Data justice at EMBRACE means that data practices are designed, managed, used, shared, and governed in ways that center community power, protect privacy and individual rights, promote equity, and ensure that the benefits of data are shared fairly. By sharing power and decision-making responsibility about data and the research process with community, we will increase trust and accountability between community members and researchers and improve the quality of our research. We are committed to active and evolving community engagement. 

Community-led and community-engaged research initiatives can both heal the harm done by traditional outsider-driven research and give communities the tools to conduct their own research that answers urgent questions and leads to meaningful change. The Data Justice Working Group aims to share power, improve coordination, and build capacity with the community in making decisions about data and the research process to promote research and knowledge justice and equitable data accessibility, transparency, utility, and impact across the center and the community. The core will also support the coordination of data-related activities across local projects and cores and the national Data Innovation Hub.

Data Justice Tenets:

Community Power, Authenticity, and Accessibility 

Communities should have decision-making power in shaping data priorities, collection, interpretations, and use. Data must serve communities, not just researchers or institutions.  

Equity and Dismantling Harm 

Data processes should actively counter structural inequities by protecting people’s rights, closing data gaps, and making sure the benefits of research reach communities. Structural inequities can include financial and institutional barriers to accessing data, like paywalls and hidden training requirements to accessing certain data that are not immediately apparent. 

Transparency, Privacy, and Protection 

Communities represented in data should have agency, clarity, and co-governing authority in how their data is used. There should be safeguards to ensure privacy, autonomy, and non-harm to communities represented in data. 

Strengths-Based and Anti-Extractive 

Research should be a resource for communities. Data should highlight community assets, capacities, and successes. Community narratives should not be taken without clear benefit, accountability, and reciprocal value.   

Comprehensive and Values-Forward 

How data is collected, interpreted, and used should be guided by the values of advancing health and justice. Data should produce tangible, equitable improvements in health outcomes, services, and community well-being.