RadicalxChange(s)

Join host Matt Prewitt in an inspiring conversation with Edge City co-founders Janine Leger and Timour Kosters, as they dive into the transformative world of pop-up villages and cities. Discover the story behind Edge City's latest experiment, Edge Esmeralda, and learn how temporary communities are reshaping the way we live and work. Janine and Timour share their passion for experimentation, collaboration, co-creation, and their vision for building healthier, more dynamic environments.From the Whole Earth Catalog to the Chautauqua movement, this episode explores the rich history of pop-up communities while introducing groundbreaking ideas like community currencies ("∈dges") and iterative social technologies. Tune in for an engaging and forward-thinking discussion that reveals fresh perspectives on the future of community building, collaboration, and social innovation. Don’t miss this illuminating discussion!Links & References: References:About Edge CityEdge Esmeralda RecapWhy I Built Zuzalu by Vitalik Buterin | Palladium Magazine2023: First ZuzaluBalaji Srinivasan’s on network states: The Network StateDigital nomad - WikipediaWhole Earth Catalog - WikipediaBack-to-the-land movement - WikipediaBurning Man - WikipediaHistory of the Regional Network | Burning Man ProjectMichel Bauwens - WikipediaThe Seeds of The Commons: Peer-to-Peer Alternatives for Planetary Survival and Justice | Postdigital Science and EducationChautauqua - Wikipedia  What is a Chautauqua“Scenius” = Scenes of geniusScenius, or Communal Genius | WIREDFurther notes on scenius - Austin KleonRadicalxChange(s) | Barry Threw: Executive & Artistic Director of Gray AreaSecret Societies, Network States, Burning Man, Zuzalu, and More - RadicalxChangeEdges: A Plural Money Experiment - RadicalxChangeFork Edges herePlural Money: A New Currency Design - RadicalxChangeBios:Janine Leger is the co-founder of Edge City, an organization that convenes leaders and builders across tech, science, and society in pop-up villages around the globe. Previously, she co-created Zuzalu and led the Public Goods Funding team at Gitcoin.Timour Kosters is also a co-founder of Edge City. Prior, he spent ten years building and investing in startups, including Artsy, the largest online art marketplace; Kama, a leading health-tech app; and Impact, an impact-focused social media brand. He was most recently a partner at Seed Club Ventures.Links: Janine and Timour’s Social Links:Janine Leger (@JanineLeger) / Xtimour kosters (@timourxyz) / XEdge City (@JoinEdgeCity) / XEdge CityMatt Prewitt (he/him) is a lawyer, technologist, and writer. He is the President of the RadicalxChange Foundation.Matt’s Social Links:ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴡɪᴛᴛ (@m_t_prewitt) / X Connect with RadicalxChange Foundation:RadicalxChange Website@RadxChange | TwitterRxC | YouTubeRxC | InstagramRxC | LinkedInJoin the conversation on Discord.Credits:Produced by G. Angela Corpus.Co-Produced, Edited, Narrated, and Audio Engineered by Aaron Benavides.Executive Produced by G. Angela Corpus and Matt Prewitt.Intro/Outro music by MagnusMoone, “Wind in the Willows,” is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

In this episode, Project Liberty Founder Frank McCourt joins Matt for a second round to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by rapidly developing AI technologies. Building on their previous chat about digital infrastructure, they explore whether AI will exacerbate social media, digital advertising, and data centralization issues, or fundamentally change them. McCourt emphasizes fixing the internet’s design flaws to ensure AI benefits society, advocates for returning data ownership to individuals and stresses the need for political engagement to align AI with democratic values. Tune in for this enlightening conversation and what we can do moving forward.Links & References: References:RadicalxChange(s) | Frank McCourt: Founder of Project Liberty (Part I) on Reclaiming the InternetKhmer Empire | WikipediaThe Decline of the Khmer Empire | National Library of AustraliaRestrictions on TikTok in the United States | WikipediaTikTok sues to block prospective US app ban | CNN BusinessHow Silicon Valley gamed the world's toughest privacy rules - POLITICOEuropean Union fines Meta $1.3 billion for violating privacy laws : NPRThe Dangers of the Global Spread of China’s Digital Authoritarianism | Center for a New American Security (en-US)China’s Techno-Authoritarianism Has Gone Global | Human Rights WatchChina trying to develop world ‘built on censorship and surveillance’ | Privacy News | Al JazeeraProject LibertyPeople’s Bid For TikTok - Project LibertyBios:Frank H. McCourt, Jr. is a civic entrepreneur and the executive chairman and former CEO of McCourt Global, a private family company committed to building a better future through its work across the real estate, sports, technology, media, and capital investment industries, as well as its significant philanthropic activities. Frank is proud to extend his family’s 130-year legacy of merging community and social impact with financial results, an approach that started when the original McCourt Company was launched in Boston in 1893.He is a passionate supporter of