DIVERSIVITY
Technology
2/23/21
Our Mission:
At Diversivity, we strive to create a more inclusive community that embraces diversity amongst different identities and cultures. We hope to do this by providing a safe platform for teens to share their perspectives, stories, and thoughts, while also advocating for solutions to issues relating to race relations, global events, identity, and more.
Team Message:
As members of Diversivity, we wanted our electronic magazine to be a safe space for people from a multitude of backgrounds to share their stories, opinions, and perspectives about a diverse range of topics. We believe that writing is a powerful tool that can help create a more inclusive and diverse world. Each month we hone in on a certain theme, opening up submissions to anyone who wants to write about their experiences. This month’s theme, “Technology'' drew many responses and shines a light on new issues. We believe it's important for every voice to be heard and we hope that our e-magazine can accurately portray technology and its numerous parts.
Chief Writers:
Katie MacDonald Hillary Xu
Writers:
Myint Myat Theingi Rachel Daniels
Chief Editor: Rhea Kaw
Director of Graphics Design: Harshana Jawahar
Graphic Designer: Megha Patel
ETHICS OF TARGETED ALGORITHMS On Instagram, a platform consisting of more than one billion monthly users, the Explore Page is one of the most defining features. For Facebook, it’s the custom News Feed. For YouTube, it’s the consistent stream of recommended videos. Social media platforms always seem to know exactly what you’re interested in, prompting you to scroll for hours. How do they know what you like? Why do they know this? The inherent nature of social media companies is to make profit. To do this, companies utilize algorithms that maximize the time you spend on their platforms. Algorithms, a process or set of rules followed by a computer, suggest content it deems relevant or interesting. According to a 2018 study by Dr. Stephen Baglione, professor of marketing and quantitative methods at St. Leo University, Facebook targets users through location, demographics, interest, behaviors, contact lists, and visitation to 3rd-party websites—reaching their targeted group with 89% accuracy. With content that is tailored to the individual, the user will spend more time on the platform. The more time spent, the more money the company makes through interaction with advertisements. Whether it be Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Reddit, each social media platform has a specific algorithm designed to understand the user better than they understand themselves. The result is a custom version of the platform for each user. The digital environment created by algorithms influences political views, social interactions, and exposure to (mis)information. By surrounding users in their preexisting beliefs, targeted algorithms can lead to extremism and political polarization. As you may have noticed, anti-vax groups, flat earthers, and misinformation prevail throughout social media networks. Sheltered from opposing views through the purposeful manipulation of algorithms that confine them to their preexisting beliefs, conspiracy theories can proliferate society through social media.
It would be irresponsible to argue that social media algorithms are all bad. By connecting the user to like-minded people, engaging online communities are created, friends are made, and long-distance relationships are maintained. Finding each other through algorithms, isolated individuals— sourdough bakers, bullet journalists, birdwatchers—can network, generate ideas, and build relationships with similarly passionate people. I found Diversivity through algorithms, connecting me with passionate creators from all around the world and providing a unique collaborative experience. Algorithms can benefit society by exposing a user to new people and new ideas. However, if the new idea is politically polarizing or liable to misinformation, there will be consequences for social unrest. As social media platforms gain new users by the millions, the ethical considerations that exist today will only compound. Diversifying information consumption, utilizing ad blockers, disabling cookies, turning off recommendations, and ignoring custom news feeds will restrict the ability of algorithms to suggest relevant content and counteract its influence on the user. As critical consumers of information, users should have an ethically conscious approach to social media networking. Next time you open a social media site, ask yourself: How was this specific news feed created for me? Why does it interest me? How much does it influence my beliefs? Social media has a tremendous impact on our lives. We must decide how much power to let it have.
