Capacity NYC

05/06/2026

Behind every food delivery order is a worker navigating more than traffic — many are navigating algorithmic control, economic insecurity, and systems that demand employee-level accountability without employee-level protections.

Many delivery workers are classified as 1099 contractors instead of W-2 employees, often without benefits, stability, or transparency around how app algorithms shape their income and access to work.

And many of these workers are immigrants whose labor keeps our cities moving every day. We need to move beyond deficit models and recognize the strength, resilience, and community wisdom within immigrant communities.

Technology should not come at the expense of dignity. Workers deserve fairness, transparency, and protection.

#1099

04/13/2026

Real research. Real stories. Real impact. This is what a PhD looks like beyond the classroom. My dissertation at NYU Silver explores the lived experiences of essential workers -- the people who kept our city running during COVID while facing some of the greatest risks. Follow along as I share findings from this journey.

01/14/2026

10/30/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/alifahmed/p/the-sound-of-defiance?r=1bdorg&utm_medium=ios

10/08/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/alifahmed/p/the-power-and-paradox-of-property?r=1bdorg&utm_medium=ios

10/04/2025

https://open.substack.com/pub/alifahmed/p/contracts-intimacy-and-the-politics?r=1bdorg&utm_medium=ios

07/10/2025

05/14/2025

Filing for asylum is complex—but you don’t have to do it alone.
Join us on June 6 for a free legal support session focused on affirmative asylum filings. We’ll provide screenings, interpreter coordination, and volunteer-led assistance to help you submit Form I-589 correctly and on time.

If you’re within your 1-year deadline, this can make a difference.
Led by Legal Facilitator Thrapthi Perumal, Dreamers Hymn Inc