Our Race & Energy series recently featured author and NYU professor Dr. Charlton McIlwain. Dr. McIlwain joined Pecan Street’s CEO Suzanne Russo for a conversation about his new book, Black Software: The Internet and Racial Justice, from the Afronet to Black Lives Matter. In Black Software, Dr. McIlwain explores the role and lasting impact that Black people have played in shaping the internet, and the role of the internet in shaping the racial justice movement. Russo and Dr. McIlwain discussed how the energy sector can promote racial justice by preventing racial bias in AI tools, on digital platforms, and in online data collection.

Dr. McIlwain is the Vice Provost for Faculty Engagement and Development, and Professor of Media, Culture, and Communications at NYU.