MLK Week
Every year, Susquehanna celebrates the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events that bring together the university and local community through learning, service and faith. MLK Week begins with Winter Convocation, which officially marks the start of the spring semester, and includes presentation sessions, service projects and an interfaith service.
Winter Convocation is our premier event honoring Dr. King, and a guest speaker ties the legacy of the civil rights movement to current events. Past speakers and performers have included co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, LaTosha Brown, actor Bryan Terrell Clark, professional football player Michael Sam, journalist and human rights activist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, civil rights activist and author Mary Frances Berry and others.
From Civil Rights to Digital Rights: How Black Technologists Are Shaping the Future of AI
Erin Reddick
Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, 7 p.m.
Degenstein Center Theater
As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the way we live, work and interact, the question of who controls and develops these technologies has never been more important. This keynote will explore the parallels between historic civil rights struggles and today’s fight for digital equity, emphasizing the importance of Black representation in addressing algorithmic bias and preventing the reinforcement of systemic inequalities.
Artificial intelligence cultural technologist Erin Reddick is founder and CEO of ChatBlackGPT, a culturally inclusive platform providing perspectives from the Black and African American communities. With a career encompassing significant roles at major tech companies, including Meta, Microsoft and AWS, Reddick’s journey in tech — marked by her identity as a Black woman — led her to become a certified ChatGPT expert and prompt engineer with the goal of addressing the racial biases she found present in AI.
