Yo Deshpande
Yo is the Technologist for the Public Realm in the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics. He’s interested in how technology can make cities not just smarter, but wiser: more caring for their most vulnerable citizens, more open and transparent with how they operate, more in sync with the natural world. As the Technologist, Yo’s work explores digital freedoms, data privacy, community empowerment and co-design, and how healthy relationships between humans, technology, and nature can take new forms.
Yo grew up in Boston and took KG very seriously when he said “anything is possible.” He’s a strong believer in the restorative powers of meditation, intergenerational community, and mashed potatoes. Before joining the Mechanics, Yo researched and designed services supporting older adults and people navigating the criminal justice system. He holds a Master’s of Science from Bentley University’s Human Factors in Information Design program.