AI Ethics Finds a Home in Workforce Development

In September 2024, I was invited by my colleague, the founder of Kansas City AI Club, Chris Kovak, to be on a panel he was moderating for this new (to Kansas City) organization, i.c.stars. The event was called the “iOpener Innovation Conference: The Social Impact of AI: The Bias, Fairness and More.”

This event seemed very similar to other events I had been invited to speak at, mainly because every organization that was leveraging AI in any capacity wanted to make sure they had equity as a foundation and ethics embedded in their practices. All the panelists had different perspectives and experiences – with about half of the panel being excited about the future of AI across the workforce and the other half concerned – especially given that we had a big election on the horizon. You can guess where I sat in that equation.

Safe Space for Diversity

The morning of the panel came and as I sat and listened to the opening remarks, I immediately knew that i.c.stars was prepared and willing to shake up what Kansas City thought of its tech workforce. The tech workforce in Kansas City was about to be disrupted, and i.c.stars was willing to show the industry that they must make space for diverse talent to enter the pipeline and be successful.

As I made my way through the tables and up to my middle chair of the panel, I looked out and I saw that diversity. To be honest, there were more people of color than I had seen in totality at the events I had spoken at in the previous year. I knew then that this organization was already creating a safe space for diversity to flourish across the tech workforce, instead of being a result of policy requirements.

I finally felt like when I talked about ethics in AI, I was no longer speaking to people that were oddly forced to be curious about the topic, but I was now able to fuel a room full of people already charged by inequities and harmful systems. I immediately felt like the things I had advocated for were no longer mine to carry, and that there might be a space in tech that could take AI Ethics from concept to practice.

A Ticket to Hope

I left that panel feeling inspired and hungry for more opportunities to interact with i.c.stars so I started finding more ways to build a partnership. Shortly after, I attended one of their High Tea events and saw firsthand the high level of professionalism of their interns and residents.

When 2024 came to a close and I found myself still excited for the programs that i.c.stars | Kansas City was going to create in 2025, I also felt so much uncertainty with the upcoming changes in the White House. I never expected that our social systems as we knew them in 2024 would be a thing of the past. The recommendations for ethical AI, the diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice policies, the practices that promote belonging – would all be deprioritized and defunded in just a matter of months. So much work, so much connection, so much community building – somehow left to be picked up in tomorrow’s dumpster.

I felt defeated, and still often do. As a social scientist, I have somehow found a comfort in rejection though, and somehow along the way those moments remind me that there is more to do, and I still have the opportunity to create something. So I bought a ticket to another i.c.stars event, “Hack the Dream KC” in March.

As a society, we were in the middle of removing contract workers from federal agencies, stripping funding from science, and attempting to take freedoms from communities that had worked so hard to fight for them. This was on top of finding ourselves in the midst of conflicts in other countries, school shootings, and somehow a giant push to be a global leader in AI – a quest we are still on today. It was the perfect time to be in a room full of people who still believed in equity and were willing to fight for it. The whole morning was full of a hopeful energy that was palpable, and I left wanting to put it in a jar so I could open it on my hardest days.

Partnership to Build Ethical AI Capacity

So after that event in March I just kept finding ways for the Center to partner with i.c.stars and that same month I pitched an idea for us to create something together and ask the Kauffman Foundation to fund it. As we waited for the results of that grant application, I wrote a piece in May for their website to shine a light on the role of technology in mental and emotional wellness, to observe Mental Health Awareness Month. This summer both organizations were thrilled to be awarded the Kauffman Foundation grant to support the Ethical AI Capacity Building and Residency Support program for i.c.stars Kansas City staff and participants.

As a community practitioner who has managed, directed, and created programs in the community, it often feels challenging to find community partners who align with your mission. The nonprofit community is filled with organizations, that often seem like they run parallel to each other and are inevitably hoping to find a slice of a funding pie that too many organizations are trying to share.

It sometimes feels daunting to find partnership, but for those of you who feel challenged by the prospect of connecting to other community organizations, I encourage you to listen out for those organizations that are making good trouble and promote belonging. We need those organizations more than ever at this moment in our humanity. I feel lucky to have met i.c.stars, and I am excited for what we will create together. The tech workforce will shift in Kansas City, and we will be better for it.

By Lindsey Jarrett, PhD