About | Multitudes

Our approach is informed by Black feminist and design justice principles, which we embed in every aspect of our practice.

Our guiding principles

Meet people where they are

We aim to understand existing community structures, patterns and traditions, as many communities already hold unrealised solutions to the common problems they face.

Build collectively, using solidarity frameworks

We move with intention to create spaces of trust, collectivism, kindness, care and solidarity. We recognise our interdependence on each other and our environment, and the importance of connecting multiple struggles and fights for justice across many geographies and identities. We do this through learning, educating, organising and listening.

Understand and name power asymmetries

We ask who is impacted by design and technology interventions and in what ways can they hold us and other technologists to account. It is necessary to create and use new and expansive accountability frameworks that highlight the consequences of algorithmic and data injustices and clearly define a route to restitution for those impacted by these things.

Support and build for community stewardship

We work to understand what community stewardship looks like, to individuals and local communities, placing importance on attribution and credit, and facilitating contributions to digital and material commons.

We recognise the importance of understanding the historical context behind dispossession and material inequalities and seek a holistic approach to tackling them and their implications within communities.

Centre feminist economic practises

We look to non-western co-operative traditions for guidance on liberatory, feminist economic practises that prioritise care over extraction. We work actively to challenge neoliberal capitalistic approaches even while situated within and impacted by dominant, extractive systems. We prioritise the creation and dissemination of free and open resources for the benefit of all communities prioritising historically excluded and disadvantaged ones.

Establish and respect boundaries of consent

Historically, marginalised communities are more surveilled, controlled and have had the boundaries of their person, property and communities ignored and breached. This is an ongoing problem, in both their online and offline lives. An extension of the lack of respect for boundaries is an erosion of autonomy and agency. We believe that boundaries of consent can only be established when information is freely given and understood, and power is equitably distributed. Consent needs to be constantly (re)negotiated and contextualised within the boundaries of community frameworks to allow for fully agency.

Create new pathways for joyful expression and imagination

Imagination and joy are deeply political. Envisioning a joyful future helps with seeing a horizon that is worth fighting for, making space for joy and imagination right now also help us reclaim this for ourselves.

We are committed to a continual examination of our principles as they develop through criticism and accountability as an essential aspect of our practice.

Multitudes is a worker co-operative formed of:

Arda is an award-winning multidisciplinary designer and creative technologist with expertise in User Experience Design. In 2018, she co-founded the creative studio Identity 2.0, which works to imagine better digital futures. She has been named a #WebChampion by Tim Berners-Lee, awarded the BIMA 100 award in the creators and designers category, selected to be a Design Council expert to work on projects accelerating the #DesignforPlanet mission and serve on the G42 board for the pillar AI and Digital Ethics.

Clara (she/her) is a designer, researcher and facilitator who works towards equity and justice in technology. She’s Australian and British, an immigrant, a part-time worker, a grieving daughter and a parent. She's been working in digital spaces since video stores were everywhere.

Debs Durojaiye is a designer, community technologist and organiser with over 8 years experience in tech justice and radical infrastructure provision. As co-founder of Multitudes co-operative, she is an active collaborator with grassroots movement groups to achieve self-determination, autonomy and agency in the use of technology to facilitate collective healing, restitution and liberation.

Dominique is researching and strategising around the social impacts of technology and grassroots movement infrastructure. They have been in and around Black grassroots organising ecosystems for over a decade, and they are particularly interested in supporting and facilitating political education towards collective struggle and liberation.

Juliette (Julu) Mothe (Any pronouns) is a visual designer and educator who has worked with grassroots organisations to turn ideas and concepts into solutions that can educate, empower, reach people and improve their lives.

Kayleigh (she/her) has dedicated her time to worker co-ops for 12 years. She leads our Internal Workings programme which she describes as 'If we're to co-create a workplace that takes us away from family and time for leisure, what do we want it to look like?' This work aims to centre care, create spaces for vulnerability, and explore how we can show up with love.

Kévin Morvillier (He/Him) is a full-stack web developer with a focus on leveraging open-source solutions. He is committed to fostering digital autonomy, he prioritises solutions that minimise reliance on Big Tech or closed systems.

Mumbi Nkonde (She/They), a movement builder at Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, who has been embedded in grassroots organising for over a decade, working on anti-racism, housing rights and climate justice struggles.

Riwan Réjon (He/They) is a software engineer specialised in accessible front-end development. He contributes to the way we think and produce pop culture by and for Caribbean people.