AI
Seeing
Computer vision is everywhere, but gets less public discussion than the other, louder forms of "AI" currently in vogue. Being aware of CV and its assumptions matters.
civil society
ecosystems
Feels like home
The feeling of being at home is precious. Finding places and situations where it's possible to relax and trust that we have space to build things, space to make mistakes, and space to be ourselves is essential in a world going through a perpetual polycrisis.
language
Language and belonging
Language is a means of belonging, judging, and increasingly, of deciding who gets to be in and who doesn't. The impetus towards increased language requirements in immigration criteria is not the only way to think of language competence, or of belonging.
technology
Public-private predicaments
Public sector bodies can be very dependent on private sector software and technology providers, spending public money in ways that don't always put public values first. Some governments are beginning to demonstrate that there are other options.
civil society
Civil society and empty bottles
My research methods teacher in grad school had this story about bottle collectors – people who go around town, finding bottles with deposit value, collecting them, and redeeming them. This first part of the story is in Toronto, where beer, wine, and liquor bottles all carry a deposit. In Toronto, if