# Web3 & Representation 

**Published by:** [Project Rang](https://paragraph.com/@project-rang/)
**Published on:** 2022-04-17
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@project-rang/web3-representation

## Content

Project Rang is a Web3 platform that aims to empower and support the South Asian community. To learn more about our mission and roadmap, please see our website projectrang.com. Make sure to join our Discord and follow us on Twitter!TL;DR:Decentralization disrupts longstanding institutions and the biases that they bringExpressing your identity and culture is easier with NFTsThere are still demographic imbalances in Web3 especially for women, people of color, and newcomers entering the spaceThe Promise of Web3 🌐With what started as a groundbreaking paper published in 2009 talking about Bitcoin and blockchain technology, the Web 3.0 (“Web3”) world has exponentially grown into a massive industry built around cryptocurrency, digital assets, and virtual worlds. Unlike the previous versions of the internet, which we are used to, Web3 establishes a network that is owned by its users/builders and runs on digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Given its decentralized nature, this system does not require middlemen to assist in transactions and take a cut. Additionally, all of the transactions in the system are saved on an immutable ledger meaning everyone in the system has access to who, when, and how much any item/asset was transacted for. So, what about NFTs (non-fungible tokens)? How is it different than cryptocurrency? Well, first and foremost, NFTs are non-fungible making each one a unique digital item. For example, if you wanted to you could trade 1 Ethereum (ETH) for another, then nothing would change. Cryptocurrencies are fungible which means you can trade them for the exact same thing and the value wouldn’t change (e.g. trade one ETH for another). On the other hand, NFTs are like trading cards. If you trade one NFT for another, you would be getting a totally different item with different properties. This is what makes the NFT you have one of a kind.NFTs, Identity, and Expression 🖼Since the creation of EIP-721, the code that established the NFT, communities have leveraged the power of the unique digital asset to redefine identity and membership. You’ve probably seen images of pixelated punks, colorful cats, and cartoon apes taking the internet by storm and probably said, “WTF??? 🤨 ” like I did when I first entered the space. Those images are individual NFTs that belong to communities that anyone can join. These communities provide official membership through the NFTs they sell. Instead of a simple barcode of membership ID number, these NFTs are unique digital images that represent the member/holder inside and outside the community. Not only does this provide an interesting way to identify members, but it also establishes a new meaning to identity. Holders can use their NFT in place of their profile picture and other digital identifiers. Now people can identify you as the ape with cool sunglasses and a striped shirt, and no one can question it as long as you have the NFT in your possession. With NFT collections showing validity and profitability, people have been flooding into the industry hoping to make their mark. Caused-based and culture-based collections have begun to emerge since many people see the impact decentralized communities can have on various initiatives and charities. Project Rang, a community focused on empowering the South Asian community, plans to use NFTs to connect South Asians around the world and invest in community charities and startups. Other great examples of cause-based collections are BFF, which is founded by Mila Kunis and Gwenyth Paltrow, and Web3 Familia, a Web3 platform for the LatinX community.Where are the Gaps? 🤔Web 3.0, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs are the perfect solution to disrupt longstanding, biased institutions and give power back to the masses. So what could possibly go wrong? Even though the underlying technology is amazing, the industry is seeing tremendous gaps in demographics and investments, which can result in the same societal issues we are seeing in today’s Web 2.0 world. For example, men account for 81% of the crypto industry, and only 16% of NFT artists are women. This could be extremely detrimental to people of color, especially women of color, who are the most likely to invest in crypto. Additionally, even though culture-based collections are gaining popularity, the majority of the industry is still slow when it comes to inclusion and diversity. Platforms like Project Rang, understand that increasing diversity, inclusion, and equity in Web3 will lead to a higher positive impact from the space. This industry represents an opportunity to learn from our mistakes and biases in Web 2.0 and make sure we do not let them marginalize communities in Web3.Join Our Movement 🚀Our mission at Project Rang is to empower members and allies of the South Asian community, close the gender gap, and provide a stage for people of color. If you’re interested, please join our Discord and follow us on Twitter. We will be launching our inaugural collection, which will have utility including but not limited to access to special events we hold around the world and voting power in how we invest our treasury funds.

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