What We Are Doing

Based in marginalized neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina, Detroit, Michigan, and Los Angeles, California, we are:

  1. Looking at digital data collection and our human rights;
  2. Helping local communities, community organizations, and social support networks;
  3. Growing a national conversation on safety, privacy, and data protection needs of marginalized communities; and,
  4. Showing how different data systems impact re-entry, fair housing, public assistance, and community development.

Why We’re Doing This Work

We are sharing knowledge and tools for data justice and for data access for equity. Our project aims to help movements for justice and to support trusted modes of community health and safety.

Why We’re Concerned About Data

Data-based technologies are changing our lives, and the systems our communities currently rely on are being revamped. These data systems do and will continue to have a profound impact on our ability to thrive.

To confront this change, we must first understand how we are both hurt and helped by data-based technologies. This work is important because our data is our stories. When our data is manipulated, distorted, stolen, or misused, our communities are stifled, and our ability to prosper decreases.

What Will This Research Lead To?

Please visit the Tools or Blog sections of this website.

About Our National Efforts

By working in Charlotte, Detroit, and Los Angeles, we are telling the story of surveillance and data-based discrimination across the United States. We also hope to build with organizations involved in fights for racial justice, LGBTQI liberation, feminism, immigrant rights, economic justice, and other struggles to help us understand and address the impact of data-based technologies on social justice work.