care in a digital daydream
and closeness in a socially distant world
hey! thanks for signing up for my newsletter. if you didn’t read what this is about when you signed up, heres the gist: i compile a collection of cool links from my explorations on the internet and send it to you whenever i feel like i have enough for a newsletter. for our first issue we’re discovering digital connection, self care, slow web, reclaiming tech, and creative tools. scroll to the bottom for new music and free ebooks!
can we hold hands on the internet…
since our world has become mostly digital, we are forced to find closeness online. so i’m asking a question: how can we connect meaningfully online? i’ve found a few answers, but i’m always looking for more.
there’s this collaborative whiteboard which i can think of a lot of uses for. an example: draw with friends made wayyy easier. also i’m a big fan of free, no sign-up required things.
part of my exploration of digital spaces brought be to the planet of digital proximity. this is basically what we do in multiplayer games but a little more “professional”. i mostly got inspiration from this amazing are.na channel, through which i found a little online town to sit by a fire with your friends. however, before i discovered that digital proximity is a thing, i found some cozy rooms. and speaking of which, you should definitely check out azlen elza’s other work (especially his notes, they’re so beautiful)
aaron edwards wrote this article/work of art about how group chats can be a form of therapy for black and brown people (and yes this is from 2017). and yaa addae wrote about data healing in this fucking incredible story about digital doulas.
you’ve heard of the dark web, get ready for the slow web
i’ve been learning so many new things it’s ridiculous. anyways slow web is yet another one of those things, it’s literally just a chill version of the web. you know those 7 hour long videos of a train ride in norway? that kind of thing.
apparently sound is a popular form of “chill”, there’s this website (with the most aesthetic name) where you can submit a thought and you get a sound in return. even if you don’t have one you can just look at other encounters. and then there’s this wild newsletter that sends you a prompt to make an audio for. it’s hard for me to explain but the prompts are so interesting.
concept i fucking love alert!! get this: practicing magic for digital self care. this website of spells for protection against the dangers of the digital world grew me at least 5 new brain cells. and then there’s a literal enchantment to perform on your computer to familiarize yourself with terminal!!! magic people i love u…
and if you just need a bit of an escape, look out a window.
kicking ass and taking back our tech
technology is for the people but shitty billionaires love to build tech that does shitty things. but luckily for us there are also some really cool people working to free us from silicon valley’s grimy hands.
we all hate gerrymandering, here’s an (open source) software to fight it. oh and we all know how much the prison industrial complex sucks too, so here’s a network of people fighting carceral tech. now we have to build robots to help overthrow the government.
so you signed up because you saw “artificial intelligence”, well you’re in luck. these guys are doing research on the ethics of facial recognition, they even analyze datasets. and if you’re more into the creative side of ai, you can explore some generative design.
and if you’re missing a little magic, these tarot cards can help you think more mindfully about your products.
shoutout to this amazing are.na channel where i found a lot of cool websites too.
ah yes, the creative struggle
art comes in all forms, everything is art and everyone is an artist. but an artist needs tools… and money…
you deserve money for what you create, so here’s a democratically owned alternative to patreon.
if you’re like me and love the concept of mind mapping, but think all these mind mapping apps are ugly and complicated, look no further.
are you a black or brown person working with archives and libraries? there’s a space especially for you! this is for the babes at the allied media conference 2020 digital archives strategy session!!
(also special shout out to sasha costanza-chock, deb raji, and joy buolamwini who i saw at the coded bias panel, love them)
how do we feel?
so here’s a concept for equitable housing that i don’t really know how to feel about since i’m not knowledgeable about this area. commie friends please advise.
i brought you some sounds
nomoah by indigo desouza
dilemme by lous and the yakuza
chameleon by janae ailia
crushcrushcrush by coco & clair clair
female energy pt 2 by willow
forever by noname, joseph chilliams, ravyn lenae
the full playlist is here
free books baby!!
some of my favorite new books in my digital library
the revolution will not be funded by incite! - we love incite! in this house, absolutely amazing book on the non-profit industrial complex. highly reccommend for anyone who wants to start or join an non-profit.
beyond survival edited by ejeris dixon & leah lakshmi piepzna-samarasinha - i finally got my digital hands on a ebook version of this, one of the newest books on tools for transformative justice. also we love leah lakshmi.
bodyminds re-imagined by sami schalk - super interesting book on disability, race and gender in black women’s speculative fiction
information maintenance as a practice of care by lots of people - book-adjacent work about care and knowledge
find the whole library here
i highly encourage buying all these books and supporting these authors as well!
<3
if you liked this newsletter please let me know! and if you want you can cashapp me at $raeisannoying. follow me on twitter & are.na too!
lots of love,
rae
