NYC Public Interest Technology (PIT) Pop-Up

CUNY Public Interest Tech (PIT) Lab presents: NYC PIT Pop-Up at the Oculus in Lower Manhattan

October 27 – November 6, 2025
 Rebooting the City: Tech. Justice. And What’s Next?

What Is It?

The NYC PIT Pop-Up (aka NYC Public Interest Tech Pop-Up) is a temporary, immersive, pop-up event where technology, art, science, and community converge. For ten days, a storefront space in the South Concourse of the iconic Oculus/World Trade Center Transit Hub will become part gallery, part workshop, and part future commons. This shared space for co-creation and imagination will showcase how technology can be designed to serve justice, equity, and community empowerment.

This event is free to the public. The space will be open Monday through Friday from 2pm to 8pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 8pm.

What You’ll Find Inside:

Daily Demos & Performances: From civic tech tools to protest art and abolitionist projects, partners across NYC will activate the space.

Visioning Games: A collective narrative will emerge over the 10 days that will shape building a cross-sector space to generate opportunities for public interest tech in action.

Feedback Wall: People power is needed to direct the future of tech. Visitors will be encouraged to leave their ideas behind and invited to watch them grow even after they leave.

Zine Station: On-site PIT zine making with student and community partners.

Livestream & Jamboard: Broadcasting to PIT-UN and beyond, feeding NYC ideas into national conversations.

Atmosphere: Music, audio storytelling, and creative design vibes that are explore themes of the utopian as well as dystopian.

Community Hangout: events including a NYC Mayoral Election watch party, hackathons, and conversations with grassroots groups.

Partnering with Synergystic Activities:  The premiere of a new documentary from Roadtrip Nation, NY PIT Regional Hub meeting, and more.

Partners & Voices:

We’re teaming up with artists, technologists, justice organizers, and nonprofits including:

• BetaNYC – Mapping for equity and open data demos
• NY PIT Regional Hub (members from Fordham, NYU, Columbia)
• PIT-UN.org
• CyberCollective – on surveillance and abolition
• Roadtrip Nation – Tech for Us documentary
• Justice-involved and immigrant rights groups
• Scholars and students from across NYC

…and more (zine makers, musicians, pop-up collaborators and neighbors!)