THE WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY
The world is constantly progressing. Technology, without a doubt, has played an enormous role in making the world more developed and advanced. With the creation of robots and machines that can do a human’s job, the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a reality for people. Needless to say, I was fascinated by the evolution of technology. My family was among those who would get tired of all the jobs we have to do because of less relaxation time. We often wish that there was a replacement to do the job for us. We constantly hope that there is equipment created to lessen our workload, even for a student like me. The world of AI sounds dreamy and comforting for us, when the implementation of AI is applicable to our world. Although it sounds hopeful for most of us, the thought of AI bringing disadvantages for people lingers in my mind. It indeed would make our lives easier but dreadful for others. Having robots in workplaces will definitely result in unemployment of many people. Without these jobs, individuals won’t be able to feed their family, which has a negative impact on the society as a whole. Although as a young student like me would love the idea of the implementation programs with AI, my family disagreed with me. This was because the idea of having robots working for us sounded unrealistic and “creepy.” Nonetheless, the world of AI sounds like progress, a step forward we are taking for a brighter yet advanced future. Since the world is constantly evolving, it is with certainty that technology is the key factor for society to break through and create historic moments and leave an unforgettable legacy. As a member of generation Z, I am very optimistic of the impact that technology has on us and how it has immensely changed our lives for the better. Through technology, I have been able to access a variety of resources, educate and raise awareness on different matters as well as contribute to society for good. I consider myself to be blessed to have access to the greatest resource we have in this century but have been constantly aware that not everyone has the privilege to gain this access. In the most underprivileged societies, technology is inaccessible for most people. It is also important for technology to become widely accessible and useful for all of those who need it. With the leap of progress in technology, the world can only strive for a better future ahead.
SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is something that can be looked at in a positive or negative light. At a young age, we are thrown into the depths of reality through social media. We are exposed to different stereotypes and contrasting expectations. We see followers count as a way to judge our self worth and we think we must look perfect in every angle, just like those models on instagram do. So what are some of the good things about social media? Well, for starters, it is a tool to stay in touch with close friends and relatives at your own fingertips. It is quick, reliable, and easy to use. Information and research is easily shared and it is an effective way to share your experiences with others. It’s also a great method for learning about different opportunities and involvements, as well as a tool to develop skills for your future career or aspirations. I actually heard about this blog through instagram! Now for the bad. Sure, social media has its ups and downs— its pros and cons. But, the way social media affects young minds is incomparable. We are taught that to stay “popular” and “cool,” we have to be on social media. That’s what everyone is doing, so why not you? On platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, self image is a huge issue that a lot of young teens are facing in this day and age. We see all these models that work out, eat close to nothing, and seem happy. They seem popular. This is engraved in our minds and we start comparing ourselves to these people. Sure, you can tell yourself that it isn’t real and photoshop is used, but subconsciously, that despairing thought is still there. Through these beliefs in social media, we are taught the stereotype that we all must fit into categories. We cannot be anything more, or anything less. We must be perfect. Smile, sit pretty, be perfect. These expectations on young minds are deteriorating. Social media is proven to be a cause in social anxiety, body image, and confidence. But how do we use social media in a healthy way?
Take breaks. It may seem weird and cliche, but giving your mental health time to grow and heal is the most important thing you can do. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. If a basketball player broke their leg, you wouldn’t tell them to walk it off. If you know that social media is negatively affecting you, you must think of yourself first. Then, realise that nobody is perfect. On social media, we see lives through a filter. We see what others want us to see, but it’s never the reality. Behind that smiling picture could be a lifetime of pain and judgement. A quote I like to remember this by is “Everybody fails at being who they are supposed to be.” So why not focus on being who you want to be, without the overarching influence of social media? On social media, we see who we are supposed to be. We forget who we are to be acceptable in the eye of society. But, with time, you can break that barrier and be unapologetically you! Finally, educate yourself on the importance of mental health. In our school systems, this aspect is widely forgotten, but the more we work on ourselves and our well-being, the better we will become. Focus on yourself and who you want to be, don’t dwell on how you want others to see you.
