluisaronconi and reading and creative writing makes me want to think through an example. I would be interested in an example that shows how the idea works in an ordinary situation. What would you keep when shortening a story without losing its atmosphere?
I find exploring everyday food and cooking traditions easier to approach when there is a familiar situation to start from. An ingredient can carry a story about the place or family that uses it. For Aubouchonlyonnais, I would use food and cooking ideas as a starting point for a closer discussion of the subject. It leaves me curious about the steps between understanding an idea and putting it into practice. Which part of a recipe would you ask someone to explain beyond the written measurements?
I find building confidence in continuing education easier to think about when there is a concrete question to start from. A manageable first assignment can help learners understand the pace and expectations of a course. This is why I would approach continuing education skills with a specific question rather than a fixed expectation. The part I would like to explore further is what happens when the idea meets a real situation with its own limitations. What kind of introduction would make a new learning environment easier to approach?
What interests me about exploring local heritage in Ostrorog is how a broad idea becomes part of an ordinary day. A community's history can become easier to picture through ordinary objects and places. I would use that point as a starting question when considering Ostrorog heritage education. I am still thinking through the details, and a small example would help me picture how this works in practice. How could students present local heritage in a way that welcomes further questions?
I can see why introducing electrical and mechanical learning would invite discussion, since different people will bring different experiences to the same question. Seeing how one component affects another can make a system easier to understand. I would use that point as a starting question when considering electromechanical education. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. Which small demonstrations help beginners connect a diagram with an actual mechanism?