Idris Brewster: Bringing history to life with augmented reality

Design Better

In Berlin, there are memorials to the Holocaust called Stolpersteine, or “stumbling stones,” that memorialize some of the victims of the tragic event with small brass stones placed into the cobblestone streets outside their last-known residence. These poignant objects create moments for reflection, and awareness of the invisible history that hides behind modern city streets.

Here in the United States, we have important points of history that often go unnoticed. Our guest today, Idris Brewster, aims to change that with the Kinfolk Foundation, which uses augmented reality to shift how we learn about our history, bringing it to life in front of our eyes.

We speak with Idris about how he found his way into the realm of augmented reality technology, how cultural moments can change historical perspectives, and the power of location-based storytelling and designing for discovery.

Bio

Idris Brewster is a Brooklyn-born artist and creative technologist who challenges traditional narratives through immersive spatial experiences that merge historical archives, public spaces, and technology. As the Executive Director of Kinfolk Foundation, he empowers Black and Brown communities by turning augmented reality into a tool for monument-making and historical preservation.

Before Kinfolk, Idris developed Google’s Code Next program, which introduces Black and Brown youth to computer science and STEAM fields. His innovative work has earned him accolades from Forbes 30 Under 30, Sundance, Tribeca, New Museum, Eyebeam, the United Nations, and the Museum of Modern Art.

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