Digital Futurism: Evening Conversations

Calling all up-and-coming history-makers and creatives!
What do you dream for the future? Could the start of that future be right in the palm of your hand? What can we imagine and invent together, inspired by technology?

For better or for worse, cellphones have shaped who we are as a global society, and they will for decades to come. That’s the focus of an exhibition being planned at the National Museum of Natural History for 2023 – and we need to talk about it! What can we dream up together to ensure that our tech reflects us?

Two evening conversations at the D.C. Public Library feature a panel of Black women futurists, designers, artists, musicians, and novelists who have influenced this tech and how we use it. You’ll take away a new understanding of the factors that shape our relationship with technology, and be invited to interact in a community-style re-imagining of our future.

Join for one night or both, and come ready to participate, connect with others, and learn from experts!
(You must register for both events separately).

Evening One (Panel Discussion), June 29
Warm-ups // Lightning Talks from Leaders // Brainstorming Challenges + Solutions

Featuring:
Carolyn Malachi, mix engineer, producer, Grammy-nominated artist, and educator
Allissa Richardson (via Zoom), journalist, professor and author of Bearing Witness While Black: African Americans, Smartphones and the New Protest #Journalism
Kamal Sinclair (via Zoom), former Executive Director, Guild of Future Architects
Ashleigh Coren, Smithsonian Institution
Register

Evening Two (w/ Nnedi Okorafor), June 30
Warm-ups // Community Storytelling: Imagining Our Future

Featuring:
Nnedi Okorafor (via Zoom), science fiction and fantasy novelist
Ashleigh Coren, Smithsonian Institution
Register

*These are free IN PERSON events designed for 18-25 year olds (but all are welcome). Some presenters will be participating virtually. The events will not be recorded, so we hope to see you there.*

This program received support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative.
The exhibit and future programming of Cellphone: Unseen Connections is made possible by lead sponsor Qualcomm with additional major support by T-Mobile.