Dillahunt: Developing technology with, not for, communities

Associate professor Tawanna Dillahunt was a guest on the Microsoft Research podcast to talk about the promises and challenges of building technology with, rather than for, society. 

On episode 134, “Just Tech: Centering Community-Driven Innovation at the Margins,” Dillahunt talks about her work on the Community Tech Workers Project. She and her colleagues are trying to train and support technology support workers to help their communities. 

“Assistant professor Julie Hui and I are partnering with the Detroit neighborhood entrepreneurs project and creating capacity in the community,” says Dillahunt. She notes that the efforts will train more tech workers to support small business owners who might need help.

Dillahunt also talks about her other community-focused tech work, including creating employment tools and tackling transportation barriers. She notes that her work has participatory design, directly working with communities and listening to their needs. 

Listen to the podcast “Just Tech: Centering Community-Driven Innovation at the Margins.” 

Learn more about Associate Professor Tawanna Dillahunt.