Revealing the Digitally Invisibilized: Discussing Bias and Offering Solutions
Session Type(s): Panel, Streamed Session
Starts: Thursday, Jul. 13 2:30 PM (Central)
Ends: Thursday, Jul. 13 3:30 PM (Central)
Room: Salon A-1
Join us as four experienced Black data practitioners discuss their experiences, address data problems rooted in racial bias and introduce solutions found in the field. We’ll pull back the veil on topics such as racial bias in data systems and the reality of missing or “invisible” voters. We’ll discuss recommendations for how to invest to correct for some of these systemic biases. Funders who want to support expanding the electorate may be surprised to find that racial bias in data technology and systems will make that work harder unless we take it on directly. Attending this session is one step forward in understanding how to do that.
Moderator
JaNaé Bates
Minister JaNaé Bates is the communications director for Faith in Minnesota and ISAIAH – multi-racial, multi-faith, state-wide vehicles for people and communities of faith, Black owned barbershops and childcare centers. These organizations are dedicated to building a multiracial democracy by moving collectively and powerfully for racial and economic equity in the state of Minnesota. JaNaé specializes in integrating grassroots community organizing and narrative strategy. She has been instrumental in the implementation of the “Race Class Gender Narrative” framework in both Minnesota and across the U.S. JaNaé is a womanist theologian and Fulbright scholar. She has nearly two decades of academic and professional experience in ministry, social justice, and communications.
Other sessions: How We Restored Voting Rights for 55,000 Minnesotans
Panelists
Michael Ingram
Michael works at the intersection of analytics and racial justice. Starting as a analyst conducting research into the disparities in the criminal justice system and moving on to assist non-profits in mobilizing our communities. Michael is a senior political operative specializing in using data for liberation work.
Michael has a Masters Degree from Arizona State University and currently serves as state data director of Dream Defenders.
Miriam McKinney
Miriam McKinney Gray is a passionate research professional — committed to serving projects with targeted, socially conscious missions. Miriam currently serves as a senior data analyst for the Democracy and Power Innovation (DPI) Fund where she works closely with data leaders at several power-building organizations, leads monthly meetings and workshops, supports innovative academic research, and more. Prior to her work with the DPI Fund, she was a research data analyst for the Johns Hopkins University where she led city analytics projects, taught online coursework, produced published theoretical frameworks, and supported data collection for the Coronavirus Resource Center.
Miriam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences from Loyola University Maryland and Columbia University respectively.
Derrick Smith
Derrick, Data Manager of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, helps quantify the community-led power bases being organized from our membership and voter engagement programs. He’s worked with organizers to build successful voter engagement programs, track internal and external engagement with volunteers and voters, and provide analysis on voter contacts.
Derrick earned his M.S. in Applied Statistics from Wright State University and currently resides in Cincinnati, OH.