Using Local Data to Address Structural Racism

Examined concentrations of lead and contaminants in Watts residents’ drinking water and expanded access to mitigation resources to address disparities in water quality. 

Accessed data to inform public policies and leverage local funds to combat crime, implement prevention programs, and revise school disciplinary policies in the US Virgin Islands.

Addressed inequities in air quality and their resulting health effects through neighborhood-level air monitoring and advocacy.

Examined barriers to stable and healthy housing for renters in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and supported community organizing to improve access to quality affordable housing.

Trained residents to track environmental pollution and contamination sites while building advocacy capacity to push for environmental justice.

Used data to understand the relationship of traffic-related injuries to the built environment and infrastructure in historically marginalized neighborhoods and develop recommendations for prioritizing infrastructure investments. 

Examined the supply of guns and developed solutions to reduce gun access to combat gun violence in Milwaukee neighborhoods.

Investigated the disproportionate impacts of pesticide exposure in agricultural communities by building the capacity of local organizations in the San Joaquin Valley to advocate for policy change.

Identified drivers of debt among communities with low wealth and communities of color in Miami-Dade County to help inform advocacy on economic justice.

Trained residents in community research and citizen science to develop a database of quantifiable harms from air pollution to motivate advocacy. 

Testing and mapping surface and ground waters adjacent to a local Tribal Center to generate evidence supporting a heightened perception of cancer rates among citizens.

Identified repair needs in substandard homes through community surveys and assessed equity of existing programs to improve housing quality.

Addressed inequity in San Diego’s public parks through an analysis of green space accessibility and roadway user safety.

Analyzed data on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young children and the systems that serve them in Hartford, Connecticut.

Used data to inform and explain inequities across a range of social determinants of health in western Cook County, Georgia. 

Collected and analyzed data on Black youth achievement in Milwaukee to support community advocacy for more resources in Black neighborhoods.

Analyzed data to identify racial and ethnic disparities in eviction practices to inform changes to local policies and programs.

Used listening sessions and quantitative data to strengthen food access infrastructure in central Texas and understand the systemic barriers to healthy eating for Latino/a residents with low incomes in Austin.

Developed a community-driven vision for the redevelopment of vacant land near public transit. 

Investigated housing security from the perspective of tenants and landlords who are immigrants in order to improve advocacy for additional aid. 

Examined the experience of renters of corporate-owned single-family properties to develop policy recommendations for preserving housing quality and reducing risk of displacement. 

Overlayed data on structural transit inequities with health disparities to increase equitable decision-making and cross-sector collaboration among Washington, DC, agencies.

Analyzed data and community interviews to understand the root causes of hypervacancy in Black communities to develop a framework for racially just land recycling.

Analyzed tree distribution and canopy cover in communities with low incomes to address tree equity through improved stewardship and expanded plantings in Bridgeport. 

Analyzing data on police response to mental health crises by neighborhood to understand disproportionate impacts and potential avenues for change.

Analyzed data and organized community engagement sessions to identify the barriers faced by families living in formerly redlined areas of Racine to accessing early childhood education.

Engaged with nonprofit affordable housing building owners to develop community-based eviction prevention strategies in neighborhoods that are disproportionately affected by housing and health inequities.

Visualized walking and biking infrastructure needs to advocate for equity-focused transportation investments.

Synthesized data and engaged key stakeholders to assess the neighborhood-based implications of using Small Area Fair Market Rents for Housing Choice Vouchers in Baltimore. 

Analyzed data on broadband access for Black and Latinx communities in Rockingham, North Carolina, to support the pursuit of funding to address the racial digital divide.

Sought to understand barriers to healthy food access for older adults.

Conducted listening sessions, a resident-led housing needs assessment, and data analysis sessions in Central and East Los Angeles County to mobilize residents for advocacy campaigns for housing justice.

Examined the root causes of childhood overweight and obesity in Rhode Island to raise awareness and develop community-driven recommendations that reduce racial and ethnic disparities.

Collected data on social cohesion, health provider trust, and neighborhood conditions to understand their impact on health inequities and to facilitate collective action.

Collected data on early education and care to map care deserts, understand their driving factors, and develop policy recommendations to address inequities. 

Conducted a community survey to understand displacement pressures and housing insecurity in the wake of COVID-19 and a new rent control ordinance in Santa Ana, California.

Tracked heat waves and power outages to better understand health impacts on low-income communities and communities of color.

Conducted research to support advocacy for African American women who are caregivers who have lost loved ones through homicide or incarceration related to community violence, as these women are not consistently supported by funding programs, public agencies, and traditional mental health care institutions.