I am an intern at OpenUp, carrying out market research and data analysis for both the Evictions Project and the Africa Data Hub project, also partnering with the research team at Open Cities Lab.
The growing awareness of the intersection of social justice and technology highlights the vast discrepancies for various socioeconomic groups in their access to adequate care and support, especially given the recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a student passionate about empowering others to learn how to use data and tools to develop their own independence, my internship at OpenUp increased my awareness of the importance of cultural context and government participation when understanding issues relating to homelessness and the reporting of COVID-19. OpenUp’s approach of always putting the citizens and users at the center of the solution and conversation enabled me to further refine my own approach to problem solving, and ultimately gave me valuable insights into the culture of working for a civic tech organization.
