Esther Mwema

She / Her / Hers
Artist & Digital Inequalities expert
Esther Mwema, black African woman with curly afro hair in a bun, wearing green and red African material shirt, stands against blurred light background.
Photo credit / Image credit
Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity

Esther Mwema is an award-winning artist and digital inequalities expert focused on Internet governance, Internet infrastructure and Internet freedom. Esther’s practice intersects art and tech-innovation, interrogating hidden systems of power in digital society ranging from fiberoptic cables, digital colonialism, to gender inequality. She has over 10 years commitment to social impact at the grassroots via her non-profits Digital Grassroots and Safety First for Girls (SAFIGI) Foundation; and has done extensive work within the UN system. Esther is an Open Internet for Democracy leader who centers African feminist and decolonial methodologies in practice.

Sessions

The Cosmology of Internet Infrastructure

Esther Mwema

Summary
This talk presents vivid imagery on society’s belief in the creation of the digital world. Esther Mwema presents her art and community-centered research connecting increased ownership of Internet infrastructure by big tech to (digital) colonialism, thus unveiling the hidden systems power in society.
Activism
Digital rights
Foreign affairs
Future & Utopia
Talk
English
Conference