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Paula Moreno

Manos Visibles

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Technology, Inequality & the African Diaspora

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THE NEW DOORS OF RETURN

Paula Moreno�Howard University/Mathematica 2022

Founder AFROINNOVA/Manos Visibles�

@paulamoreno_z�@afroinnovaglobal�@manosvisibles

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THE KEY QUESTIONS:

Where are we in the main trends

that will define and mold the future? �Who is programming us?

Who designs the algorithms?

“The future is open. �That she remains open to all of us. �And that it is the task of Africans: �to think and formulate their own future and to find their own metaphors for it. �Now it’s about to dream this utopia �in Africa itself, to design Africa ourselves, to think, and to act for ourselves.”

- FELWINE SARR, � AFROTOPIA

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THE FUTURE�The world is ending, �it has ended for us many times.

By 2030, �ten powerful �converging technologies �will entirely transform �how we think, work and live:

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And by 2030, blockchain technology

and Web3 will disrupt :

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Art, Music, Gaming, Entertainment

Creator Economy

Business, Banking & Finance

Social Media

The Pandemic of Pandemics

Climate Change

The acceleration of the future of work

… the future of education

… the future of democratization &� ownership of content

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THE AFRICAN DIASPORA & TECHNOLOGY

  • 1500 million people: �1200 in the continent + 300 diaspora �(historical and racial origins) Differences and similarities.

�AFRICA COMES WITH US.

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  • What does it mean to be one of the main diasporas in the

world?

  • How do we define our power in technological terms?
  • Communications, consumption and content
  • How do we build a technological power?
  • How do we anticipate, build, invent our own technological

future?

  • Building the future from a systemic approach: digital and property rights (advocacy strategy to break the barriers ); comprehensive pilot intervention for racial and territorial equality. Not just advocate rights but changing the systems.

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WHERE IS THE AFRICAN DIASPORA?

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�AFROINNOVA: THE NEW DOORS OF RETURN�Technology: From Recovery to Reimagination

  • Agenda: Diaspora leadership to discuss, shape and think about �Capital, Knowledge-Sharing and transnational effective collaboration �(scholarships, etc.) �
  • Narrative building and awareness
    • The root of discrimination, racism,…
    • Who is the defining our systemic growing inequality?

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  • The next phase of racial equality
    • From representation to effective power. Not just political but

technological power. Last 20 years, academy, representation but there is a question in terms of power.

    • Pan-African anti-racism efforts. Social networks have been key to recognize, collaborate, discuss…
    • The pandemic …What comes next with the escalade and accelerated process of extremism and impoverishment of our communities?

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AFROINNOVA: THE NEW DOORS OF RETURN

  • How do we open a door was closed in a pandemic, �leaving us even farther behind?

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  • What are the systemic changes we need to undertake?
    • Educational challenges
    • Capital challenges (technology is not cheap)
    • Systems approach: �(i) Connectivity - Advocacy in Washington D.C.�(ii) Private sector funds�(iii) Exchanges

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COLOMBIA: THE THIRD COUNTRY OF AFRICAN DIASPORA

  • ICT 19 per 100 individuals developed countries:12 per 100 LAC countries
  • 51.9 % Colombian households have internet connection. In rural areas it’s only 28%, and in municipalities like Timbiquí (Pacific seacoast), only 2.32%.
  • 39.3% Colombians have access to a computer, laptop or tablet
  • 2 Afro-Colombians out of 10 million working in TECH Industries,�Head Hewlett Packard.
  • Gender, racial and territorial inequalities
  • The pandemic: broader impoverishment and educational crisis
  • Growth of consumption - �but how do we make tech enterprises accountable?

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THE CASE OF MANOS VISIBLES�Colombian Pacific Coast: Valle del Naidí

Timbiuí

Timbiquí-Cauca

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OUR MAIN

CHALLENGES

In Timbiquí, Cauca, the digital divide is enormous,

access to equipment is limited, connectivity is deficient (both in coverage and in speed and download capacity) and the population does not have the skills to make the most of information and communication technologies.

  • 9 out of 10 students do not have internet access
  • Only 24,7% of its inhabitants have a desktop, a laptop or a tablet
  • The effective download speed for 28,6% of the population does not exceed 5 Mbps 

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OUR EFFORTS IN TECHNOLOGY

  • Pacifico 4.0: Digital literacy for children and young people �(but also for teachers) + computational thinking, robotics and

domotics

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  • Front-end Pacifico: training for developers - coaching and

facilitating labor market insertion

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  • Innovation Girls: empowerment of girls and young women in

STEM + technology-based entrepreneurship

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  • Chocó Robotics School: strengthening grassroots organizations

to promote STEM work in the communities.

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  • Protective environments for children and youth: educational spaces complementary to school, in which creativity, innovation, and co-creation are encouraged to bring children and youth closer to STEM activities (e.g. Mariposas de Amor).

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OUR EFFORTS IN TECHNOLOGY

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HOW CAN YOU CONTRIBUTE?

  • Agenda with an action narrative
  • Advocacy (Washington D.C., private sector)
  • Get involved in public policies for the social, � critical and responsible appropriation of technology
  • Scholarship funds
  • Fulbright exchanges

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Gracias!!! �And please do write to me on Instagram�to share reflections