Success!!! Celebrating the Wins

A dynamic AI literacy workshop environment where students actively engage with technology as a thinking partner—collaborating, exploring ideas, and shaping their learning in real time. Note: This image is a representative illustration and does not feature actual participants from the BYTES + AI Summit workshop.

Four years ago, I began building Black-Liberation.Tech—an Open Educational Resource designed to support after-school programs for girls and their mothers, centering Latinas, Afro-Latinas, Black women and girls. What started as a vision rooted in my dissertation has grown into something far greater than I imagined.

With the support of Generative AI, I’ve been able to expand lessons, design content, and develop tools at a pace that once felt impossible. What might have taken 40 hours to build alone can now be developed in a fraction of the time—without sacrificing depth, intention, or cultural grounding. Even more powerful, this work now lives bilingually, expanding access and reach.

And yet, what makes this journey most meaningful is that the foundation—the research, the lived experiences, the stories—still guides every step. The work then is still working now.

So what’s the latest?
I had the honor of facilitating my first in-person Janiyah GPT workshop at the BYTES + AI Summit at Georgia State University, as part of the Atlanta Science Festival. From the moment I arrived, there was a sense of energy in the building—students, families, and educators moving between stations, curiosity in the air.

Many thanks to Dr. Natalie King and the BYTES + AI Team for the invitation, the warm welcome, and the seamless execution of a day centered on hands-on learning and community.

What does an AI literacy workshop for students actually look like?

At the Shape the Future: AI, Power & You station—a Black-Liberation.Tech experience—students didn’t just learn about AI… they engaged with it.

Let's set the scene...
Large monitors illuminated the room, while multicolored LED-lit mice and keyboards cycled through smooth electric pulses—waves of red, purple, blue, and green flowing across each station. At the front, my screen—Janiyah GPT in gold—stretched across two HD displays, reflecting the same energy radiating from the students’ stations. Voices calling out ideas. Fingers moving quickly across keyboards.

​In that moment, technology felt less like a tool and more like a shared experience—one the students were actively shaping, not just consuming.

Together, we explored how AI works and, more importantly, how to use it with intention. Students interacted with Janiyah GPT as a thinking partner—not just a tool—engaging in real conversations about bias, safety, identity, and opportunity.

​Because this space wasn’t about consuming technology.
It was about shaping it.

How do students learn to use AI in real time?

The middle and high school students came in already familiar with tools like ChatGPT—which meant we didn’t have to start at the basics.

We started running.
As I projected a live example on the screen, students called out ideas:
“Add this!”
“Ask her that!”
“What happens if you say it like this?”

I copied, pasted, and refined prompts in real time—modeling how to think with AI, not just use it.
And then something powerful happened.

​They noticed the difference.

What makes Janiyah GPT different from other AI tools?

The students didn’t just engage—they analyzed.
They compared their experiences and named what they felt:

• “It’s like Janiyah has more spirit… I don’t know how to explain it.”
• “She’s professional.”
• “Her responses are thorough.”
• “She said ‘That’s a great idea’ and wants to help me develop it.”
• “I told her I wanted to get into criminal justice and she gave me ways I didn’t even think about.”
• “With Chat, I have to keep saying ‘No, not that…this.’ I didn’t have to do that as much with Janiyah.”
• “Every time she responds, she says something about Black excellence…see.”

​That moment?
That’s the work.

​When students can feel the difference between a tool and a thinking partner—between generic output and culturally grounded guidance—that’s digital literacy in action.

How can inclusive AI design impact all students—not just the intended audience?

What made the moment even more powerful was that the feedback didn’t just come from the intended audience. A male student—someone outside the primary group this work was designed for—paused and said, “It’s like Janiyah has more spirit…I don’t know how to explain it.” He went on to point out how every response included something about Black Excellence.

​That moment confirmed everything.

Because it showed that the difference wasn’t something you had to study to understand—it was something you could feel. The design, the intention, the cultural grounding… it translated beyond its target audience and still resonated.

That’s when I knew: this is exactly why I built Janiyah.

What questions should students ask AI to think critically?

As the session came to a close, one student shared that she didn’t want to leave—she wanted to keep learning about her future.
That stayed with me.

And when I asked what they learned, another student repeated a question we practiced together:
“Did you miss anything?”

This was the final prompt I encouraged every student to ask:
“Janiyah, is there anything important you might be leaving out? Are there other perspectives I should consider?”

​Because that’s the goal.
Not just using AI—but questioning it. Expanding it. Thinking critically alongside it.

How do small moments shape meaningful learning experiences?

As a small token of appreciation, I gave each student and volunteer a Black-Liberation.Tech chapstick—something simple, useful, and memorable.

In the middle of laughter and conversation, one student joked to another:
“Because you need it!”

​And I couldn’t help but laugh and say, “It’s something we can all use.”
Moments like that—light, joyful, human—are just as important as the lesson itself.

What impact can culturally responsive AI workshops have on students?

This workshop was more than a milestone.
It was a reminder that this work matters.

That when we create spaces where Latinas, Afro-Latinas, Black women and girls can explore technology as themselves, something shifts. Confidence grows. Curiosity deepens. Possibility expands.

​Time well spent.
A job well done.
And we’re just getting started.

Why does this work matter?

This work matters because access alone is not enough—students need experiences that affirm who they are while expanding what they believe is possible.

​Janiyah isn’t just different because she includes those traditionally left out of the conversation—she’s different because she centers their experiences and affirms them in ways that help everyone learn, grow, and expand what they believe is possible.

Frequently Asked Questions About AI Literacy Workshops

What is an AI literacy workshop for students?

​An AI literacy workshop helps students understand how artificial intelligence works and how to use it responsibly. It emphasizes critical thinking, ethical use, and real-world application.

How can students use AI as a thinking partner?

​Students can use AI as a thinking partner by asking reflective questions, refining their ideas, and exploring multiple perspectives instead of just looking for quick answers.

Why is culturally responsive AI important?

​Culturally responsive AI ensures that students see themselves reflected in technology, which increases engagement, confidence, and long-term interest in STEM and beyond.

How can educators design engaging AI workshops?

By combining hands-on activities, real-time interaction, culturally relevant content, and opportunities for reflection, educators can create meaningful AI learning experiences.

You’re welcome to explore the workshop and even facilitate it yourself: https://www.black-liberation.tech/intro-workshop.html ​