About Me — Adri M.
I once was a different person living in a different world.
An expatriate from the ancestral land of the Huetar people 1 2 3 4. Descendant of the few who survived and the colonizers who enslaved them, murdered them and stole their land, their culture and their name 5 6 7 8.
A transgender person who became an uninvited guest to people they never knew in a foreign and also stolen land 9 10, moving away from a culture that is hostile towards them 11 12 13 14.
A feminist, atheist, leftist and activist who has had a long and eventful life 15 16 17. A life that has made them question their own privilege, their politics, gender, identity and their active roles in society 18 19.
A journalist, artist and computer scientist who knows algorithms are no more than biased opinions turned into code.
Video by the author.
As a refugee, activist, and member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, I value resilience and advocacy, and I have a strong commitment to creating inclusive spaces and communities. My experiences, both having to live as a man in a transphobic and misogynistic society, as well as being able to find foreign asylum and finally being open to express myself without fear of persecution, have shaped my worldview and fuelled my aspirations. I have seen first-hand the dire need, not only for knowledge, but also for translating that knowledge into action and preserving it to fight against oppression and ignorance.
My activism has been a learning process. I have volunteered for refugee organizations, performing roles such as outreach, translator, and community interpreter between members, attorneys and doctors. Over time, my practice has evolved into leading initiatives aimed at creating systemic change: I have co-facilitated trans/nonbinary/gender diverse peer support groups where dozens of individuals have been able to find support, validation and a kind ear; I have co-produced queer-focused podcasts; and I have been part of the organization of major local events such as trans-rights marches, rallies and vigils.
Having worked as an artist, journalist and computer scientist, I have also had the opportunity to experience first-hand many human dimensions: from supporting oppressed people fighting for a place to live against global corporations, to sharing space with those privileged individuals who can’t and won’t see beyond their noses, to fighting hand-in-hand with fellow queer people for their right to exist.
The intersectionality of my identities and areas of development has powered my passion for understanding complex societal issues, particularly those affecting equity-seeking communities, and has allowed me to have a wide range of means to communicate and preserve that knowledge. I am particularly excited to engage with decolonization, gender, grassroots activism and their intersections with technology as tools to improve learning and knowledge accessibility.
My life’s goal is to combine my knowledge of technology with my activism and create frameworks for building real subversive space platforms, positioned as such since their inception. Breaking out of the linearity and imposition of scrolling, going beyond algorithms that rarely take anything into account besides enriching their creators. Spaces where people are treated as more than data elements, where gender, identity, race are based on narratives and not on checks on a list of predefined values. Where knowledge is movement, not static data; something in constant change and holistically connected. Where not knowing how to code is not a barrier, and where people can express through whatever means they have, be it art, video, audio, artivism, etc.
I am eager to deepen my expertise and collaborate with others who share my vision for a more equitable world. Together, I believe we can create meaningful change that transcends borders, identities, and barriers.
— “We all struggle to survive and get hold of anything we can. My life’s goal is to build resources and spaces that do not harm us when we do.”
