A Broken Hand, A Broken System: My Fight for Ethical AI and Survival
There are moments in life when everything seems to converge, as if the universe itself is sending a message—one that forces you to pause and reflect. For me, that moment came in the form of a bicycle accident, a painful encounter with a pole on my way to Walmart to get a cashier's check for rent. As I lay there with my left hand broken, I couldn’t help but see the irony in the situation. Here I was, broken and bruised, just days before a crucial decision on SB 1047—a bill that could finally bring regulation to artificial intelligence and protect millions of workers from job displacement.
The accident didn’t happen in isolation. It was the result of a long, exhausting journey—a journey where I’ve found myself in constant survival mode. Laid off over a year ago due to tech companies streamlining their operations with AI, I’ve been locked out of a job market that once valued human talent. Every day has been a battle: a race to keep my bank account from dipping into the red, a struggle to hold onto a sense of normalcy that now feels like a distant memory. And all because I’ve been unable to reenter a saturated job market, one dominated by automated processes and AI-driven systems.
In a twisted way, this broken hand feels like a physical manifestation of how I’ve felt emotionally, mentally, and professionally over the past year. Fighting for ethical AI. Fighting for survival. Fighting for a future that doesn’t leave workers like me behind. The pain in my hand is real, but so is the pain of losing your place in a society that is evolving faster than it can care for its people.
Now, with only one functioning arm, I’m faced with an even greater challenge: continuing my advocacy efforts as the decision on SB 1047 looms. The deadline is fast approaching, and while the injury has slowed me down physically, it has not broken my resolve. This fight is so much bigger than me. It’s about the millions of people who face the same struggles—who are trying to survive in a world that seems to value machines more than humans.
I refuse to give up. Not now, not when we are on the verge of change. SB 1047 could be the start of something bigger, something that shifts the balance back toward people and away from unchecked technological advancement. It’s a safeguard for workers, a way to ensure that innovation doesn’t come at the cost of human livelihoods.
As I continue to fight through the pain, both physical and emotional, I remind myself why I’m here. I’m here for the people who have lost their jobs, their security, and their dignity because of unregulated AI. I’m here for the future generations who deserve a world where technology serves humanity—not the other way around.
So, while this broken hand has made my fight even harder, it has also made it even more personal. The pain I feel is a constant reminder of what’s at stake. And as we approach the deadline for SB 1047, I will keep pushing. Because this fight—our fight—is worth every moment of struggle.
Together, we can demand ethical AI. Together, we can make sure no one is left behind. Even with one hand, I’ll continue to type, to speak, and to fight. Because the cause is greater than me—it’s about all of us.
#DemandEthicalAI #SBFight #FightingForSurvival #VoiceForChange
