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I am a Brazilian designer, manager, researcher, and cultural strategist working at the intersection of technology, human rights, and sociopolitical inclusion. With over 25 years of experience across government, development cooperation, and academia, I’ve dedicated my career to designing digital ecosystems that empower communities and uphold dignity.
As Executive Director of the Global Innovation Gathering (GIG), I lead a global network of grassroots innovation hubs, makerspaces, and changemakers—many rooted in the Global South. Together, we co-create open, inclusive, and sustainable solutions that challenge extractive models of innovation and centralised local knowledge. My cultural identity deeply informs my work: I am from Brazil’s Northeast, a region rich in Afro-Indigenous heritage, resilience, and creativity. This background shapes my commitment to plural narratives and equitable design. I also contribute as a researcher at the University of Pernambuco’s Studies Group on Productive Infrastructure and Logistics for Sustainable Local Development, where I explore how infrastructure and technology can serve inclusive futures.
One of my current challenges is advocating for the development of responsible AI systems that are transparent, culturally aware, and co-designed with the communities they affect, pushing back against bias, amplifying underrepresented voices, and ensuring that AI reflects the diversity of human experience and not just the dominant paradigms. I believe cultural representation in AI is not just a technical issue—it’s a matter of justice, memory, and imagination. I’ll be honoured to contribute to this conversation and help shape a future where AI serves all of us, not just a few.
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Academic Credentials
FREIRE, Ricardo Ruiz
Researcher <> Lecturer <> Consultant <> Innovator