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Kernel

⚡️ KERNEL IS COMING

Previews, parties, and other launch week festivities

Emily Liu

Sep 8, 2022

In just five days, we will publish the second issue of Kernel Magazine.

Kernel Magazine is Reboot’s annual print publication. In a landscape dominated by either fatalistic views of technology or by optimism weaponized as hype, Kernel Magazine articulates an alternate vision: a critical analysis of technological progress and regress that still charts a path forward.

This second issue is the culmination of six months of planning, writing, editing, designing, web development, and of course, crafting countless corn puns. Coming in at 164 pages, the issue truly feels like a hefty piece of intellectual work — it contains deeply researched essays, interviews, short stories, poetry, and visual art.

Our launch week starts this Monday, September 12. We’re very excited to invite you to join this week-long celebration of this project and the many, many people who have contributed to it!

what to expect

Every day from Monday to Thursday, we’ll send you a newly published full-length piece to preview what you’ll find in the magazine. Our nonfiction essays will be paired with thoughtful responses sourced from the Reboot community.

💌 in your inbox

Monday, Sep. 12 — Editor’s Note

In your email, you’ll get a first look at our cover and an editor’s note from me. Starting on this day, Kernel’s second issue will be available for purchase to the public.

Tuesday, Sep. 13 — “Urgency and Agency in Technology Policy: A Conversation with Ifeoma Ozoma” by Matthew Sun

Matthew Sun, a tech worker and former tech policy researcher, interviews Ifeoma Ozoma, the founder and principal of Earthseed, a tech accountability and public policy consulting firm. They discuss Ozoma's work on workers’ rights legislation, the connection between individual whistleblowers and collective organizing, and her theory and practice of social progress.

Wednesday, Sep. 14 — “Prison Phones and the Problem with Profits: Can an upstart tech nonprofit take on the $1.4 billion prison communications industry?” by Lucas Gelfond

Prison communications is a problem of incentives — current contract structures push facilities to choose contractors that rip off families and incarcerated people. Meanwhile, Ameelio flips the problem on its head: through inexpensive open source software and nonprofit structure, it’s now able to keep communication totally free for families in over 10 prison facilities. This piece is grounded in original reporting of Ameelio’s demo rollout in Maine Correctional Center.

Thursday, Sep. 15 — “all the better to see you with” by Adora Svitak

What happens to Lia and Rel’s relationship when Lia enables Optimal Path, a tool that automatically generates the best replies for texting? Find out in this short story.

🪩 kernel irl and url (join us for launch parties!)

Mark your calendars for both in-person and virtual launch parties, where you can meet fellow members of the Reboot community! Tickets are going fast, so be sure to reserve your spot soon.

Tickets for our in-person launch parties in SF and NYC cost $10 each. This cost can be put towards the purchase of a copy of Kernel Magazine, so the party ticket is free with purchase. Find more details in the event descriptions linked below.

RSVP here:

🌉 San Francisco — Thursday, Sep 15 at 7:30 p.m. PT
🏙 New York — Saturday, Sep 17 at 5:00 p.m. ET
💻 Online (free) — Sunday, Sep 18 at 5:00 p.m. PT. Join us virtually to meet members of the Reboot community and for a Q&A with one of Kernel’s authors!

Thank you to Michelle Bao, Justin Carder, Archana Ahlawat, Lily Lou, and Jake Gaughan for planning these launch events! If you have questions, please reach out to them directly via their contact information in the above RSVP forms.

Reboot publishes free essays on tech, humanity, and power every week. If you want to keep up with the community, subscribe below ⚡️