Date/Time: Friday, April 24th, 11am-12:30pm EDT
Panelists: Joan Kinyua, Founding President of the Data Labelers Association & Ephantus Kanyugi, Data Worker and Programs Lead at the Data Labelers Association
Moderator: Dr. Meredith D. Clark
Joan Kinyua is a digital labor organizer, AI justice advocate, and founding President of the Data Labelers Association (DLA). A former data labeler with nearly a decade of experience across the AI supply chain, from chat moderation and dataset annotation to complex 3D and pixel-level labeling, she brings lived insight into the invisible human labor powering artificial intelligence. Having experienced precarious contracts, opaque performance systems, and the psychological toll of digital piecework, Joan now organizes workers, engages policymakers, and collaborates with researchers to advance ethical AI rooted in labor rights, transparency, and dignity. Through the DLA, she has championed worker-led initiatives such as a Model Contract and a Voluntary Code of Conduct to protect AI data workers.
Ephantus Kanyugi is a data worker and Programs Lead at the Data Labelers Association. Since 2018, he has worked inside the hidden human labor that teaches machines how to see, interpret, and decide, translating complex realities into structured data that powers artificial intelligence systems worldwide. His work grows from that lived experience, shaped by the discipline, emotional weight, and quiet expertise of data workers. Today, he focuses on creating space for visibility, dignity, and historical recognition for African workers whose contributions sustain the digital age yet often go unacknowledged.