TED Residency
Glenn Cantave: How augmented reality is changing activism
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Glenn Cantave uses technology to highlight narratives of the oppressed. In a tour of immersive visual projects, he shares his work with the team at Movers and Shakers NYC, a coalition that executes direct action and advocacy campaigns for marginalized communities using virtual reality, augmented reality and the creative arts.
Glenn Cantave - Activist, performance artist, social entrepreneur
Glenn Cantave is an activist, performance artist and social entrepreneur who uses immersive technology to highlight the narratives of the oppressed. Full bio
Glenn Cantave is an activist, performance artist and social entrepreneur who uses immersive technology to highlight the narratives of the oppressed. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
My name is Glenn,
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I'm 25,
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and I don't know my real last name.
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It's not uncommon in America.
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Most black people in this country
are walking around
are walking around
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with a slave owner's last name.
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Black history has been systemically erased
and altered for centuries.
and altered for centuries.
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As I give this talk,
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there are more than 700 Confederate
monuments standing nationwide.
monuments standing nationwide.
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These were erected
to honor Confederate soldiers
to honor Confederate soldiers
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who fought to maintain slavery --
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mostly in the South --
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from the 1890s to the 1950s,
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when Jim Crow laws enforcing
racial segregation were in full effect.
racial segregation were in full effect.
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To this day, black people are forced
to confront monuments of slaveholders
to confront monuments of slaveholders
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in our public spaces.
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These memorials are a physical
representation of a system
representation of a system
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that is actively working
to define whose lives matter
to define whose lives matter
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and whose lives do not.
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If we are going to disrupt the narrative,
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we have to start at the origin.
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01:13
Genocide, slavery and patriarchy
started in the Americas
started in the Americas
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with Christopher Columbus.
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Most people in the United States
know about his voyage of 1492.
know about his voyage of 1492.
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Fewer people know that an estimated
250,000 indigenous Arawaks were wiped out
250,000 indigenous Arawaks were wiped out
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within two years of his arrival.
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Even fewer people know
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that Columbus admitted in a letter
written to Doña Juana de la Torre
written to Doña Juana de la Torre
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that "nine and 10-year-old girls
were in high demand,
were in high demand,
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and for girls of all ages
a good price must be paid."
a good price must be paid."
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Yet New York City's Columbus Circle
has had him perched 76 feet high
has had him perched 76 feet high
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next to Central Park since 1892.
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I started Movers and Shakers,
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a nonprofit,
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to get the statue removed.
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Movers and Shakers
is a group of activists, artists,
is a group of activists, artists,
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educators and engineers
focused on using immersive technology
focused on using immersive technology
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to highlight the narratives
of the oppressed.
of the oppressed.
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In our campaign to knock
Columbus off his pedestal,
Columbus off his pedestal,
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we engaged in a visually
provocative form of activism.
provocative form of activism.
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We created an augmented
reality installation
reality installation
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on the true story of Christopher Columbus
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and used it to host teach-ins
in Columbus Circle and Times Square.
in Columbus Circle and Times Square.
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Many see the controversy around the statue
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as tension between
the Italian-American community
the Italian-American community
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and the indigenous community.
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The reality is that most black people
are here in this country
are here in this country
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as a result of the atrocities
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that were kicked off
by Christopher Columbus.
by Christopher Columbus.
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So we ended up holding
a slave auction in Union Square
a slave auction in Union Square
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to tie into the genesis
of the transatlantic slave trade.
of the transatlantic slave trade.
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I ran the New York City Marathon in chains
to spread awareness to this issue.
to spread awareness to this issue.
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I was also arrested in Giants Stadium
for hosting a slave reenactment
for hosting a slave reenactment
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at their football team's home opener.
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We gave it everything that we had,
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but in the end,
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New York City decided to keep the statue,
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and New York State unanimously voted
to make it a landmark.
to make it a landmark.
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The news was devastating,
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but it opened up another door.
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We realized that with augmented reality
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you don't need permission
from the government
from the government
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to put up a monument
or to make a statement.
or to make a statement.
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You can just do it.
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So New York City right now
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currently has more than 150 statues
of men and six of women
of men and six of women
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and currently acknowledges slaveholders
in public spaces as well.
in public spaces as well.
