William Dyson is a technology visionary based in Oakland, California. He is the founder of the Douglass Decentralized Operating System (DDOS or “Douglas Decentralized OS”), named in honor of Frederick Douglass — an African American icon who stood for the equality of all peoples and the possibility of a better tomorrow. Through DDOS, Dyson is focused on creating new inclusive economic and political spaces, culture change, system change and redefining computing.

Douglass Decentralized OS and Devices have been developed from the ground up with the intention of bringing Martin Luther King’s “Beloved Community” into reality.  To support this social mission, Dyson has created the Beloved Community License (BCL), which states that any software or hardware developed for the Douglass platform will not support violence, surveillance, or institutions of incarceration.  Included in the terms of the license are phrases such as this:  “By using Software and Hardware Issued under the BCL License you recognize the spiritual divinity of every person with special attention to the hungry, the homeless and the oppressed.”

At the age of 5, William began a meditative practice. When his family spun into poverty 6 years later, that practice helped him to get through each day, support his family, and experience the understanding that he was not alone on the path. William has devoted his adult life to developing technology that will disrupt computing as we know it; empowering worldwide communities in struggle to create new political and economic realities.

William ran for Congress in the state of Virginia when he was 25, becoming the youngest person to ever do so. He lived and worked in Europe for 15 years as a technology due diligence consultant for investment banks and as vice president of an R&D lab for an artificial intelligence company.

William’s life gives him a unique perspective that drives him to develop technology that is imbued with a healing Black consciousness, that empowers people rather than exploiting them. He has been working on Artificial Intelligence and Decentralization for the last 20 years.  He believes the Douglass Decentralized OS is now possible because technology has finally caught up with his vision.

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