Fellow Profile: Ashley Southerland

| MSNY Staff

Ashley SoutherlandWhere are you from? I grew up all over the Bronx but I most identify with my time living in the South Bronx and Harlem. That’s where I have my deepest community ties.

Where/what did you study? When did you graduate? I graduated this past May with a degree in Environmental Studies from the College of New Rochelle School of Arts & Sciences. I really appreciated the way they catered to my academic interests, specifically environmental issues in urban regions.

How did you get involved with the Microsoft Civic Tech Team? I worked closely with Majora Carter of the Majora Carter Group as the local business development associate. This was a project to improve foot traffic of the Hunts Point area in the South Bronx, enhance the aesthetic of the neighborhood with community art projects, and ultimately revitalize the local economy. This was back in 2011 and Majora has been a wonderful mentor to me since. This past year, knowing I was about to graduate, she forwarded the opportunity to pursue this fellowship. I was excited about the program so she recommended me to John.

How did you get involved in tech in general? This fellowship has been my gateway into technology. I couldn’t think of a better way to apply my passion for improving the quality of human life. I’ve been able to draw on the skills and knowledge of our diverse team to find new ways to address environmental challenges in our cities using technology.

What projects are you working on as part of the team? I spent the majority of my fellowship working on Tech Jobs Academy (TJA). TJA is a public-private partnership between Tech Talent Pipeline, CUNY City Tech, and Microsoft designed to give un- and underemployed New York City residents skills and training in IT services. I enjoy being the liaison between the public and private stakeholders and working with diverse perspectives to make this project a success.

What’s your favorite Microsoft technology? I really like Skype Translator. It’s making information accessible to people who previously wouldn’t have access. The best way to improve a community is to make information accessible so I’m excited to see how Skype Translator can help address that.

What issues are you most passionate about? I’m most passionate about bringing opportunities to disenfranchised communities. Where we live is essential in shaping how we view the world around us and is largely tied to our socio-economic status. I’m deeply invested in providing the resources to bridge the divide between those who have easy access to opportunity and those for whom opportunity has long been a struggle to obtain.

What is your “Mad-Scientist” idea? My mad-scientist idea is not that mad when you think about it. The Green Way Plan, published in 1993, is a network of bike paths, parks, and waterfront restoration projects to diversify the way New Yorkers travel around their city. Why not incorporate technology so that you can see the story of the neighborhoods you travel through? It would revolutionize the way tourists and residents alike experience New York City.

What would you like to do next? I’d like to explore the application of technology in urban design with a focus on facilitating non-traditional public place making. I want to partner with non-profits, developers, and city planners who focus on environmental sustainability and public health and reform our environment ethic in New York City. I think there is so much more we should be considering and I want to be a part of that conversation.

Without using your name, what key words would someone use to find you on Bing? Urban revitalization, passionate, “Started from the bottom”

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