HIGHLIGHTING 5 MINORITY CONTRIBUTIONS TO TECHNOLOGY
1. Gerald Anderson "Jerry" Lawson (1940 - 2011) | African-American Known as the “Father of Modern Gaming,” Lawson led the invention of the commercial video game cartridge and helped create the Fairchild Channel F video game console—all while being a selftaught electrical engineer. His console design was one of the first to utilize swappable game cartridges, which is now the dominant method of gameplay. In his garage, he created the early arcade game Demolition Derby, which was one of the earliest microprocessor-driven games. He was also one of the few Black members of the Homebrew Computer Club, an early group of computer hobbyists with members such as Steve Jobs. Later in his career, Lawson founded his own video game development company, Videosoft, and did consulting work. In March 2011, Lawson was honored by the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) for his pioneering work on the commercial game cartridge. In 2019, he was honored with the ID@Xbox Gaming Heroes award for leading the development of the first cartridge-based game console.
2. Deborah Washington Brown (1952 - 2020) | African-American In 1981, Brown was the first Black woman to graduate from Harvard with an applied mathematics Ph.D., and she is the first Black computer scientist to earn a Harvard doctorate. In addition to math, Brown has played classical music since age 6 and was an accomplished pianist, winning numerous competitions. She was originally admitted into the New England Conservatory of Music to study classical piano, but her hopes were dashed when her teachers didn’t support her dreams. She applied to Lowell Tech instead, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in math.
After Lowell, Brown was accepted to Harvard due to her academic excellence and outstanding recommendations. After earning her doctorate, she worked on missile defense technology, artificial intelligence, and speech recognition technology. She focused on speech science and became a speech technology specialist. During her career, she was awarded at least 10 patents, taught math at several colleges in Georgia, and continued her passion for music. Other than being a groundbreaking computer scientist, Brown studied and taught piano, winning numerous awards, performing in Carnegie Hall, and earning a level 10 certification from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
3. Mark E. Dean (1957 - Present) | African-American Does your computer screen have color? If so, you are benefiting from one of Mark Dean’s innovative technologies. Computer scientist and engineer, Dean holds 3 of IBM’s original 9 patents and over 20 additional patents are associated with his name. He helped develop the first gigahertz computer processor chip, the Industry Standard Architecture system bus (which allows for computer plug-ins such as printers or monitors), and the personal computer. In 1992, Dean completed his doctorate degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Nowadays, he continues to teach computer science at the University of Tennessee. In 1996, Dean was named an IBM fellow, the first African-American to receive the honor. He was also honored with the Black Engineer of the Year President's Award, inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and asked to be a member of the National Academy of Engineers.
4. Ellen Ochoa (1958 - Present) | Hispanic Dr. Ellen Ochoa is the first Hispanic woman to go to space, completing 4 space flights during her career as an astronaut and logging nearly 1,000 hours in orbit. She later became the 11th director of the Johnson Space Center, which made her the first Hispanic director and its second female director. She holds a bachelor's degree in physics from San Diego State University and a master's degree and doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University. Ochoa has been recognized with NASA's highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award for senior executives in the federal government. In addition, she is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She also chairs the Nomination Evaluation Committee for the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
5. Tiffany Smalley (1990 - Present) | Indigenous American In 2011, Tiffany Smalley became the first member of the Wampanoag tribe in more than three centuries to receive a Harvard degree. The first ever Indigenous American to graduate Harvard was Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, who earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in 1665. Smalley is the second member of the Wampanoag tribe to ever graduate Harvard, earning a bachelor’s degree in government & ethnic studies. She later attended Oregon State University to earn another bachelor’s degree in computer science. Currently, Smalley is the Senior IT Strategy Consultant at Kaiser Permanente, focusing on the healthcare industry and public policy. Her work continues, guided by her tribal roots and strong technical proficiency.
