Sam Smith
samanthasmith.bsky.social
Sam Smith
@samanthasmith.bsky.social
Startups, Tech, VC
Digital Interfaces, Interaction
Integrated Health
Gardener, Art Enthusiast
Can we bump up Brittany’s funds up a bit? She’s a teacher in LA who had to grab her students and *run* with them to safety from the fires; she didn’t even have time to grab her purse! Let’s support her and her family: www.mealtrain.com/trains/qlr768
Meal Train for Brittany, MJ & Felix
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has contributed to the Mealtrain for Brittany, MJ, and Felix. Your generosity and support have been a bright light during what has been an incredibly challenging time. While the past few weeks have been full of uncertainty, the outpouring of love from all of you has been nothing short of incredible. As Brittany, MJ, and Felix begin the long process of rebuilding, they are truly carried by the kindness and encouragement they’ve received. Your thoughtful contributions not only provide them with much-needed support, but also remind them of the strength of the community around them. A very special thanks also go to those who have helped them find temporary housing during this transition. This has been a huge blessing as they begin to plan for the future. Knowing they are surrounded by such an incredible circle of friends in LA gives them the courage to face the road ahead with optimism and resilience. Thank you again for being part of this journey with them. Every meal, donation, and kind word makes a difference, and it means more than you could ever know.
www.mealtrain.com
February 5, 2025 at 2:11 AM
Reposted by Sam Smith
In November I made a small donation to some folks to accelerate scraping & preserving government websites, in anticipation of the data purge that’s happening now.

You can join the r/DataHoarder subreddit if you want to help out with data scraping & archival.
February 1, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Sharing another list of LA fire gofundmes, this one for individual teachers.

I always look for the gofundmes that aren’t fully funded yet, so whoever put these lists I’ve been sharing together, thank you!

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Teachers List
docs.google.com
January 18, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Fed up with Meta? Avoiding Instagram or Facebook isn’t enough to stop Meta from harvesting and profiting from your private information. Here’s how to limit Meta’s ability to monetize your personal data.
Mad at Meta? Don't Let Them Collect and Monetize Your Personal Data
If you’re fed up with Meta right now, you’re not alone. Meta tracks you across millions of websites and apps and its business model relies on your data. If you want to limit Meta’s ability to collect ...
www.eff.org
January 17, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Absolutely love staring at new JWST images mesmerized by the immense scale of the universe. Just think of how many planets & stars are in each one of those galaxies 🤯

This image shows the Leo P dwarf galaxy (blue stars in lower right)

📸: NASA/ESA/CSA; K. McQuinn & J. DePasquale
January 17, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Sharing this list of LA fire gofundmes that includes dozens that are still underfunded. Let’s keep the momentum of care and contribution going; can you choose one more family to support today?

There are musicians, teachers, yogis, & more who need help rebuilding.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
LA Fires — GoFundMe Links
docs.google.com
January 17, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Reposted by Sam Smith
These extraordinary photos of the LA fires have been shared widely on social media, often without crediting the photographer.

These are all the work of Ethan Swope, an LA-based photojournalist working for AP.

You can follow his remarkable reporting here👇
www.instagram.com/ethanswopeph...
January 9, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Not lost on me that it's nonprofit tech, app.watchduty.org, showing up & actually working in the midst of the LA fires (donate to them!)

Meanwhile platforms fail to surface key news, vital info is paywalled...

As I've been saying, we need a new tech paradigm, yesterday!
Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts
Real-time information about wildfire and firefighting efforts nearby
app.watchduty.org
January 9, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Sam Smith
One of the best to ever do it is gone, but his impact will live on forever. Enrique is one of a kind, and his pioneering work will lift up designers for generations to come. I already miss him and am so glad to have crossed paths with him in life. 💔 www.designerfund.com/page/Remembe...
Remembering Enrique Allen | Designer Fund
It is with a heavy heart that I share that Enrique Allen passed away this week after a crushing battle with cancer.
www.designerfund.com
November 21, 2024 at 1:42 AM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Dorothea Tanning, Dogs of Cythera, 1963
July 15, 2023 at 8:28 AM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Accessibility is one of the biggest open problems in XR, & I've just posted an epic, 15-part, 8-hour Voices of VR series that serves as a crash course on the topic recorded at XR Access Symposium.
https://voicesofvr.com/1222-kickoff-of-xr-accessibility-series-with-xr-access-co-founder-shiri-azenkot/
July 14, 2023 at 4:37 PM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Speaking of catastrophic structural failures, here's a map of the 42,000 U.S. bridges known to be in poor condition, with huge state-by-state variance 🧪https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-are-the-worst-bridges-in-the-u-s/
Where Are the Worst Bridges in the U.S.?
More than 42,000 highway bridges across the country are in “poor” condition, according to national bridge inspection standards
www.scientificamerican.com
June 23, 2023 at 1:58 PM
Nat & Martha Sharpe on raising humans through unbounded interest and living. Reframing education by treating kids as humans, not kids. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/infinite-loops/id1489171190?i=1000614978496
May 31, 2023 at 7:06 AM
Reposted by Sam Smith
Hey illustrators, I'm an executive art director for Scholastic's hardcover picture book group, and I’m looking for someone who can draw anthropomorphized cars (à la the film Cars—but cooler) for a graphic reader series aimed at 2nd/3rd graders.

Respond here w/ images + a link to your folio.
May 30, 2023 at 7:54 PM
Next question: what’s a hardware device you wish were reinvented or invented? Why?

I recently tried Revolution’s new toaster and love that someone thought to make a 2.0 toaster UI; great for common areas where someone may be unfamiliar with how a particular toaster toasts…
May 29, 2023 at 2:14 AM
Hi! In the spirit of connecting:
What's a guiding idea or concept you return to again and again?

I'll go first: Your thoughts create your reality.
May 23, 2023 at 5:43 AM