Racial Data Lab

The need for research that exposes racist policy implications and informs policy makers and the public on antiracist alternatives could not be more urgent. Whereas traditional research on racism has focused on what is wrong with people, antiracist research now asks a different question, and a better question: “What is wrong with policies?” Framing research on racism around antiracist questions leads to antiracist narratives, impactful advocacy, and effective policy solutions. To that end, data is key to understanding the historical patterns and predicting future outcomes to achieve an antiracist future.

About the Racial Data Lab

A collaboration between CDS and the Center for Antiracist Research (CAR), the Racial Data Lab brings together racial research and data science to pioneer and lead the field of racial data science. 

Racial Data Tracker

For its initial focus, the main project of the new Lab is the Racial Data Tracker (RDT). RDT aims to develop and maintain the nation’s largest online database of racial inequity data, presented to the public in the form of infographics. Building on the proven model from the COVID Racial Data Tracker, RDT will track, visualize, and analyze racial inequities in real time across multiple sectors of society, including criminal justice, economics, health, and education. A consistent tracking and breaking down of evidential data will ultimately reveal trends that policymakers, media professionals, and everyday citizens can use to enact change.