TECHNOLOGY AND GEN Z
Technology, especially these past couple of years, has come to a point in our lives where it is everywhere. In our homes, in our schools, in our lives. Right now, most of us have probably experienced online school. Most of us have been thrust into this new world of virtual learning and have been forced to adapt without any warning. Most of us are exposed to technology and it has become a part of our daily lives. Is it helpful, or is it making us too dependent? I know personally that technology has helped me, throughout this pandemic, to stay close with friends and family that I can no longer travel to see. While it is a bit crazy with the glitching and the accidental interruptions, it’s honestly a blessing. We are still able to keep in touch with people we care about most throughout a pandemic. For the past year, our society has been forced to dive into this new and unexpected world of online learning. Science experiments in class turn into online simulations while group projects turn into group chats. Students and teachers alike are having trouble keeping up with this. I’m sure we have all experienced those awkward silences in the zoom meetings, or “sorry, you’re frozen!” I’m sure we have all heard it too many times. For me, I have been diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. I have been struggling with my focus as well as my motivation to complete different assignments online. I know of stories of so many people that are struggling behind the mask of happiness because of Covid 19 without any hope of support. I would argue that even if we are dependent on technology, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. We have been forced to adapt to this new learning and social environment, and we are still fighting to this day. I have gone a year without seeing a lot of my family and my friends, so to say I have the means to communicate with them is amazing. Sure, it’s not the same as personal connections and being able to see people face to face, but it’s a start. As Generation Z, where social communication is key in our development as human beings, we are adapting as best as we can. It has been such a crazy year, and I would not be surprised if it got even crazier. Something we have to remember is that everyone is in the same boat, but that doesn’t mean we should stop enduring and living our lives to the fullest of our abilities.
EXTRAS
Here are some stories that aren't about this month's theme, but we felt should be included!
AAVE As it is Black History Month, I found it was fitting to do an issue surrounding Black Americans today, our culture, and how said culture intertwines with American culture. Many potential topics came to mind such as modern-day Black heroes or inventions created by African Americans, but I decided to go with a much more recent problem: Gen Z (and others) co-opting African American Vernacular Language (AAVE) and calling it “internet slang.” AAVE was created long before phrases that are a product of it were popularized by Twitter or Tiktok. It is a culturally significant aspect of African American life and is heavily influenced by many African languages. Like many other aspects of Black culture, it can be traced back to slavery. It isn’t new for parts of Black culture to be taken and propagated in the mainstream media, completely disregarding its roots with African Americans. Because Generation Z has more technology than any previous generations, we are seeing this occur on an unprecedented scale. The boom of social media has led to the appropriation and misuse of AAVE. For far too long, Black and Brown bodies have been reprimanded and looked down upon for not speaking “proper English” or having “bad grammar.” Society disregarded the fact that AAVE had a set of rules and guidelines, just like any other language. As a result, countless African Americans, myself included, engage in code-switching to appear more “professional” in some spheres, appease non-Black persons, and speak comfortably in other scenarios. By calling AAVE “Internet Slang,” you are reducing a language with a rich and complex history to essentially nothing. I’m not saying to change the way you speak or completely eradicate learned phrases from your repertoire. Simply be cognizant of the words and phrases you use like “Chile,” “Finna,” “Periodt,” and the importance they hold to the Black community. In this increasingly interconnected world, more marginalized languages are absorbed and gentrified for the general population to use and disposed of as they please. In fact, dialects that fall prey to this are eventually called “outdated” or “old news.” However, please know that this beautiful language was around far before the mainstream media got a hold of it and will continue to thrive long afterward.
What is a story? A story often refers to an account of imaginary or real people and events told for entertainment. It can also be an account of past events in someone's life. However, there is more to its relevance. People often get inspired by a story to achieve something. There are thousands of stories out there, but most of them are littered with the same concept over and over again. Some stories can be told differently but with the same goal at the end: to convey or to deliver a meaningful message to the readers. Stories not only appear in books or novels, but are also illustrated in art and music. The painting “Here We Are,” by Kushana Bush gives off a similar vibe to a painting drawn in 1996 by Ykinori Yanagi titled “Pacific.” Both drawings illustrate the unification of the world. Whereas Bush expresses the emotions of different people from around the world in a trading market, Yunangi expresses this by connecting world flags to each other by ants representing trade routes. Both paintings display the same message on how the world should be united regardless of religion, race, or sexuality- with different symbols of amalgamation. Stories have been repeated throughout art, with similar messages. “Here We Are” and “ Pacific” are not the only paintings with similar concepts. There are other great paintings out there where artists attempt to convey a similar message.
