Arif Mamdani, Capacity Building Program Coordinator

Arif Mamdani came to the Progressive Technology Project in 2003 with extensive experience in applying technology to grassroots organizing. Prior to coming to PTP, Arif worked as a Circuit Rider at the Low Income Networking and Communications (LINC) Project at the Welfare Law Center. At LINC, Arif worked with welfare rights organizers to identify and implement technology to support and enhance their organizing campaigns.

Arif’s interest in technology and organizing is a result of a campaign against police brutality that he participated in while in college. The college was a relatively “wired” campus, and as a result, the organizers tried to identify ways to use the campus technology to broadcast their message. For Arif, this formed the beginning of a lifelong interest in the ways that technology can support social change efforts.

In addition to work with technology, Arif also has experience as an educator. After graduation with a degree in Sociology and Political Science from Drew University, Arif worked as an adult education teacher at a number of organizations in New York City. At one time or another, Arif has taught ESOL, beginning reading, math, writing, and GED classes. In his last teaching position, Arif coordinated the writing program at the Fortune Society, an organization in Manhattan that provides services to people coming out of prison as well as people in alternative to incarceration programs.

Along with teaching and technology, Arif has spent the last five years working with organizations fighting police brutality and the prison industrial complex. Most recently, he worked with Critical Resistance East to organize a three day regional organizing and strategy session. Following the conference, Arif worked with Critical Resistance on a local and national level, and most recently has been working with the technology committee to work through a redesign and re-launch of Critical Resistance’s website.

When he is not otherwise occupied, Arif enjoys hanging out with his partner and their three cats. Arif harbors secret ambitions to attend culinary school and is presently working on developing his bread baking skills.