Welcome to Dispatch #30! This week we are talking about art & activism in the world of AI. We’ll cover how hackers helped resist South African apartheid, why AI will never truly replace artists, the latest forms of colonialism, and more! Let's get into it.
BTW - Have you checked out our merch store yet?? It's a great way to support this project (and look good doing it too), especially if a subscription isn't your thing. From now till November 30th, ALL our readers get 20% off with the code "TCC20OFF"!
👋 But first–Are you new here?
Sign up to get full access to our directory and free newsletters sent to your inbox every other Sunday.
🤓 If not, are you a free reader? If you value what we've been sharing, consider uplifting us–even if just for a bit! To keep all our work free for all, we need a mutual support group of like-minded people (like you!) helping us hold the fort down so we can grow! Spread the love and become a paid member for as little as $2 USD/mo ($24/year).
Since 95% of our subscribers are free readers, every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference.
Easy Actions to Take
Starbucks workers launch nationwide strike in the US for a fair contract and call for general consumer boycott. Stand with the American working-class and say NO to the anti-worker establishment. Instead, explore and support a small local cafe near you!
Why: Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan hospital and a prominent voice of Gaza’s decimated healthcare sector, is still being arbitrarily detained by Israeli authorities since his arrest on 27 December. His arrest and ongoing arbitrary detention without charges or trial is a reflection of Israel’s systematic targeting of Palestinian health workers and the decimation of the healthcare system in Gaza in order to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians. Organized by Amnesty International
Why: A recent Telegraph article inaccurately implicates Ibrahim Abul-Essad in celebrating the October 7th attacks and distributing “Khaybar” stickers, claims that remain unsubstantiated. This narrative weaponizes unverified assertions to vilify pro-Palestinian activism as extremism, resulting in significant reputational and social harm. Organized by Accountable Media
⏱~3min | (US Only) Call your representative and demand that they extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits
Why: Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans provide affordable health insurance to millions of Americans who would otherwise go uninsured. However, over four million people currently insured by ACA plans will lose coverage over the next decade if ACA plan tax credits are allowed to expire at the end of 2025. Organized by 5Calls
Little (Movement) Wins
Hacking South African Apartheid
Activist History
During the apartheid era in South Africa, the ban imposed on the African National Congress (ANC) party meant that anti-apartheid activists were under constant surveillance, and were frequently forced into exile, arrested, jailed, tortured, or even killed. Until the early 1980s, the ANC had a very limited communication network that relied mostly on couriers smuggling in banned books, passing out pamphlets, and their radio network Radio Freedom.
While exiled in London in the early 1980s, hacker and freedom fighter Tim Jenkins created an ingenious encrypted communication network that enabled operatives working underground in South Africa to report back to and communicate secretly with the African National Congress (ANC) leadership in exile in Zambia. With his system, a message was written, then encrypted, converted to an audio signal, played over the telephone, re-recorded, converted back to digital, then deciphered and finally read. It proved to be an extremely effective method of communication that greatly enhanced the organizing capability of the ANC during a time of extreme government repression, and demonstrates how a wide variety of skills and perspectives are needed in any liberation movement.
Why it Worked:
- It was on the cutting edge of an emerging technological practice and ethos: hacking. The hackers responsible worked relentlessly to develop their algorithm and perfect its use.
- The number of people who knew about the system were few (about ten), lowering the chances for infiltration.
- Connected an extensive network of global anti-apartheid activists who were raising awareness about the brutality of the regime, while at the same time lobbying their governments to apply diplomatic and economic pressure.
📗 Learn More
💝 Like our newsletter so far? Treat us to a coffee and some encouraging words so we can keep up the good work!
Data Colonialism
The Conscious Citizens Dictionary
The term Data Colonialism refers to how, in the modern age, personal information (our clicks, movements, faces, conversations, etc) are all tracked and harvested by corporations and governments for economic gain, and often without consent. This phenomenon mirrors historical colonial practices that involved the seizure and control of natural resources (now, data) for the enrichment of a few powerful nations and entities. This term was coined by scholars Nick Couldry and Ulises A. Mejias in their book The Costs of Connection (2019).
Data colonialism first emerged in a big way with social media as our interactions on platforms like Facebook were collected and sold to advertisers. Now it has been taken to an even greater level with AI companies collecting (and stealing) as much data as possible to feed into their models. This vast amount of data has given rise to an entire industry of “data workers” in low-income countries who are paid minimal wages to tag, moderate, and train AI models. For governments, data colonialism isn’t just about profit — it’s about power. Governments use digital surveillance to monitor citizens, suppress dissent, and predict behavior.
