Issues

Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei said it beautifully. He described the power of the internet as “…a tree that is growing.  The people will always have the last word – even if someone has a very weak quiet voice…power will collapse because of a whisper.”  Civil Rights icon and Congressman John Lewis expressed it this way, “If we had the technology, if we had the internet during the movement, we could have done more, much more, to bring people together from all around the country, to organize and work together to build the beloved community.”

At the heart of movements for social justice is a vision of beloved community – a welcoming society that makes space for every person to live in safety, security and with the ability to innovate and thrive.  Whether we are describing the hashtag campaigns that grew the Movement for Black Lives, added momentum to the DREAMers, or spurred on the Women’s March; or the use of smartphone cameras and facebook live to document the realities of oppressive experiences for people of color; or the narrative change storytelling of YouTube Creators from all backgrounds – internet platforms have birthed, expanded and made social justice efforts not only possible, but global in their implications.

We are committed to protecting the ecosystem upon which these systems were built and to empowering the leaders that built them. WE WORK TO:

• Promote a free and open internet

   

• Uplift voices that push back to counter online content that is hateful or offensive

   

• Engage leaders that are leveraging technology to solve social justice challenges

   

• Act as ambassadors for safe and secure experiences online, particularly for communities that have suffered from over-surveillance