Distributed Web of Care

Announcing Call for Deaf or Disabled Stewards

Update May 2019: Applications for this particular call are no longer open, however if you are interested in collaborating with the project please reach out.

Distributed Web of Care (DWC) is a collaboration between artists, writers and engineers to imagine a more equitable, caring internet for the future. The project is initiated by Taeyoon Choi, who has been working with disability community and artists to criticially challenge the notions of accessibility and inclusion. Read his article Artificial Advancement and Shannon Finnegan’s article Accessibility Dreams.

In February - March 2019, we are looking for stewards who identify as a Deaf or disabled person. We are planning a large scale participatory performance art in the end of March. The event will have ASL interpretation and audio description. We would like to work with stewards who identify as a Deaf or Disabled person to create an inclusive and welcoming experience for the disability community.

A large group of people holding strings

Decentralized Web Summit, The Internet Archive/San Fransisco Mint, 2018

Group of people holding strings in a theater

M+ Matters: Art and Design in the Digital Realm, M+/Tai Kwun, Hong Kong, 2018

Refiguring the Future, Eyebeam/REFRESH, Knockdown Center, 2019

From February to March 2019, we are planning a large scale participatory performance art in the end of March. The event will be wheelchair accessible, and will have ASL interpretation and audio description. We would like to work with stewards who identify as a Deaf or disabled person to create an inclusive and welcoming experience for the disability community.

Stewards are guest collaborators who contribute to DWC initiatives with their domain expertise. Stewards are invited to rehearsals for DWC events and contribute to building the piece as well as code of conduct. In this volunteer role, stewards will collaborate with fellow artists, engineers, organizers, staff and with Taeyoon Choi directly.

DWC is a movement activity which involves strings and other props, sound and visuals, which requires assistance of stewards to help other participants in the movement activity stay safe. We are asking for stewards to join a rehearsal and the final performance to help the choreographer and other stewards make space for people who identify as disabled to feel welcome, secure and comfortable.

In our efforts to imagine the future of the internet, we hope to create an inclusive and equitable experience for everyone, however, we understand the impossibility of this as there may be conflict of access needs. In order to be prepared for all contingencies, we are inviting the disability community to be a part of planning and execution of the project. We also hope to avoid creating an unintentionally exclusive experience, therefore stewards mentorship and guidance will help us create a better experience for everyone attending the event.

The rehearsal dates are March 3, 2-5 PM and March 25, 2-5 PM, 2019 in wheelchair accesible locations in Manhattan, NYC.

Apply or email studio@taeyoonchoi.com

Equal opportunity: Distributed Web of Care is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy.

group photo

Distributed Web of Care is an initiative to code to care and code carefully.

The project imagines the future of the internet and consider what care means for a technologically-oriented future. The project focuses on personhood in relation to accessibility, identity, and the environment, with the intention of creating a distributed future that’s built with trust and care, where diverse communities are prioritized and supported.

The project is composed of collaborations, educational resources, skillshares, an editorial platform, and performance. Announcements and documentation are hosted on this site, as well as essays by select artists, technologists, and activists.

Distributed on Dat and GitHub.