Every step of the data life cycle involves choices that can either advance equity or unintentionally reinforce harm. From deciding who shapes project design, to integrating intention for meaningful action as part of the design, to presenting findings in ways that resonate across cultures, each decision matters. Even questions like who receives credit in communications can reinforce harmful structures or affirm the value of lived experience.

Join us for an interactive session introducing the newly updated Toolkit for Centering Racial Equity Throughout Data Integration (2025). This essential resource offers practical guidance for anyone working with data, with positive and problematic practices through each stage of the data life cycle. We’ll also explore the companion Workbook, designed to help you put equity principles into practice.

Whether you’re a data professional or a community leader, you’ll leave with actionable strategies to center racial equity at every stage of your data work.

About this group:

We are a group of data users in Connecticut who are supporting one another as we work toward more equitable data practices. We focus on racial equity explicitly but not exclusively.

Some of the topics we talk about include:

How can we make sure we don't make certain groups invisible through how we disaggregate our data?
How can we learn to focus our attention on the strengths, rather than the deficits, of groups we are seeking to serve or support?
How can we learn from the people who we hope will benefit from our products or services about what their data means to them?
How can we help the institutions that we are part of to be trustworthy so that people will trust us with their information/data?

Please feel free to check out the group. And if it is helpful, please share it!

Centering Racial Equity Throughout Data Work: AISP's Updated Toolkit