Tag: Bias

Latest Read: Unmasking AI

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date January 17, 2024

Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines by Joy Buolamwini.

Joy is a computer scientist and digital activist based at the MIT Media Lab. She founded the Algorithmic Justice League. She is a Rhodes Scholar, a Fulbright fellow, a Stamps Scholar, an Astronaut Scholar, and an Anita Borg Institute scholar. Joy holds a Masters and PhD in Media Arts & Sciences from MIT.

Unmasking AI is Joy’s memoir regarding her graduate work at Harvard. Joy is introducing her project regarding facial recognition. She realized her own face could not be identified unless she actually placed a white Halloween mask in-front of her face as a camera captured and attempted to identify her.

However, her work contributes to demonstrating the in accuracy of AI. Joy research is indeed like Dorthy in The Wizard of Oz, pulling back the curtain on the inaccuracies of AI facial recognition systems. And to some extent, also exposing the growing wealth of companies profiting from these already deployed.

Yet when informing her thesis committee that bias in AI has the potential to harm women and minorities, the perception includes many do not want to acknowledge these errors. Joy even receives feedback which questions the level of harm faulty facial recognition, and if is actually ‘significant’ enough to warrant this research.

Tags Artificial Intelligence, Bias, Joy Buolamwini, Unmasking AI

Education Innovation Reading

Latest Read: Overcoming Bias

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date November 23, 2023

Overcoming Bias: Building Authentic Relationships across Differences by Tiffany Jana. Tiffany holds an MBA and Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership from University of Phoenix.

This book addresses why bias matters today and the right terms can increase your fluency. Ultimately Tiffany’s goal is to move readers away from thinking about bias to understanding how to overcome it.

To her credit, Tiffany introduces bias on the most simple of subjects: bias favors one thing over another; bias is a normal human tendency; most bias in harmless; and it is difficult to acknowledge personal bias.

Perhaps a stronger element is how Tiffany is addressing bias passing from generation to generation. And she follows up by outlining those personal hot-button triggers. We all have them and unconscious assumptions about anyone different from our family or close circles. This will influence the best of good intentions.

Tiffany is indicating we need to focus energies on identifying our own privilege and preference. By becoming aware we can make authentic connections at work and at home.

Tags Bias, Overcoming Bias, Tiffany Jana

Education Milwaukee Reading

Latest Read: Poverty, by America

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date September 13, 2023

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. Matthew is a sociologist at Princeton University. He is also the principal investigator of the Eviction Lab.

Matthew’s first book Evicted was the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner. In addition, Time Magazine named Evicted one of the ten best nonfiction books of the decade. So, can lightning strike twice?

Matthew’s follow up book just might as he provides fresh insights into how society actually thinks about a morally urgent issue. Yet, he is also indicating solutions are available without raising taxes.

This is not about the war on poverty or welfare reform, but simply a book addressing how poverty somehow persists in the richest nation on earth. Long story short: because the rest of us benefit from it.

Matthew’s insights are data driven and so he asks why. Why are 1 in every 8 children in fact going without basic necessities, why are citizens homeless, and why can corporations pay poverty wages? In addition, Matthew is providing updated statistics the really resonate in a post COVID-19 world.

In fact, throughout our history, the US Congress has raised the minimum wage 22 times. The current level — $7.25 an hour was established in 2009. Wow that was 14 years ago.

There are certainly key factors that perpetuate poverty and economic disparity. Matthew points out how the government gives so many benefits and subsidies to the wealthy. This directly undermines the poor.

Tags Bias, Matthew Desmond, poverty, Poverty by America

Education Reading

Latest Read: The New Jim Crow

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date July 1, 2023

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. Michelle is an Associate Professor of Law at Ohio State University, writer and civil rights activist. She earned a J.D. from Stanford Law School.

Previously, Michelle was a member of the faculty of Stanford Law School. Then as Director of the Racial Justice Project of the ACLU of Northern California. Today she is an opinion columnist for The New York Times.

This is in fact a stunningly 10th Anniversary Edition including a new preface. Michelle is again addressing black men, violence, and a new way forward. Across these initial sixty pages arises a new, strong message. While the book’s message may appear simple, the research data delivers a complex analysis. Since the end of World War II the government has established laws targeting the incarceration of black men.

Yet, gains during the civil rights movement became in fact, the target of a ‘law and order’ mindset. The crack cocaine wars of the 1980s were certainly not even in place when President Reagan’s War on Drugs was launching nation wide. This was a build up from the Nixon Administration, even accelerated by President Clinton’s 1994 crime bill. In addition, the book asserts prisons are creating cages to hold and punish young black men as a control method.

Tags Bias, Caste, Mass Incarceration, Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow

Education Reading

Latest Read: Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?

Post author By Don Kasprzak
Post date February 26, 2023

Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum. Beverly received an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D. in clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan. She also holds a M.A. in religious studies from Hartford Seminary.

She has taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara, Westfield State College, and Mount Holyoke College. In addition, The American Psychological Association has recognized her with the Award for Outstanding Lifetime Contribution to Psychology. In fact, this is one of the most well written psychology books addressing race. Beverly’s research will certainly bring the reader into a well researched conversation. This is also a perfect demonstration of empathy.

Perhaps the most effective message is that across America the historical need to educate ourselves on race has never been taught formally. By not addressing this issue we are like history to repeat ourselves. This includes a lot of very awkward conversations passed down across families for generations.

The goal Beverly submits is to achieve a true understanding of inequality across all races and cultures. There is without question a true level of stress that is a result of basic, general discussions. Beverly certainly demonstrates how this can be improved. In addition, there are explanations racism now directing at Native/Indian, Asian, and Latinos.

Tags Beverly Daniel Tatum, Bias, racism, Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria