AI and Queer Fashion as Resistance in African Refugee Camps

Shalom Kansiime (they/them): is traveling to Africa on a journey called:

Fashion as Queer African Resistance - the Taza Refugee Runway Show

The tour will take place in four countries, with the runway models being refugees and featuring LBGTQIA+ fashion (compete with underground symbols for other queer people to recognize).

However, everything is not always as it seems.

Shalom Kansiime is not only a fashion designer, they are working with big tech, the federal government, and not-for-profit organizations to acquire Africa language data and provide guidance on the ethical use of AI.

Shalom is also slated to serve as a PI (primary investigator) for a National Science Foundation grant for endangered languages - our goal is to not only preserve the language, but support the speakers of these languages, who are also endangered. We are the ethical voice that is discussed in "the Alignment Problem" - and we intend to pave the way for ethical data collection and humanitarian, not-for-profit AI endeavors.

Kansiime is a former refugee who escaped Uganda when the anti-gay laws went into effect. We are currently partnering with sponsors and individual contributors. Show your allyship with partnership.

Thank you to Pearl Divers, the lesbian speakeasy in Denver, CO. Kathryn and other staff members will be there on Fri, 2/7 at 6 PM, with our red wine sponsor, the Shalom cocktail special, and the Jordan Gorom mocktail.

All donors over $5 will get access to level 2 of the underground content, if they are willing to sign a confidentiality statement.