Dear Friend,
Last week, MediaJustice cohosted the fourth annual Color of Surveillance conference in partnership with Free Press and Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy & Technology. Historic patterns of discrimination are taking on ever more insidious digital forms, using technology to oppress and criminalize immigrants, people of color, and the working class — but how harmful can an algorithm be?
We brought together a delegation of Black and brown activists and organizers to answer questions just like that, unpacking the impact of modern surveillance on poor and working class people of color. MediaJustice delegates Laila Nur of Coworker.org and Cameron Okeke of BYP 100 spoke about the high rates of surveillance of Black communities and activists, while Tawana Petty of Detroit Community Technology Project (our newest MediaJustice Network member!) added a grassroots resistance perspective, sharing how community members are redefining safety and mobilizing against a new police surveillance initiative, Project Green Light, in Detroit. Basma Eid and Gabriela Sandoval highlighted growing corporate and government partnerships for data harvesting, including from energy devices, as ICE uses to target and surveil immigrants and people of color in “high-risk” urban or border areas.
MJ’s own Myaisha Hayes outlined our new No More Shackles report on electronic monitoring, the use of which has increased 140% in the last decade, extending incarceration deeper into our neighborhoods and communities, tracking movement and speech, and curtailing employment opportunities.
Having these spaces to openly discuss and share ideas is critical to our success in resisting discrimination and injustice in communities everywhere. MediaJustice and MediaJustice Network members are able to lead this work because of you--whether you read emails like this one, donate, or attend events. We see you and thank you.
Read more about our delegation here or catch up on live coverage of the event. Don’t forget — you’re invited to experience more MediaJustice magic in person on Nov. 21 in Washington, DC at our Movement Futures event!
In Solidarity,
Team MediaJustice
|
|
|
|