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So we decided, why not just put up
a bunch of AR monuments
a bunch of AR monuments
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of women and people of color
throughout the city?
throughout the city?
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Typically, monuments are created
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to commemorate the achievements
of the deceased,
of the deceased,
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but with augmented reality,
we can reroute the rules.
we can reroute the rules.
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We started with sports.
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Colin Kaepernick.
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He was the starting quarterback
of the San Francisco 49ers,
of the San Francisco 49ers,
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and he wanted to use his platform
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to highlight the injustice
of systemic racism.
of systemic racism.
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So he consulted a Green Beret
on the most respectful way to do this,
on the most respectful way to do this,
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and he decided to take a knee
during the national anthem.
during the national anthem.
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He lost his contract with the 49ers,
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he was blackballed by every NFL owner,
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he was criticized by millions
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and even the president
of the United States
of the United States
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decided to insult him.
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It may be decades before Colin Kaepernick
is adequately respected for his courage,
is adequately respected for his courage,
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so our team decided to do this.
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Now anyone that walks by Trump Tower
can see Colin Kaepernick take a knee
can see Colin Kaepernick take a knee
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in augmented reality,
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and there's nothing they can do about it.
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(Laughter)
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Representation matters.
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Serena Williams proved to the world
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that a black girl from Compton
can dominate a sport
can dominate a sport
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that's traditionally played
at exclusive country clubs.
at exclusive country clubs.
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Let's celebrate her now.
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Jackie Robinson.
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He broke the color barrier
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and empowered many black athletes
to play in Major League Baseball.
to play in Major League Baseball.
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We're going to take this monument of him
and put it in Ebbets Field
and put it in Ebbets Field
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so that anyone can see him
swing for the fences
swing for the fences
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in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.
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With augmented reality,
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we have the power to tell stories
in public spaces that need to be told.
in public spaces that need to be told.
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The achievements of people
like Frida Kahlo, Audre Lorde,
like Frida Kahlo, Audre Lorde,
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Toussaint Louverture,
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Madam C.J. Walker --
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this should be common knowledge.
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Our vision is a "Pokémon Go"
for a contextualized history.
for a contextualized history.
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Augmented reality can also be used
as a tool to support organizations
as a tool to support organizations
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that are fighting
against systemic oppression.
against systemic oppression.
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In 2019 we will release
our free smartphone app
our free smartphone app
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with augmented reality
monuments and content.
monuments and content.
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You can take your smartphone
and hold it over any one-dollar bill
and hold it over any one-dollar bill
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and see a scene in augmented reality
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that illustrates
the injustice of cash bail.
the injustice of cash bail.
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You can then click on the screen
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and be directed to the donation page
of The Bail Project,
of The Bail Project,
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a fund that raises money for people
who cannot afford bail.
who cannot afford bail.
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With augmented reality,
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we the people have the power
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to highlight the narratives
of the oppressed
of the oppressed
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when institutions refuse to do so.
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We can use this tool
to highlight the systemic implications
to highlight the systemic implications
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of erasing someone's history.
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And more concretely,
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we can use this technology
as a way to support initiatives
as a way to support initiatives
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that are fighting against systemic racism.
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With AR, we have the power
to reimagine a world
to reimagine a world
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that prioritizes justice over oppression.
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Thank you.
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(Applause and cheers)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Glenn Cantave - Activist, performance artist, social entrepreneurGlenn Cantave is an activist, performance artist and social entrepreneur who uses immersive technology to highlight the narratives of the oppressed.
Why you should listen
Through his non-profit Movers & Shakers NYC, Glenn Cantave organized a pop-up slave auction performance piece/AR exhibit, ran the NYC Marathon in chains and is creating AR educational content focused on highlighting the narratives of marginalized communities. He is also the creator, executive producer of We the People, a 360-documentary focused on activism in the age of Trump. His team has documented the actions of several New York based activist groups and captured footage from events such as the Trump Inauguration, Charlottesville Riots and a White Lives Matter Rally in Tennessee.
Cantave is a TED Resident, and he spoke about his work at TEDxGhent in 2018.
Glenn Cantave | Speaker | TED.com