Department of Communication Associate Professor and Black Communication and Technology (BCaT) Lab Director Catherine Knight Steele has been awarded a 2024-26 Just Tech Fellowship from the Social Science Research Council to address the expansion of automation, machine learning and AI in education. Her work in “Automating Black Joy” reimagines the role of Black youth, culture and history in shaping our digital future. By viewing Black youth as leaders and emphasizing joy as a form of resistance, the project looks to create a collaborative educational model from high school to graduate school. It focuses on accessible research, both highlighting Black culture, history and resistance methods, and addressing critical questions about automating Black joy and its implications. By prioritizing Black cultural production and digital technology, the project seeks to integrate social justice into AI development, ensuring a more inclusive and equitable future.