The "Tonii" project represents an ongoing exploration at the intersection of art, technology, and social activism, employing wearable augmented reality (AR) technology and Machine Learning to enable both personal and collective expression. Inspired by BIPOC and queer stories, I create amulets that act as keys to unlock virtual EmPower suits in augmented reality, symbolizing a spectrum of values such as self-awareness, inclusivity, resourcefulness and access. These values, rooted in research on empowering social dynamics, emphasize the necessity of emotional support, authenticity, and trust within minority communities.

In 2022, Tonii received a Meta Open Arts grant of $10,000 which supported the development of a workshop series discussing ancestral intelligence, technology and and values that help us embody a future ancestor (how we are accountable to future generations) in a various scenarios, such as creators of technology and spatial web. Representing how we desire to show up in the metaverse, bridging the digital and physical.

Visit the Tonii site to learn more how to get your own!

Tonii also has an ACM published paper explaining the concept and technology in more depth.

Presentations:

SIGGRAPH 2024 - July 2024 - Denver Convention Center

Future.Forward.Freedom - Oct 2023 - Ed.Varia Gallery - curated by Michelle Pred, Wildcat Ebony Brown and Andrew

Gathering - May 2023 - FiveMyles Gallery - curated by Cecil Chong and Sophia Ma