SAME STORIES CAN BE TOLD DIFFERENTLY
The drawings of “Papilla Estelar” by Remedios Varo and “Free Period in the Amsterdam Orphanage” by Max Liebermann can also be compared to each other. Both drawings show the desire for freedom through Remedios using a star symbol while Libermann uses a woman. Stories may be told differently but these paintings demonstrate that similar messages can be told with the same stories. So, what’s the difference in music? All songs have a different meaning and deeper concept to what it actually means. For example, the song, “It’s a hard knock life” in the musical Annie and the “Little People” song in the musical Les Miserables talk about the hardships that children have to overcome and how they struggle during their development. The musical styles are very different yet they express similar concepts through use of a distinct musical approach. What’s the point of this article? Well, the main goal is to share a universal message to take notes and learn from stories- to take messages from it. You have your own story, then why not share them with the community? The message you want to convey might be already out there, but believe that there are others that are eager to listen to your truth. No matter what situation you are in, stories may be told. I have been telling you the same concept that has been told numerous times, but with a different story that belongs only to myself. Be courageous and share your story with the world.
In our world today, it is easy to say things are getting better. It is easy to say that since we are recognising the issues minorities face in our world, things are improving for everyone. The truth is, we are affected by discrimination, oppression, and more on a daily basis. The truth is, through this mask that Canada has created for itself, we are taught to believe it is a perfect country that accepts everyone for their differences and perspectives. The truth is, the affects of our hidden and disgusting history still have impacts on our marginalized youth to this day. I reached out to some of my friends from Canada to have an opportunity to listen to their voices. Here is what they had to say.
The Hidden Truth
“Every girl is taught to be themselves, to live their best lives, to not be afraid of the world we live in. This isn't the best advice seeing as one in three women are sexually assaulted, one in three women experience unwanted sexual harassment in public, and about 58 percent of kidnappings victims are women. Now if this doesn't scare you, I don't know what will. I once asked my father why he wanted me to take karate classes when I was younger, and the answer was to protect myself. Since taking that class, I took up kickboxing as well, partly as a stress reliever, partly because I don't feel safe when walking alone. I don't feel safe walking home from school, work, a friend's house, [or] when I'm alone. Little girls shouldn't feel the need to have training to attack a defender, little girls shouldn't be afraid to live their lives waiting for something bad to happen to them, they shouldn't feel the need to be alarmed every time they go out. The fact that we do, the fact that these numbers are so alarmingly high for violence against women, the fact that little girls are trained to be afraid is horrifying. What does this say about us? What does this say about the world we live in?” - A.H “Discrimination is something most people face or see in their life. Personally I feel that I have become immune to it in some ways, which is pretty scary. Discrimination should never be a norm. Right now there are many offensive comments and actions that are norms. For example, not being able to go out on a walk or anything at night because it’s not safe whereas guys are fine to go. Until I stopped and thought about it, I just saw it as another random thing. In reality these thoughts and actions are rooted in male dominance and women having to be careful and taught how to be safe instead of men [being] taught to treat women fairly. This is just one of many examples of discrimination in daily life.” - M.A
“I was born and raised in Canada, I am a Canadian citizen, my first language is English, and so is my sister’s. My cousins were born here too. Even my parents are citizens, but they were not born here. Both of my parents were born in Afghanistan, but were refugees from the war and immigrated to the west, and eventually to Canada. Despite my parents having been here for thirty years, and I having been born here, we are still different from the rest. Despite the country being known as a refuge for immigrants, and being built on Indigenous land, Canada is over 75% white, making all people of colour part of the minority. More often than I would like, I feel this statistic. Majority of my friends are in fact white, the people that I grew up around were white, a good majority of my teachers were and are white, and despite my assimilation into the culture, I am not white. While I am truly grateful for their open-mindedness and allyship, there will always be someone who will make it glaringly obvious that I am not in the majority. The most frequent example of this is the mispronunciation of my name. While most people did in fact try to pronounce it properly, I could not expect everyone to know how to pronounce my name, supply teachers will butcher it, and at one point I just gave up, I stopped bothering to correct them. Some kids would even tease me for my