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Apryl Williams, Ph.D., is a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society and a former Senior Fellow in Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the Mozilla Foundation. She is the author of Not My Type: Automating Sexual Racism in Online Dating, which has been featured in Time Magazine.
Black feminism, technology studies, critical internet studies, critical race theory, and critical media studies influence Apryl’s work. She explores the lived black experience as it is shaped by algorithmic technocultures, the gendered black body, and race and racism as they manifest and evolve in our contemporary artificially fragmented society.
Currently, Apryl is consulting with the United States Congress to develop a progressive legislative agenda for AI. She has also worked with Facebook, Instagram, Her, Data & Society, and Grindr to advocate for communities that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in the design and implementation of emergent technologies.
Participants will explore the importance of creating inclusive environments that celebrate diversity. This engaging keynote offers practical strategies for building a culture of respect, understanding, and collaboration. Attendees will learn to recognize and overcome biases, support marginalized voices, and promote equity in their companies. Through inspiring stories and actionable insights, this session empowers individuals and teams to embrace differences and foster a more inclusive and innovative workplace.
In the world of online dating, race-based discrimination is not only tolerated, but encouraged as part of a pervasive belief that it is simply a neutral, personal choice about one’s romantic partner. In this session, Apryl Williams shares the insights from her book Not My Type, revealing the harms created when racism, technology, and romance interact and sharing a new, better way to do digital sociology.
Apryl explores the origins of Juneteenth and the resiliency of Black communities. She will discuss how these communities have historically used social networks for support and now leverage social media and technology similarly. She'll emphasize the importance of uplifting non-traditional voices in policy discussions related to tech diversity. Despite Juneteenth's recent recognition as a national holiday, it has long been celebrated in the South, highlighting the need to listen to those with deep communal and historical knowledge. Attendees will learn about the vital role of transparency and accurate information dissemination in today's technoculture.
