Hello friends,
It’s been nearly two weeks since we wrapped up Open Data Week and School of Data, and we’re still reflecting on the vibrant energy, ideas, connections, and community care that filled the classrooms and Zoom rooms. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped shape the conversations with curiosity, care, and perspective. This community continues to inspire us!
We’re finding joy in the historic Artemis II mission!
Recently, we’ve been thinking about what it means to come together at scale. Right now, millions of people around the world are supporting the Artemis II mission. As we write this, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, are traveling farther from Earth than humans have gone in decades. This kind of coordinated effort doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built on trust, preparation, and a shared commitment to something bigger than any one person.
As Jeremy Hansen reflected during the mission:
“As we surpass the furthest distance humans have ever traveled from planet Earth, we do so in honoring the extraordinary efforts and feats of our predecessors in human space exploration. We will continue our journey even further into space before Mother Earth succeeds in pulling us back to everything that we hold dear. But we most importantly choose this moment to challenge this generation and the next to make sure this record is not long-lived.”
This Friday, April 10, Artemis II will return to Earth, and people around the world will tune in live on NASA’s YouTube page to watch the splashdown. It’s a powerful reminder that behind every visible milestone are thousands of people working quietly, collectively, and with care to make it possible.
Collective effort on Earth and beyond!
That reminder feels relevant to our work, too. Government, at its best, is a collective effort, designed to support and care for as many people as possible. The scale may be different, but the principle is the same.
If you’ve ever attended Open Data Week or School of Data, we’re collecting stories of how 10 years of civic engagement has changed our lives. If you have a story for us, please reply to this email.
Just as we saw during School of Data, meaningful work happens when people come together. If you want to revisit the conversations or catch sessions you may have missed, our mainstage recordings are on YouTube and continue to spark thoughtful dialogue. Looking to see us in-person? Tomorrow afternoon, we’ll be in Staten Island for our next Mapping for Equity event from 3-5pm.
Thank you for being part of this work!
In solidarity,
Gabrielle Langston, with support from Noel Hidalgo 😉
Support BetaNYC Today! 💗
Power belongs with people, not crowns. BetaNYC is building a more transparent and accountable city by creating public tools, opening access to knowledge, and helping New Yorkers take action in their communities. Our new “No Kings” tote bag is a thank-you gift for supporters who want to carry that spirit with them.
Give $35 or more today to receive one.
Your support makes our public programs possible, including School of Data, and helps power our work across New York City.
Support our work and claim your tote: https://www.beta.nyc/support-us-no-king
Upcoming Events with BetaNYC 🎊
- April 10 at 12 pm Discovering NYC Open Data: Online Session: April 2026
- April 10 at 3 pm Mapping for Equity: Mapping NYC’s Public Amenities in NYC Council District 49 with BetaNYC
- April 21 at 2:30 pm Mapping for Equity: Data Entry Class with BetaNYC at The College of Staten Island (CUNY)
Election Corner 2026 🗳️
- Money is already moving. Read how a deep-pocketed crypto super PAC is eyeing New York’s 2026 House races.
- Step into the budget room. Meet Linda Lee, the NYC Council Committee on Finance chair shaping the budget conversation.
- A long-running city benefit just got bigger. Gothamist reports that Mayor Mamdani expanded the NYC scholarship program to include undergraduate degrees.
This Week’s Media Watchlist 🎥
- Updates on the Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez case. THE CITY highlights the legal fight over Rafael Andres Rubio Bohorquez’s detention and deportation case. City & State covers how a judge ruled Rafael Rubio should be sent to Venezuela. And The New York Times recaps the initial ICE dentention (Paywall).
- Against the usual doomscroll, there’s a surprise here. Read why the kids are all right.
Toolkit Spotlight 🛠️
- Mayor Mamdani launches a child care program map. Read about how an NYC map aggregates child-care resources into a single search, including location and cost.
- A tool built at the intersection of civic tech and housing data. See Nathan J. Lichtenstein’s LinkedIn post about the new CNYC Co-op & Condo Dashboard.
- Peek behind the crawler curtain. This piece explores Markdown, llms.txt, and AI crawlers.
Artificial Intelligence Roundup 🤖
- If AI writing feels a little too smooth, this is the guide for you. Watch how to spot AI language.
- What happens when people blame the machine too quickly. Read why AI got the blame for the Iran school bombing, and how the truth is more worrying. (Paywall)
- Democracy is being stress-tested in real time. This report from the The David and Lucile Packard Foundation examines AI and democracy from an emerging field of research.
- Some workplaces are measuring LLM tokens usage. Read about how tech employees are reportedly being evaluated by how fast they burn through LLM tokens.
- A private Zoom meeting may not stay private for long. 404 Media reports on how one company is secretly turning Zoom calls into AI podcasts. (Paywall)
- Here’s what happens when rushed automation meets public services. ProPublica shows how DOGE developed an error-prone AI tool to “munch” Veterans Affairs contracts.
- NY PIT Hub & BetaNYC webinar joins WebinarTV. Watch How we got AI’ed.
Jobs Alert and Announcements 💼
- Brooklyn Community Board 7 is seeking a District Manager.
- The City of New York is recruiting Summer Interns from across all agencies.
- The MTA is hiring a Principal Platform Engineer and a Cybersecurity Analyst SOC Levels 3-5.
- The NYC Department of Design and Construction is searching for a Senior Data Scientist.
- NYC Emergency Management’s Commissioner for a Day program applications are open until April 19.
- The NYS Office of Information Technology Services is seeking a Director of AI and Data Governance.
- The Office of Council Member Lincoln Restler is searching for a Part-Time Events & Outreach Coordinator.
- The Office of NYS Senator Kristen Gonzalez is hiring a District Director.
- Recidiviz is recruiting a Data Analyst, Policy Data Analyst, Senior Data Analyst (Technical Lead), and Product Manager.
- Solace is seeking a Data Analyst.
Upcoming Events 📅
Note: All times are listed in ET
- Now through May 31 Printing Black America: Du Bois’s Data Portraits in the 21st Century
- April 13 at 9 am Open Meetings Law Information Session
- April 14 at 6:30 pm Govtech Happy Hour
- April 15 at 12 pm Accessibility Jam (A11yJam)
- April 15 at 6 pm Internet for All NYC
- April 16 at 9 am Freedom of Information Law Information Session
- April 16 at 6 pm 2026 Brooklyn Borough President’s State of the Borough Address
- April 21 at 6 pm Digital Colonialism
- April 24-26 University Open Air classes
- April 24 at 7 pm City Nerd LIVE at Hunter College Featuring Betsy Plum and Tiffany-Ann Taylor
- May 5 at 2:30 pm Undercovered History of Staten Island Wiki Workshop
- May 20-21 MakeShift 2026
- May 21 at 9:30 am Pitchfest: New York City
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Take care of each other, and have a great weekend!