We, Elisa, Julia and Ouassima, are thrilled that Nushin Yazdani is joining our team as project manager for Superrr Lab. We can't wait to kick-off some great projects with her. We've asked her a couple of questions so we can all get to know her better!

SUPERRR: A good way to get to know someone is via their side projects and hobbies. What are some of your current side projects, Nushin?

Nushin: I am a transformation designer, artist, and educator. Next to my exciting new job at SUPERRR ;) I'm also a member of the Design Justice Network, which is all about just and decolonial design approaches, and the queer feminist collective dgtl fmnsm. With dgtl fmnsm I curate and organize community events at the intersection of technology, art, and design.

My current personal research focuses on the effects of machine learning systems on society. My work illustrates how discriminatory structures in society are reproduced and reinforced by algorithmic decision-making systems. I develop speculative art and media projects with and about machine learning and justice, educational materials and explanatory videos for students, as well as workshop kits. Here and here are some examples of my work.

With my collaborators Buse Çetin, Meera Ghani, Iyo Bisseck, and Sarah Diedro I'm currently working on a digital think-tank and a collaborative platform on AI & society which will be called Dreaming Beyond AI. Dreaming Beyond AI will be a space for critical and constructive knowledge, visionary fiction & speculative art, and community organizing.

SUPERRR: With Superrr Lab we are thinking a lot about the future(s). What is an object/or application that does not yet exist – but something that you would like to have at your disposal in a preferable digital future? Something you would use every day and cannot imagine living without?

Nushin: Hahaha since Ouassima has already mentioned a device to learn and speak different languages, I can add that I would love to learn how to speak to animals and nature. I bet they have quite some interesting insights for us since they have been on this planet way longer and managed not to wreck it ...

SUPERRR: What's your biggest energy sucker these days?

Nushin: For me personally (but I think I share this with many others), endless digital meetings have left me very exhausted. I draw a lot of strength from being around people. Digital meetings make me miss my spontaneity and flow. It sounds like a very privileged problem, but generally, I guess COVID has expanded loneliness and loss in society a lot, while policymaking and the public discourse have been focussing on the economic needs of companies, and on keeping people working.

SUPERRR: What is a small humble change you would like to see in the world? How can we work towards it?

Nushin: It wouldn't be a small humble change but huge – I wish people (including me) would learn better how to navigate and communicate their emotions and needs. I think this would make such a big difference in how we all live together respectfully and feel heard and seen, and hear and see others.

SUPERRR: What communities are you part of?

Nushin: I feel at home in feminist and BIPOC activist bubbles in Berlin, and I'm also part of design and tech networks.

SUPERRR: Things we should all read/know about! Please share three of your favorite projects, texts, links, inspirations with us:

Nushin:

• Visionary fiction by authors like Octavia Butler and Marge Piercy – I especially loved the novels Woman on the Edge of Time by Piercy, as well as the Parables by Butler. Dystopian science fiction has influenced the Global North societies (and especially our dystopian tech giants and some governments), and we always and urgently need to read societal visions that depict other ways of relating and living together. I love visionary fiction because it is much more accessible than theoretical academic texts (which of course also have their necessity) and they create mental images to discuss, share, and live by. I would love to get to know more visionary fiction from the Global South – if you have any recommendations, please let me know!

• The Nap Ministry on Instagram: An amazing account by Tricia Hersey that advocates for rest as a form of reparation as well as resistance against neoliberal, racist, and sexist oppression and exploitation.

• The Design Justice Network Principles. They guide my work processes.

SUPERRR: Last but not least, what's your favourite Meme?

Nushin: My meme folder feels like several terabytes big – I can always supply you with some great memes, thanks to all those awesome meme creators (Thsnks!). Just picking one is so hard! Here are two.

SUPERRR: Thank you so much Nushin and once again: Welcome on board!