A small evening reflection about Sidewalk Labs and the Sidewalk Toronto Project!

First of all, the resistance to this project was lead by so many folks and organizations. Who asked important questions, pushed back and wanted more. This project wasn’t just about technology.

I know I keep saying that but truly it was a bigger problem and always was. It was about governance, transparency and to be completely frank who gets to imagine what cities can look like moving forward.

The rhetoric of inevitability constantly loomed over and that was upsetting on many fronts we have seen these types of collaborations before and to be completely frank I don’t think it works! There was something almost ahistorical about how this project was talked about

Thankfully there will be a bunch of PhD dissertations highlighting those issues so just wait for them! I know that this cancellation isn’t fully tied to the resistance, because at the end of the day this was all about money no matter what you tell me.

What this project showed was the gaps within our governments, the lack of imagination and hope from many progressives and truly how desperate folks were for something new.

Thankfully this project also showed how cities could respond better, and the political will of politicians asking tough questions!! Toronto responded and tried its best in many ways. Other cities saw what was happening and also shifted.

This project also showed how many wonderful folks were trying to build a better city that includes Sidewalk Labs staff many who really wanted something great and I will not fault them for that.

In the midst of this pandemic, we are being shown that the status quo is not viable. People are dying and our cities are still ill equipped to take care of the most vulnerable.

The rhetoric around technology and technology companies saving us from this shit hole will only increase as austerity measures become real. The fight will continue to build a city that is just. A city that is equitable.

I will have absolutely no room for anyone willing to maintain the status quo and that is what Sidewalk Toronto presented and that’s why many of us didn’t see ourselves in this utopian corporate future that cosplayed as community.

I think it was Mariame Kaba who talked about how your lack of imagination about what’s possible is beyond me and I truly feel that. I do think we gotta start listening to the alternatives to this capitalistic structure. Because we are dying y’all.

All this to say I am no expert. I was raised in Scarborough, I used to work at Yorkdale mall and take all three modes of TTC to get there. I got my student debt and many more books to read. I want to continue to hope for something better in our city.

Could I have written in this in a blog post sure? Does any of this makes sense idk but may we see this win and may we continue to fight

OMG A TYPO IN THE FIRST TWEET I HATE IT HERE