multiple academic, civic, and cultural institutions and initiatives. He is the founder and executive chairman of Project Liberty, a far-reaching, $500 million initiative to transform the internet through a new, equitable technology infrastructure and rebuild social media in a way that enables users to own and control their personal data. The project includes the development of a groundbreaking, open-source internet protocol called the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), which will be owned by the public to serve as a new web infrastructure. It also includes the creation of Project Liberty’s Institute (formerly The McCourt Institute,) launched with founding partners Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, and Sciences Po in Paris, to advance research, bring together technologists and social scientists, and develop a governance model for the internet’s next era.Frank has served on Georgetown University’s Board of Directors for many years and, in 2013, made a $100 million founding investment to create Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. He expanded on this in 2021 with a $100 million investment to catalyze an inclusive pipeline of public policy leaders and put the school on a path to becoming tuition-free.In 2024, Frank released his first book, OUR BIGGEST FIGHT: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age.Frank’s Social Links:Project LibertyProject Liberty (@pro_jectliberty) / XProject Liberty (@pro_jectliberty) • InstagramMcCourt Institute (@McCourtInst) / XMatt Prewitt (he/him) is a lawyer, technologist, and writer. He is the President of the RadicalxChange Foundation.Matt’s Social Links:ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴡɪᴛᴛ (@m_t_prewitt) / X Connect with RadicalxChange Foundation:RadicalxChange Website@RadxChange | TwitterRxC | YouTubeRxC | InstagramRxC | LinkedInJoin the conversation on Discord.Credits:Produced by G. Angela Corpus.Co-Produced, Edited, Narrated, and Audio Engineered by Aaron Benavides.Executive Produced by G. Angela Corpus and Matt Prewitt.Intro/Outro music by MagnusMoone, “Wind in the Willows,” is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Today, in Part I of a two-episode conversation, Matt Prewitt is joined by civic entrepreneur and Founder of Project Liberty, Frank McCourt, who is on a mission to reclaim the internet and prioritize human rights in our digital landscape. Drawing parallels between the early public oversight of television and the current state of the internet, Frank highlights the commodification of our data and identities online. He advocates for new protocols and a movement inspired by historical fights against oppression to secure genuine data rights and agency online. As we look to the future, Project Liberty's endeavors may play a crucial role. This interview is a fantastic opportunity to hear more about Frank's thinking.Links & References: References:Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age by Frank H. McCourt, Jr. with Michael J. CaseyTim Berners-Lee - WikipediaFACT SHEET: CHIPS and Science Act Will Lower Costs, Create Jobs, Strengthen Supply Chains, and Counter China | The White HouseMythbusting: The Facts On Reports About Our Data Collection Practices | TikTok NewsroomSesame Workshop - WikipediaGDPRThe Digital Markets Act: ensuring fair and open digital markets - European CommissionThe EU’s Digital Services ActTCP/IP | Internet protocol suite - WikipediaHTTP - WikipediaDistributed Social Networking Protocol - WikipediaTechnology | Project LibertyCommon Sense - WikipediaBios:Frank H. McCourt, Jr. is a civic entrepreneur and the executive chairman and former CEO of McCourt Global, a private family company committed to building a better future through its work across the real estate, sports, technology, media, and capital investment industries, as well as its significant philanthropic activities. Frank is proud to extend his family’s 130-year legacy of merging community and social impact with financial results, an approach that started when the original McCourt Company was launched in Boston in 1893.He is a passionate supporter of multiple academic, civic, and cultural institutions and initiatives. He is the founder and executive chairman of Project Liberty, a far-reaching, $500 million initiative to transform the internet through a new, equitable technology infrastructure and rebuild social media in a way that enables users to own and control their personal data. The project includes the development of a groundbreaking, open-source internet protocol called the Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP), which will be owned by the public to serve as a new web infrastructure. It also includes the creation of Project Liberty’s Institute (formerly The McCourt Institute,) launched with founding partners Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA, and Sciences Po in Paris, to advance research, bring together technologists and social scientists, and develop a governance model for the internet’s next era.Frank has served on Georgetown University’s Board of Directors for many years and, in 2013, made a $100 million founding investment to create Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. He