name and the way it was spelt, and one time a daycare teacher spelt it in the worst way possible. The worst part was that that was not even my actual name, I had gone by a shortened form as my preferred name for as long as I could remember, my own mother would not call me by my legal name, unless she was mad at me. Like the riddle : “What is yours, but other people use the most ?” I realised that my name was my own, and it was not to be butchered based on other people’s ignorance. I had every right to correct people and make them honour the heritage that came with my name. I may not be white, but I am still human. If an immigrant can learn a new culture, language and rituals when they come here, then I expect those who are already here to respect mine. If there are any BIPoCs reading this, I want you to correct someone when they mispronounce your name, when someone asks you if they can touch your hair, be stern, and explain why that is rude, never be concerned about being polite when you are stating yourself. Explain your culture to those who are willing to listen, and when someone chooses to keep their mind closed, show them what they are missing.” - N.H
“Honestly, I find it kind of strange writing about my experiences so blatantly in this medium. Being both brown and LGBT in Canada often feels like a living contradiction in many ways. I didn’t meet the heteronormativity of the predominantly white communities I grew up in, and the brown community I was also immersed in. Not being a part of the white majority also took a toll in coming into terms with my own identity. Even though I was a minority, my experiences of racism luckily haven’t been that blatant in terms of targeted aggression towards me based on how I present or how I identified at the time. One of the few instances that really affected me was when I was in elementary school and this boy came up to me at the end of class and started doing an “indian accent” to my face. He mimicked being a taxi driver, and kept asking me if it was okay, and I had to stand there and nod in agreement. I found myself feeling so singled out and offended, while trying to process what he was saying. The rest of my class was laughing along including people I considered my friends at the time. That's when the “feeling” started. This feeling I experience in these types of situations is hard to explain. It's this feeling of being left out to an extreme of feeling like an alien around other people. It could come when my other brown friends would talk about planning these big weddings with their imaginary husbands, or going to GSA conferences and being one of the only BIPOC there. For me, my experiences of marginalization in Canada often center around society compartmentalizing my identity. The way this form of separation manifests itself in the clubs I’m apart of in school like, I can only be gay at GSA or only brown at Equity Council and not queer. Whenever I would try to talk about the intersectionality between the two it would often get dismissed by the reasoning of “oh the other club is for that” or “we mainly focus on this lens of Equity'' which doesn’t feel great in either space. I feel although Canada promotes equity in this strange orderly and organized manner that actively erases people’s identities if they do not conform to being one in one of the marginalized communities. I found that the recurring exclusion made me feel I couldn’t fully exist in any space, and that I can only be one part of myself in a certain situation. Then after a while, I just felt completely separated from any of the communities that I was a part of, or only truly identified with a select few people of that community.
“It just felt really frustrating because I don’t exist as one part of myself in certain spaces, because I don’t view myself in this strange fragmented way this system has prescribed for people like me to operate. I live one collective experience which consists of my whole identity, and not parts of it. What I’ve learned is that a lot of people have this perceived idea of what an experience is, and limit it to that narrative. It does seem like a minor issue if you personally are not affected by this, however the sole existence of these intersectional identities help to make people question their perceptions and prejudices. I find that especially in capitalistic institutions like the education system that are deeply rooted in whiteness and the construct of heterosexuality ; queer BIPOC’s exsistences alone are a form of defiance ot those systems. Boxing identities like the LGBT community, the BIPOC community, the disabled community, and allowing the continuous separation treating their issues individually is very harmful. Not only has this separation forced me out of all of these spaces, and created discomfort in interacting with these communities and friends. It has only made that “feeling” grow more and more as time goes on. I have been lucky to find communities of people who live like me, however these spaces shouldn’t have to operate separately and away from the other communities.” - R.G
Canada is not perfect and we must stop pretending like it is. Experiences that Canadian youth live through every day must be heard and acted upon. The effects of our history are still intact today in our systems, institutions and daily lives, but by hearing these stories, we are starting to make change.
THANK YOU !!
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