Payton Croskey, having bloomed in the sunshine state, is a member of Princeton’s class of 2023. She is a visual artist and tech justice scholar writing, coding and designing a liberatory future for all who refuse to submit to technology’s watchful eye. Pursuing a degree in African American Studies and a minor in Computer Science, Payton’s research uncovers and develops ways of designing digital systems that protect and empower targeted communities.

Beyond her academic life, Payton is the creative content director for the Ida B Wells Just Data Lab, where she extends her studies by collaborating with community members and leading research associates in the exploration and creation of liberatory technology. She also serves on the Undergraduate Board of Advisors for the Department of African American Studies and as a communications and social media specialist for Princeton’s Lewis Center for the Arts.

Following Princeton, Payton seeks to further her education at the graduate level, where she can create systems with liberation in mind and discover what happens when those who technology targets most close the tab, cover the camera and ultimately go dark.