expanded on this in 2021 with a $100 million investment to catalyze an inclusive pipeline of public policy leaders and put the school on a path to becoming tuition-free.In 2024, Frank released his first book, OUR BIGGEST FIGHT: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age.Frank’s Social Links:Project LibertyProject Liberty (@pro_jectliberty) / XProject Liberty (@pro_jectliberty) • InstagramMcCourt Institute (@McCourtInst) / XMatt Prewitt (he/him) is a lawyer, technologist, and writer. He is the President of the RadicalxChange Foundation.Matt’s Social Links:ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴡɪᴛᴛ (@m_t_prewitt) / X Connect with RadicalxChange Foundation:RadicalxChange Website@RadxChange | TwitterRxC | YouTubeRxC | InstagramRxC | LinkedInJoin the conversation on Discord.Credits:Produced by G. Angela Corpus.Co-Produced, Edited, Narrated, and Audio Engineered by Aaron Benavides.Executive Produced by G. Angela Corpus and Matt Prewitt.Intro/Outro music by MagnusMoone, “Wind in the Willows,” is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

In today’s episode, Matt Prewitt engages in a thought-provoking dialogue with Tahir Amin, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Initiative for Medicines, Access, and Knowledge (I-MAK). Together, they delve into the history of the patent and trademark systems – flaws and all, especially within the pharmaceutical realm. Tahir, drawing from his experience as a former intellectual property lawyer turned reform advocate, sheds light on how these systems have been manipulated by large corporations to prolong monopolies rather than foster invention. He proposes substantial reforms to address these systemic issues, advocating for a fundamental restructuring of the patent system. This insightful conversation highlights the complexities and challenges within the patent system and the quest for a more just and equitable approach to intellectual property.Links & References: References:I-MAKWorld Trade Organization (WTO)"Battle of Seattle" | 1999 Seattle WTO protestsHistory of patent law - WikipediaWhy Intellectual Property Rights? A Lockean JustificationJustifying Intellectual Property by Robert P. Merges Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the US Constitution – ArtI.S8.C8.1 Overview of Congress's Power Over Intellectual PropertyUnited States Patent and Trademark Office - Wikipedia33:14 Statstisc Peace and Science - when generics patentWhen Do Generics Challenge Drug Patents? | C. Scott Hemphill and Bhaven N. SampatInvesting in Ex Ante Regulation: Evidence from Pharmaceutical Patent Examination | NBER | Michael D. Frakes & Melissa F. WassermanHow a Drug Company Made $114 Billion by Gaming the U.S. Patent System - The New York TimesThe Burden of Patent Thickets – I-MAK4 Economic evaluation | NICE health technology evaluations: the manual | GuidanceDo not get sold on drug advertising - Harvard HealthUSA and New Zealand | Direct-to-consumer advertising - WikipediaBiosimilars Basics for Patients | FDA. Biologics, Biosimilars and Patents: A Beginner's Guide – I-MAKPatent Reform – I-MAKBios:Tahir Amin LL.B., Dip.LP., is a founder and CEO of the Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK), a non-profit organisation working to address the structural power and inequities of the intellectual property (IP) system and how medicines are developed and distributed. He has over 25 years of experience in IP law, during which he has practised with two of the leading IP law firms in the United Kingdom and served as IP Counsel for multinational corporations. His work focuses on re-defining and re-shaping IP laws and the related global political economy to better serve the public interest and commons, by changing the structural power dynamics that allow economic and health inequities to persist. He is a former Harvard Medical School Fellow in the Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, a TED and Echoing Green Fellow. He has served as legal advisor/consultant to many international and intergovernmental organisations, including the Medecines Sans Frontieres, the European Patent Office, World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Programme, and has testified before the U.S. Congress on IP and unsustainable drug prices. Tahir’s Social Links:Tahir Amin (@realtahiramin) / XInitiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (@IMAKglobal) / XTahir Amin - Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer - I-MAK | LinkedInMatt Prewitt (he/him) is a lawyer, technologist, and writer. He is the President of the RadicalxChange Foundation.Matt’s Social Links:ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴡɪᴛᴛ (@m_t_prewitt) / XAdditional Credits:This episode was recorded and produced by Matt Prewitt.This is a RadicalxChange Production. Connect with RadicalxChange Foundation:RadicalxChange Website@RadxChange | TwitterRxC | YouTubeRxC | InstagramRxC | LinkedInJoin the conversation on Discord.Credits:Produced by G. Angela Corpus.Co-Produced, Edited, Narrated, and Audio Engineered by Aaron Benavides.Executive Produced by G. Angela Corpus and Matt Prewitt.Intro/Outro music by MagnusMoone, “Wind in the Willows,” is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)