PolicyLink and the National Equity Atlas Team Up with Tableau Foundation to Make Data a Cornerstone of Racial Justice Efforts Across the United States

OAKLAND, Calif. – October 6, 2020 – Racism is a systemic issue that pervades every aspect of life in the United States. People experiencing racism don’t need data to understand that experience, but data can be a powerful force in highlighting these issues across a community, informing policy makers on changes that need to be made, and holding institutions accountable for the actions they do or do not take.

At this year’s Tableau Conference, PolicyLink, a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity, and Tableau, the global leader in analytics, announced a partnership that will encompass several initiatives to empower local changemakers with data and resources for local advocacy. The $1.4 million partnership will extend Tableau software, services, and funding to support advocates and community organizations who will drive action at every level, local to national.

“In this moment of racial awakening, data is critical to our understanding of how to move forward and craft solutions that actually work, and this partnership with the Tableau community is going to give us those tools to revolutionize our data capacity,” said Dr. Michael McAfee, President and CEO of PolicyLink. “The data community has the capability to join with the racial justice movement to ensure that calls for justice manifested in our streets gets translated into public policy that designs a world where everyone can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.”

The new partnership with Tableau will significantly expand the power and utility of the National Equity Atlas. Launched in 2014 by a partnership between PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute, the National Equity Atlas equips movement leaders and policymakers with actionable data and strategies to advance racial equity and shared prosperity. With dozens of equity indicators deeply disaggregated by race/ethnicity, gender, ancestry, nativity, income and more for the largest 100 cities, largest 150 regions, all 50 states, and the United States, the Atlas is America's most detailed report card on racial and economic equity.

Tableau will help build a new Racial Equity Data Lab on the Atlas, where users can create Tableau visualizations and dashboards using Atlas data integrated with their own data. The Atlas will also host an Equity Data Fellowship that will provide data visualization training and support to leaders of color working in racial equity-focused organizations.

This is the largest grant made under the $12M Racial Justice Data Initiative announced by Tableau in July 2020. In addition to supporting community advocacy efforts, PolicyLink will also play a key role in developing a Tableau Equity Data Hub, hosted by the Tableau Foundation, that will bring together expert resources on the effective and ethical use of data for achieving equitable education, advancing justice, building economic power, and building political power in communities where it is long past time for a change.

“Increased access to data can advance understanding of the depth and causes of these inequalities and identify ways to address them systematically,” said Neal Myrick, Tableau’s VP of Social Impact. “We don’t expect data and analytics alone to change people’s minds, but in the hands of passionate community leaders they can transform the way cities and towns across the country think about a host of issues like education, housing, economic opportunity, and criminal justice.”

To learn more about the Racial Justice Data Initiative and be alerted when the Equity Data Hub goes live, please visit tableaufoundation.org.

About PolicyLink

PolicyLink is a national research and action institute advancing racial and economic equity by Lifting Up What Works®. For more information, visit www.PolicyLink.org.

About Tableau

Tableau helps people see and understand data. Tableau’s self-service analytics platform empowers people of any skill level to work with data. From individuals and non-profits to government agencies and the Fortune 500, tens of thousands of customers around the world use Tableau to get rapid insights and make impactful, data-driven decisions. See how Tableau can help you by downloading the free trial at www.tableau.com/trial.