On november 21st, 2024, Kambale Musavuli joined J. Bob Alotta of Mozilla, Lori Regattieri of the Green Screen Coalition, and Dalia Othman of The Engine Room in a conversation about “Harnessing South-South Solidarity to Shape Tech Governance” at mozillafestival in Lusaka, Zambia.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is upon us! AI systems and blockchain, as tools, can either liberate or exploit, depending on how we address the fundamental question: Who owns the means of computation, and for whose benefit?
At Aether Strategies, we believe that tech activism drives innovation. It is vital to surface the realities of people excluded from the decision-making tables designing AI systems that profoundly affect their lives. These individuals are not just data workers; they are human beings solving problems in their communities with the resources they have.
To foster global collaboration and solidarity, we must share each other’s stories, from Mozambique to Sudan, from the mines in Congo to the communities resisting in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This is essential for building a framework for liberation grounded in dignity, justice, and sovereignty.
In this rapidly evolving tech space, humility is key. We must connect with communities, work alongside them to build trust, and organize networks to forge a global multinational force of revolutionary thinkers, activists, and selfless technologists. Together, we can resist the alienation of humans, whether by other humans or by machines.
Here are a few inspiring projects to check out: Afro Grids by Esther Mwema, Common Voice, and Lelapa, to name just a few we enjoyed discovering.