📗 Learn More
Why Artists Will Win in the Age of AI
Connecting the Dots
Capitalism has never been friendly to artists, and that’s been more obvious than ever. Artists are told that a career making art is “not serious,” “just for fun,” or “a waste of time/money.” Now the disrespect takes a whole new level as AI companies build generative tools, trained on the stolen work of billions of artists and refined with exploited labor in less-affluent countries, with the express goal of creating an AI tool that “out performs humans on most economically valuable tasks.” (OpenAI’s own words defining their goal for AGI (Artificial Generalized Intelligence)). We are already seeing instances of companies using AI to create advertisements, music, and films.
- Studios debuted the first AI “actor” - Tilly Norwood
- Car rental company Sixt debuted a new (horrifying) AI generated mascots in a recent series of ads
- Timbaland debuts a music video for his first AI-musician, leaning into all sorts of harmful techno-Orientalist tropes
- Spotify refuses to ban AI-generated music, even allegedly pushing AI generated music more than real artists
Seeing all this, as an artist, it’s natural to feel pretty discouraged. But here’s what we think: In the age of AI, artists are needed more than ever. We are already seeing a push-back against “AI slop” that is currently filling social media feeds. And in times of turmoil, artists play an even more important role than just creating content - they imagine the future.
In this essay, Ray writes (from his new Substack!) about the fundamental truths about art that generative AI reveals, and why that ultimately means that real art made by real humans will be more in demand than ever. Please read and share with any artists you know who need a bit more hope in this moment!
Like this issue? Tell someone about it!
We believe if more people understood how our common struggles are connected and knew how to channel that knowledge into practice, we could more effectively build alternative systems centered around care and sustainability. Forward this issue to someone, shout out @TheConsciousCitizens on your social media accounts, or (even better) encourage someone to invest in our work! A vetted recommendation goes a long way!
Conscious Creatives: Joy Buolamwini
Dr. Joy Buolamwini is a Ghanaian Canadian-American computer scientist, author, activist, and self-described “poet of code” on a mission to stop algorithmic bias. As a pioneer of ethical AI, she founded the Algorithmic Justice League (AJL)–an organization illuminating and challenging the discrimination embedded in machine-learning software (what we call "AI") through art, advocacy, and research–and is the author of "Unmasking AI," where she advocates for greater accountability in AI development.
Her journey into AI ethics started as a grad-student at MIT, when she discovered that facial analysis software failed to detect her face because its algorithms were not trained to recognize a variety of skin tones or ethnic backgrounds, and only worked when she wore a white mask. This led her to investigate what she calls the "coded gaze"—a phenomenon where algorithm creators embed their personal biases into the algorithmic systems they create.
We’re inspired by her depth of knowledge and how she creatively communicates the social implications of harmful AI models while also guiding us towards more inclusive and equitable systems through a unique combination of technical expertise, artistic expression, and activism.
🛒 Buy Joy's Book, "Unmasking AI" | 📱 Follow Joy on Instagram
Resources & Tools
Please share these links with anyone that might find them helpful:
- 🔌 HAVE I BEEN PWNED | A handy tool to help you check if your email address has been exposed in a data breach.
- 🔌 1PASSWORD | One of the most secure and widely recommended password manager. (We've been using this since 2020!)
- 🔌 SIMPLE LOGIN | An open source anonymous email service to help you protect your identity.
- 🔌 DIGITAL PRIVACY TOOLS | Trusted, top-notch digital safety recommendations by Privacy Guides.
- 🔌 EASY-OPT OUTS | The most affordable tool to remove your information from pesky data broker websites.
- 🔌 24/7 DIGITAL SECURITY HELPLINE | Free technical assistance and advice for anyone at risk of harm by Access Now. (Great for Orgs, Journalists, and Activists)
Want to contribute to our directory? Tell us about a resource you think more people need to know about. By harnessing community knowledge, we can build a digital home for the knowledge and resources needed to build systems rooted in care and sustainability.
Till next time, do your best and take it one day at a time. Care for yourself and the people around you. Believe that the world can be better than it is now. Never give up. And remember, you're not alone. We always have each other.
Onward to the World We Deserve,
Elisa & Ray
Don't Forget:
🙏 Our work is 100% reader-supported. You can invest in us for cheap. NOW, our memberships are helping us fund this project's baseline operating costs.
👕 Support our mission with style in some Conscious Citizens merch! Shop Now!
📣 Shout out The Conscious Citizens on your social media platforms and help us get connected with more like-minded people!
💌 Forward this to a friend and tell them to subscribe (hint: it's here).
🎥 Stay in our orbit! Follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
☕️ If you like our newsletter, treat us to a coffee and some encouraging words to keep us going!
