A Vision for Equitable Data
The Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (“Equity EO”) launched a whole-of-government effort to incorporate the principle of equity throughout the federal government. Recognizing that the ability to conduct equity assessments—i.e., to understand the impact of federal policies on equity outcomes—and identify and remove barriers to equitable access to government programs is contingent on gathering the necessary data, President Biden ordered the formation of the Equitable Data Working Group (“Working Group”). The President directed the Working Group to study existing federal data collection policies, programs, and infrastructure to identify inadequacies and provide recommendations that lay out a strategy for increasing data available for measuring equity and representing the diversity of the American people.
The Equity EO highlights the importance of consultation and engagement with the public, including members of underserved communities, as part of the equitable data policy process. To that end, the Working Group held sessions to seek input from a wide range of organizations representing underserved groups including Catalyst Miami.
Read the Working Group recommendations in their report here.
