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EFF-Austin is sustained via the contributions of supporters like you. Donate via the Donation widget on our website at the top of the main page: https://effaustin.orgThank you to Capital Factory for sponsoring EFF-Austin. Capital Factory is the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas. They meet the best entrepreneurs in Texas and introduce them to their first investors, employees, mentors and customers. To sign up for a Capital Factory coworking membership, click the following link: https://capital-factory.officernd.com/signup?office=5d1bcda0dbd6e40010479eec.
BIO:
Our speaker this month is Steven Apodaca. Steven Apodaca is Chair of the City of Austin’s Technology Commission, where he leads efforts to advise City Council on issues of digital equity, telecommunications policy, and the responsible use of emerging technologies. In this role, he has helped shape recommendations on technology contracts, AI transparency, and public surveillance, and funding while ensuring community voices are part of the city’s decision-making process.
In addition to his commission service, Steven serves on the Board of Austin FreeNet, a nonprofit advancing digital inclusion through community access and training. He is also a former Travis County Democratic Party Precinct Chair and served as a National Delegate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Professionally, Steven works at a Fortune 5 technology company as a change management leader, with prior experience spanning a decade at a Big 4 management consulting firm.
Steven’s work bridges civic leadership, policy advocacy, and industry expertise. He is passionate about ensuring that technology in the public sector is deployed with transparency, accountability, and equity at its core.
TALK SUMMARY:
What role do local governments — and their commissions — play in technology policy? In Austin, the Technology Commission serves as the official advisory body to City Council on matters of telecommunications, emerging technology, public access, and digital equity. Its duties include advising on technology contracts, monitoring the deployment of new tools such as AI and surveillance systems, guiding the city’s approach to digital inclusion, and overseeing the Grant for Technology Opportunities Program (GTOPs), which funds community organizations expanding digital access.
As Chair of the Commission, Steven Apodaca will share how this structure provides a democratic check on how cities adopt technology. He will discuss the Commission’s work in shaping recommendations for Council, elevating community concerns, and examining the public impact of sensitive technologies.
Steven will share lessons from Austin on how to keep residents at the heart of public technology choices.
HOW TO ATTEND:
Capital Factory is located at 701 Brazos Street, on the 1st floor of the Omni Hotel. We are in the Apollo meeting room. To locate Apollo, locate Capital Factory's main event room off the Omni lobby, Voltron, Suite 150. Once inside, there should be someone at the desk to direct you to our meetup, but, if no one is there, proceed to the left past the kitchen and down the hallway, Apollo is right around the corner. You may also message us on this event or message us at our Bluesky account, @[email protected], our Mastodon account, @[email protected], or our Twitter account, @EFFaustin, if you are having trouble finding us. Please note that the room will be locked and EFF-Austin will not have access until 10-15 minutes before 7:00pm CST. We will try to have someone in the Omni lobby earlier than that in front of the Voltron doors to greet you if you arrive early, but otherwise just wait in the lobby until you are let in.
Talk will be livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/user/austintechlive and will later be archived at https://www.youtube.com/user/effaustin. Questions for the speaker from virtual attendees may be submitted via the Youtube livestream chat, our Bluesky account, @[email protected], our Mastodon account, @[email protected], or our Twitter account, @EFFaustin.
Parking for the Omni Garage can be validated at the Capital Factory front desk inside room Voltron, Suite 150, reducing the cost to $8. If no one is at the desk, check with EFF-Austin meetup organizers, we can provide you with one. Attendees must park after 5pm and leave before 10pm to receive the discount, otherwise they will be charged full price, which is $3.25 for every 30 minutes. Affordable street park is also available nearby. Details: https://capitalfactory.com/parking/
AFTER PARTY:
Join us for the discussion from 7:00PM-9:00PM, followed by drinks and camaraderie from 9:00PM-10:00PM in the Omni Hotel lobby.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Capital Factory, 700 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701-3231, United States
