From Civil Rights to Digital Rights: How Black Technologists Are Shaping the Future of AI
Training overview
AI is quietly becoming the new infrastructure of everyday life deciding who gets hired, who gets healthcare, who gets a loan, and whose stories are believed. This keynote traces a powerful throughline from historic civil rights struggles to today's fight for digital rights, showing how Black technologists, data scientists, and entrepreneurs are redefining what fair and just AI can look like.
Erin explores how algorithmic bias can reinforce systemic inequalities, and why Black representation in AI isn't just "nice to have" it's essential infrastructure for democracy, equity, and trust. Attendees will see how today's digital fights echo yesterday's battles for voting rights, housing, education, and economic opportunity, and what it means to build AI systems that honor those hard-won gains.
Ideal For
- Corporate & tech conferences
- DEI, ESG, and public policy convenings
- Universities, HBCUs, and student-facing events
- Civil rights, legal, and advocacy organizations
Key takeaways
Understand how bias shows up in data algorithms and "neutral" AI systems and why that matters for civil rights in a digital age.
Connect historic civil rights movements to current struggles for algorithmic accountability privacy and digital equity.
Learn how Black technologists and communities are already reshaping AI from culturally aware tools like ChatBlackGPT to broader policy and governance efforts.
Identify concrete steps institutions can take to center fairness representation and community input in AI initiatives.
Leave with language frameworks and stories to bring these conversations back to your teams students or stakeholders.
Erin Reddick
Founder and CEO of ChatBlackGPT, AI Cultural Technologist
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