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The Forum
species between worlds forum
Between Worlds
The A Species Between Worlds Forum combines thought-provoking artwork with an inspiring program that brings together a unique group of high profile speakers and leaders from the fields of art, academia, technology, and business to explore the nexus of new technology and human behavior through a multidisciplinary lens. Together, we explore our relationship with technology through interactive panels, deep-dive conversations, youth town halls, partner events, performances, and more.
Schedule NY'22

Four Pillars

Themes of the forum are divided into four main pillars. Spread throughout the month of programming, each theme addresses the role of technology with regard to specific areas of our lives.

Power
& Influence

Across the globe, access to everything has never been more democratized. Yet, we’re also in an era of creeping authoritarian control and staggering inequality — financial, political, environmental, commercial and more. Meanwhile, access to technology comes paired with the promise of equality, of DIY success, of limitless potential to link, build, and thrive. So then, why do so many of us feel powerless over our devices? What are ways in which we can reverse that dynamic? How can we wield the tools and influence of technology for good?

Health
& Wellbeing

The technological takeover is often framed through the lens of vice and temptation. But for most of us, technology is both essential to survival and inescapable. While the ease and access to services that technology has provided can be beneficial, it also has the potential to be wildly destructive for mental and physical health as well as broader social bonds. How do we recalibrate our relationship with technology to prioritize our mental health and overall wellbeing? Can we find peace within ourselves and with others?

Nature 
& Environments

Nature and technology often seem to be fundamentally opposed. For our survival, we must inhabit our real and virtual spaces in ways that reflect our best principles of sanctity, sustainability, and empathy. How can preservation and conservation be prioritized in a world of finite resources? How can we enhance physical and digital environments through a framework of balance?

Community
& Culture

Culture now exists at our fingertips, can be created and self-published for free, and is instantly distributed to the masses. In some ways, this is one of the greatest times to both consume and create content because we have access to more authentic, younger, and diverse perspectives than ever before. On the other hand, the platforms that foster this are designed to demand attention and prioritize commerce. Has the democratization of creation actually democratized content? How can new voices emerge when spaces are so saturated? And how can we rediscover what it means to be in community with one another?

The Landscape

Humans are a species between worlds. We’re in the midst of changing physical spaces and expanding digital ones. We’re in a technological transition between attachment and autonomy. Smartphones, designed to be our tools, have become our reality — and with every swipe, tap, and pinch, our humanity is being exported, piece by piece, to the cloud.

The pull of technology has turned into a tether, binding us to our devices and taking us away from the vibrant colors of our nature. But humanity and technology don’t have to be in conflict. Technology has presented us with our greatest opportunities, produced social and cultural innovations, facilitated advances in all sectors, and improved the lives of billions of people. However, if it’s no longer a relationship, if it becomes a dependency, then we’ve lost power to one of our greatest assets.

We know balance and reclaiming our autonomy is possible. So what does that look like? How do we create communities and environments where we can reestablish our power over technology?

The Invitation

We seek to engage the community — from creatives, digital natives, futurists, young people, families, and other diverse thinkers — who want to understand how technology is reshaping our lives, our environments, and our world.
Schedule NY'22
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