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This week in NYC’s #CivicTech Week 3 of 2026 Dr. King on “Public Interest Technology” Thank you CM Gutiérrez! NJ AI + Designing for Care + Crypto Mayor Crashes Tool preview: Privacy focused LLMs Event alert: Fri, Jan 30, PIT, Power, & Community Boards!!

This week in NYC’s #CivicTech – January 16, 2026

Noel Hidalgo

“Yet, in spite of these spectacular strides in science and technology… something basic is missing. There is a sort of poverty of the spirit which stands in glaring contrast to our scientific and technological abundance… We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nobel Prize Lecture, 1964

Today, we still stand amidst breathtaking innovation, yet we struggle to harness it to dismantle racial injustice, poverty, and war.

As public interest technologists—and those of us working in responsible tech, service design, and “data for good”—we must heed Dr. King’s words. We must root ourselves in our communities and find the path to living together.

This week, a member of our Slack community shared the Honorable John Lewis’s speech at Cooper Union. In it, he reflects on the “marathon” of our work. Regardless of the privilege we carry, we are all called to run the race toward justice and liberty. We are called to build a “Beloved Community.”

The connective tissue of that community is love—love for one’s neighbor and love for one’s self.

Given the weight of current events, do not feel ashamed to take a moment for yourself. We must hold onto hope however we can. If you need to recharge this weekend, do so. If you have the capacity to care for others, that is a gift. We can only sustain each other if we have sustained ourselves. 

At this moment, the most vital “solution” we can offer is love.

Embrace love. Practice love. Spread love!

As we did last January, we encourage you to anchor yourself in your local neighborhood and use your skills to support your neighbors. January is the time to apply to your NYC Community Board. These boards are the hyper-local venues where neighborhood issues are solved, and they desperately need new faces with civic tech skills.

Current Application Status:

In closing, we have two community salutations:

First, congratulations to the Data Through Design 2026 Artists! You can learn about their work on the DXD Instagram. We look forward to celebrating your creativity during NYC Open Data Week.

Second, we offer immense thanks to Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez. As the former City Council Technology Committee Chair, CM Gutiérrez embodied Dr. King’s vision of linking abundance with equity. Her four years of committed legislative leadership set a high bar for the path forward. We wish her the best and look forward to continuing our work with her as a member of the Technology Committee.

“…we face a world crisis which leaves us standing so often amid the surging murmur of life’s restless sea. But every crisis has both its dangers and its opportunities… In a dark confused world the kingdom of God may yet reign in the hearts of men.” — Dr. King’s conclusion.

Palante!

Noel Hidalgo, Executive Director

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What’s New at BetaNYC? 🚀

2025 was a big year for Mapping for Equity! The best part of Mapping for Equity isn’t just the map, it’s the people. We loved seeing folks show up, learn together, and come back for more sessions. We captured the highlights (and gratitude!) in our 2025 recap. 

Upcoming Events with BetaNYC 🎊

This Week’s Media Watchlist 🎥

Toolkit Spotlight 🛠️

Moxie’s New Mission: Signal creator Moxie Marlinspike is launching privacy-focused LLMs to do for AI what he did for messaging. See also: Lumo, and Venice.

Civic Innovation & Data 🤖

The Surveillance State 🧐

  • The Pension Windfall: Disclosures show NYC pension funds saw significant gains from shares in Palantir, a firm deeply linked to ICE.
  • MTA x AI: The MTA is exploring AI tools to monitor thousands of transit cameras.
  • Quadrupling Down: The city plans to reach 600 intersections with red light cameras by year’s end—adding 50 a week for the next month.
  • Retail Eyes: It’s not just Wegmans; more NYC retailers are using facial recognition as technology outpaces current legislation.

Community Protection 🔐

Jobs Alert and Announcements 💼 

Upcoming Events 📅

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Be excellent to each other, and have a great weekend!