Data equity is a set of principles and practices to guide anyone who works with data through every step of a data project using a lens of justice, equity, and inclusivity (data.org).  We All Count created a Data Equity Framework to help teams think about data equity throughout a project. We All Count notes that “the tools of statistics and data science don’t carry inherent biases towards a worldview or group, but as soon as people get involved, they start making choices that – if unexamined – reinforce their own perspective in a way that affects the data outcomes and by extension the decisions or actions based on them.” 

While data equity is often referenced in projects that handle data about people, earth and biological science projects also have data equity implications. Here are some questions to consider when planning your project and refer to the Data Equity Framework for more context: 

• Who are the project stakeholders and what involvement have they had in framing the research question? 

• Where will the data be collected and who owns the land?  

• Who owns or will own the data? 

• Will the outcome of the project affect policy decisions? Will those policy decisions affect groups differently? 

Learn more about data equity with the Community for Data Integration (CDI). CDI is planning a Data Equity Training Event with We All Count on October 2 from 1:00 – 2:30 pm ET. You can sign up to join the live event or get access to the recording here.

Additionally, We All Count hosts Talking Data Equity.  Each Friday, they dive into a data equity topic with an invited speaker. Join the discussions live or watch past recordings. 

Action: Sign up for the CDI & We All Count Data Equity Training Event: https://forms.office.com/g/ZdeT5bMh7R.