The 2024 SIDGE Symposium's afternoon keynote address launches the exploration of the critical nexus of connecting public interest technology to civic engagement.

The keynote speaker is Fallon S. Wilson,PhD, lead principal investigator and co-founder, #BlackTechFutures, Through her work with non-profits, academia, and government partnerships, Dr. Fallon S. Wilson strives to make visible the work of historic and modern-day Black crises solvers. As theLead Principal Investigator for #BlackTechFutures Research Institute, which she co-founded with Melissa Brown-Sims, M.A., Fallon engages in community action that creates changing community and across the US. The Institute's Work, funded in part by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation's 2020 Open Knowledge grant, builds a national network of city-based researchers and practitioners conducting research on sustainable local Black tech ecosystems,especially within underrepresented communities. Fallon serves as the Vice President of Policy for the Multicultural Media and Telecommunication Internet Council (MMTC) through which she launched a national campaign, “BlackChurches4DigitalEquity,” to support digital access in Black communities. The campaign was so successful that she launched a national faith based civic tech fellowship, “BlackChurchesfor DigitalEquity.” Additionally, Fallon’s research on first-generation Black college students alternative tech Pathways and Black tech ecosystems has garnered notable research grants from the Kapor Center, the Kauffman Foundation, and the Ford Foundation, among others. Her TEDx–Nashville presentation of Stop Ignoring Black Women and Hear of Our Tech Prophecies eloquently addresses the intersection of historical reality for Black women, spirituality, and technology. Fallon holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Spelman College and a Master of Arts in Political Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.

This is a free event requiring a ticket for entry. Find the link in the Registration section. Limited seating.