Data for Black Lives is a group of activists, organizers, and mathematicians committed to the mission of using data science to create concrete and measurable change in the lives of Black people.

Since the advent of computing, big data and algorithms have penetrated virtually every aspect of our social and economic lives. These new data systems have tremendous potential to empower communities of color. Tools like statistical modeling, data visualization, and crowd-sourcing, in the right hands, are powerful instruments for fighting bias, building progressive movements, and promoting civic engagement. But history tells a different story, one in which data is too often wielded as an instrument of oppression, reinforcing inequality and perpetuating injustice. Recent trends like predictive policing, risk-based sentencing, and predatory lending are troubling variations on the same theme. Today, discrimination is a high-tech enterprise. Through research, advocacy, and movement-building, we are building a future in which data and technology are forces for good, rather than the instruments of oppression.

Goal One: Create concrete and measurable change in the lives of Black people.

Data for Black Lives is dedicated to assembling a team of the finest global talent, investing in our staff by funding continuing education, promoting rest, sponsoring travel for broader exposure to diverse ideas, and covering costs for professional coaching and mental health support.

Setting boundaries and reducing our accessibility has allowed us to grow intentionally during turbulent times. We receive multiple requests for communication daily and are learning to prioritize and discern where to place our energy. Other adages, such as “hire slow and fire quickly,” have ruminated in our minds as we witness the pros and cons of that saying. We have learned to work with intention, not from a state of reaction, while being careful and selective about who we work with.