The Hidden Inventor Behind GIFs

You probably use GIFs every day to react in a chat, comment on social media, or make a point without typing a single word. GIFs help us communicate emotion, humor, and personality in seconds. But most people don’t know that GIF technology was created by a Black woman software engineer, Lisa Gelobter.
In the 1990s, while working on early internet technologies, Gelobter helped develop animation tools that made looping images, what we now call GIFs, possible and popular. Her work helped shape how visuals move online today, influencing everything from memes to social media to digital storytelling. While GIFs arefun, they are also a kind of language, powered by software and creativity.

Your Task:
Imagine you’re on a product team creating the next evolution of GIFs.
Step 1: Answer one question:
Why do you think GIFs became such a powerful way to communicate?
When do GIFs work better than words?

Step 2: Invent
Design a new kind of digital GIF. This could be:
A smarter GIF that changes based on mood or context
A GIF tool for education, activism, or mental health
A feature that helps people express themselves more clearly online

Describe:
Who the GIF is for
What problem it solves
How it works (in simple terms)

This Skillbuilder is in celebration of Black History Month.