Archewell Foundation partners with NAACP to announce this year’s winner of their Digital Civil Rights Award

Prince Harry and Megan’s Archewell Foundation has announced the new winner of an annual award meant for figures who have overcome racist and sexist biases in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). 

Each year, the winner of The NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award is awarded $100,000  to advance their work in civil and human rights.

This year, the Sussexes revealed in a video shared on the Archewell website that the winner was Ghanaian-American- computer scientist Joy Buolamwini, for ‘research to overcome racist and sexist biases in artificial intelligence,’ as Markle puts it in the clip. 

Dr Buolamwini, 35, is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, a digital advocacy non-profit that ‘unmasks’ the harms and biases of AI toward women and people of color.

Boasting two masters degrees from Oxford and MIT, she recently wrote ‘the rising frontier for civil rights require algorithmic justice’ – a claim the couple Thursday said they ‘could not agree [with] more.’

Prince Harry and Megan’s Archewell Foundation on Thursday named Ghanaian-American- computer scientist Joy Buolamwini (right) as this year’s winner of the annual award intended for figures who have overcome racist and sexist biases in the field of artificial intelligence (AI)

Dr Buolamwini, 35, is the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, a digital advocacy non-profit that ‘unmasks’ the harms and biases of AI toward women and people of color

‘Every year, we come across the most incredible leaders in tech, and face a difficult choice of picking just one winner for the NAACP Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award,’ the actress’-turned-duchess says in the clip, joined by her husband.

‘And this winner is, Dr. Joy Buolamwini.’

The video then pivots to Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, personally delivering the news to the renowned speaker, whose writing has been featured in publications such as Time, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and The Atlantic. 

‘You won!’ Meghan tells her in the snippet, congratulating her with a warm hug. 

Prince Harry – who recently battled back claims he illegally entered the country due to taking illegal drugs – then also warmly embraces Buolamwini, who appears beside herself after running into the Royals.

‘Y’all got me good,’ she admits in the video, which includes a disembodied voice that outlines some of her accomplishments, and an explanation of the Archewell Foundation’s mission from Meghan, after it was founded by her and her husband in 2020.

‘This an organization leading the way to overcome racist and sexist biases in AI systems, especially when it shows up in policing, education, and in healthcare,’ the Duchess explains. 

‘She recently wrote that ‘the rising frontier for civil rights require algorithmic justice’ – and we could not agree more.’

‘Every year, we come across the most incredible leaders in tech, and face a difficult choice of picking just one winner for the NAACP Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award,’ the actress’-turned-duchess says in the clip, joined by her husband

The video then pivots to Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, personally delivering the news to the renowned speaker, whose writing has been featured in publications such as Time, The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and The Atlantic

You won!’ Meghan tells her in the snippet, congratulating her with a warm hug

Prince Harry – who recently battled back claims he illegally entered the country due to taking illegal drugs – then also warmly embraces Buolamwini, who appears beside herself after running into the Royals.

‘Dr. Joy is an expert and an inspiration, and is so deserving of this award,’ Markle says at a point in the the clip

‘Dr. Joy is an expert and an inspiration, and is so deserving of this award.’

The recorded encounter looked to have taken place at the SXSW Conference in Austin Friday, where Meghan appeared on a panel called ‘Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen.’

The Suits alum appeared alongside stars like Katie Couric and Brooke Shields, and donned the same collared shirt and skirt seen in the clip.

Dr. Buolamwini, meanwhile, is seen holding a SXSW lanyard, as Meghan toted a copy of the AI expert’s book: Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines. 

Penned in the first-person, the 2023 tome recalls how when she was a grad student, she discovered that sine facial recognition couldn’t detect her dark skin.’

In it, Buolamwini writes, ‘The rising frontier for civil rights will require algorithmic justice. AI should be for the people and by the people, not just the privileged few.’

‘Since this discovery, she’s gone on to become one of the world’s most ‘inspiring, passionate, and impactful figures in AI today,’ the video claims – with the voiceover then adding: ‘…at a time where her expertise is needed so badly.

It further recounts how Dr. Buolamwini was troubled by how facial recognition software would only recognize her when she put on a white mask – a dynamic represented by the bestselling book’s cover. 

Meghan toted a copy of the AI expert’s book: Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What Is Human in a World of Machines during the surprise meetup, which appeared to take place the SXSW Conference in Austin Friday

Penned in the first-person, the 2023 tome recalls how when she was a grad student, she discovered that sine facial recognition couldn’t detect her dark skin.’ In it, Buolamwini writes, ‘The rising frontier for civil rights will require algorithmic justice. AI should be for the people and by the people, not just the privileged few’

It further recounts how Dr. Buolamwini was troubled by how facial recognition software would only recognize her when she put on a white mask – a dynamic represented by the bestselling book’s cover

The NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award, meanwhile, is ‘celebrates a new generation of leaders who are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology,’ the foundation’s site says

The group is part of the greater, Archewell Inc. – a Beverly Hills-based mix of for-profit and not-for-profit businesses registered in Delaware, oversaw by the Duke of Sussex and his wife 

Dr. Buolamwini went on to found the Algorithmic Justice League, before authoring her book examines the social implications of technology and discusses the movement to prevent AI harm.

The NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award, meanwhile, is ‘celebrates a new generation of leaders who are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology,’ the foundation’s site says.

The group is part of the greater, Archewell Inc. – a Beverly Hills-based mix of for-profit and not-for-profit businesses registered in Delaware, oversaw by the Duke of Sussex and his wife.

In a statement Thursday, Buolamwini gushed about receiving the distinction.

 ‘I am incredibly humbled and honored to join such an illustrious group of receipts for the Digital Civil Rights Award from the NAACP and The Archewell Foundation,” she wrote. 

‘With the rapid proliferation of AI, it is more crucial than ever to ensure that these algorithms acting as gatekeepers serve us all and do not impede on the civil rights of marginalized communities.

‘This award will help the Algorithmic Justice League continue our work to prevent AI harms, connect the excoded to resources and raise awareness about AI’s impact on society through our advocacy, art and research.’

To learn more about the award, visit NAACP.org.