By: Eden Chipperfield, News Writer
In October 2022, a partnership was struck between the Centre for Digital Media (CDM) and Ethọ́s Lab. The goal of the collaboration is to “increase the representation of Black youth and girls in extended reality (XR)-based digital futures.” They’re working toward this goal by developing an XR Media Lab program. The partnership is backed and supported by Unity Special Impact and Meta Immerservice Learning, who provided the Higher Ed XR Innovation Grant. They hope to reach over 300 marginalized young individuals and connect with over 190 secondary school instructors over the next five years.
XR is a type of media that “combines the physical world with digital experiences.” Examples of XR include filters used on Snapchat and the 2016 hit Pokémon Go. XR is an interactive environment that users can experience in real-time.
The CDM is an organization founded through collaborations between SFU, University of British Columbia, British Columbia’s Institute of Technology, and Emily Carr University. CDM’s vision is to “create world-leading digital media programming that focuses on society’s most important challenges,” including the underrepresentation of Black youth in digital media.
Ethọ́s Lab’s mission is to further invest and indulge in representation, particularly in young individuals, to address cultural problems and improve inequalities through programming in classes, including “workshops, interactive events, mentorship, internships, and field trips.”
The Peak connected with CDM, who provided a statement regarding the partnership with Ethọ́s Lab, to see how the collaboration will impact today’s youth to create a more equitable future in digital media. The company reports that since the program’s beginning in 2022, the partnership has already reached over “200+ underrepresented youth and 150+ high school educators,” well within their goal of five years.
Ethọ́s Lab’s mission is to improve the representation of the Black community by connecting youth with programs and skills in a variety of fields. They hope this will change cultural landscapes in areas like “science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fields.” The lab described the Ethọ́s Lab Blackathon, which encouraged Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC) and women-identifying students to attend. In the case of the most recent Blackathon, Ethọ́s Lab challenged students to create a solution to package theft. The purpose of the Blackathon is to encourage those participating to find innovative designs and solutions and highlight Black designs and ideas.
“By leveraging the infrastructure, people, and knowledge at CDM, we will be able to develop and deliver XR curriculum that has scale and build capacity for underrepresented youth,” says Anthonia Ogundele, founder and executive director at Ethọ́s Lab.
The partnership has already received positive feedback from the community. A parent noted, “Not only did [my child] learn new STEAM skills, but she grew in confidence immeasurably. [She] saw herself represented and welcomed as she immersed herself in the warm, diverse community. She has been inspired to truly dream big by the Black excellence she witnessed. I feel emotional thinking about what Ethọ́s Lab has done for my child.”
