NAACP and The Archewell Foundation announce 2023 Digital Civil Rights Award Winner

On Friday, the NAACP and The Archewell Foundation announced the 2023 recipient of The NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award. The annual award, launched in 2022, celebrates a new generation of leaders who are creating transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology — working to advance civil and human rights. 

This year’s recipient is Nabiha Syed, CEO of The Markup, a company driving award-winning investigative coverage of how powerful institutions use technology to reshape society. The Markup’s data-driven reporting has analyzed the hidden racial bias in mortgage approval algorithms and student risk algorithms; revealed how telecom companies offer lower-income and more diverse neighborhoods slower internet speeds for the same price as other neighborhoods; and how Meta collects financial information through tax filing websites and health information from hospital systems. 

As the recipient of this award, Nabiha will receive $100,000 toward advancing new work, expanding leadership and expertise, and continuing her impact in the field of digital equity.

“When we founded this award with the NAACP, we wanted to highlight and uplift people across the country who are transforming the digital world for the better. Nabiha Syed is doing just that, harnessing her own expertise to push for safer, more inclusive online communities,” said Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. “Nabiha and her team are shedding light on some of the most critical issues of our time and in doing so, empowering all of us to reclaim some of our most basic freedoms: truth, safety, and choice. She’s an inspiration to us and so many others, and we’re proud to support her incredibly important work.”