As the end of 2021 approaches, Community Tech NY (CTNY) is reflecting on our growth over the last year and would like to take a moment to highlight some changes. In the last seven months, we’ve undergone core staff changes, including three new additions to our team and a transition in our leadership structure. In April, CTNY announced Monique Tate as Director of Partnerships and Engagement. Monique is the organization’s co-director with Raul Enriquez and Houman Saberi. Former co-director Greta Byrum stepped down to lead The Social Science Research Council’s Just Tech Program as Co-Director. Kathy Fall and Anh Le joined the CTNY team in their roles as Project Manager and Program Associate, respectively.
In October 2021, Greta Byrum stepped down as Co-Director of CTNY. The CTNY team wishes to thank Greta for her leadership over the years and for her enduring vision for digital justice. Greta has been instrumental in building CTNY’s projects, networks, and pedagogy, and we are grateful to be her colleagues and collaborators.
Greta will continue to work in the digital justice space as Co-Director for Just Tech at The Social Science Research Council. Just Tech is currently seeking applicants for the inaugural cohort of its Fellowship program.
CTNY warmly welcomes our new staff and would like to formally introduce them to our partners and the broader community. Read on to learn more about Monique, Kathy, and Anh:
Monique Tate (she/her)
Co-Director
Monique Tate is responsible for developing and maintaining new and existing partnerships. She is working to achieve long-term goals, program objectives, and ensure that CTNY partnerships are healthy and collaborative. To her, collaboration means input from the community. “Greta [Byrum] calls me a unicorn because I have the uncommon combination of skills gained from participating in community organizing and community activism for 30 years and also having embraced the tech from knowing zero to building and managing an internet network. So I show the possibility of what it can be to get involved. Non-traditional technologist. I appreciate the combination of what technology, a principled approach, and a community-centric pedagogy can do for communities. We adapt the technology to the community, not the community having to fit to the technology.”
Her vision as a leader is to expand the exposure of what digital justice can be in every community: “Digital justice is an opportunity to use technology for community advancement. There are so many communities of Black and Brown people that need the opportunity for this. We can do this from a national perspective and perhaps internationally.”
Kathy Fall (she/her)
Digital Equity Project Manager
Kathy Fall has over 3 decades of professional experience. She is a multi-industry Engineer, Project/Program Manager, Coach and Educator with the ability to wed creativity and intuition to analysis and strategy.
Kathy brings her breadth of experience to build on and solidify CTNY’s programs and core structure: “The tenets of Digital Equity and Digital Justice are at the core of my own career of bringing disenfranchised people of color and (gender-identified) women to STEM fields. I have participated in community organizing and outreach around teaching STEM topics and making the concepts engaging and accessible to both adults and students. I’m energized to bring my expertise in strategic and program management to strengthening and sustaining CTNY. I look forward to bringing my unique and layered skill sets as an instrument in CTNY’s growth and expansion in bringing Digital access as a critical right to even more underserved communities and identities. The Future is NOW!”
Anh Lê (they/them)
Program Associate
Anh Lê is a digital designer based in NYC. They have experience in communications and digital organizing to support QTPOC movement work.
At CTNY, Anh is excited to build community networks both digitally and AFK. “I’ve actually been a community tech stan for a little while now, and I’m thrilled to be able to plug directly into the work at CTNY. Through communications and design, I see so many opportunities for us to grow a digital justice movement and support community members in their fight for access and ownership. I’m dreaming of a near future where our partners, Digital Stewards, and community members all have the tools they need in order to advocate for themselves and drive how technology is integrated into our lives.”
CTNY is honored to work with all of you. We look forward to building the next chapters of CTNY together and invite our community to welcome Monique, Kathy, and Anh as well!
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