Building a Data Portal for African Americans

Background

Reliable, accessible data is essential for informed policymaking and effective advocacy, especially when addressing systemic issues such as economic disparities and social inequality. The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies sought to build a comprehensive Data Portal for African Americans, providing critical data on socioeconomic indicators, including labor participation rates, unemployment, incarceration rates, poverty levels, wage disparities, and legislative representation. This portal aims to empower policymakers, researchers, and community advocates with data-driven insights.

Project Details

Our team collaborated with the Joint Center to build an accessible, interactive Data Portal through comprehensive data aggregation, analysis, and visualization. The key objectives included:

• Compiling, cleaning, and managing datasets related to economic, social, and demographic indicators sourced from credible agencies, including the U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and American Community Survey (ACS).
• Developing automated, reusable data pipelines for seamless integration and regular updates from public APIs, ensuring timely, accurate, and consistent data availability.
• Uploading GIS shape files (state, congressional district, county) to facilitate detailed geographic visualizations within Tableau.
• Creating both static and interactive visualizations and dashboards that clearly illustrate socioeconomic conditions and disparities within African American communities.

Deliverables

• Data Catalog (Data.World): An organized and comprehensive collection of cleaned and structured datasets ready for public use.
• GIS Integration with Tableau: Interactive maps and visualizations highlighting socioeconomic trends at state, district, and county levels.
• Automated Data Pipelines: Custom-built scripts ensuring consistent, reliable data flow from governmental and institutional sources.
• Initial Launch: A focused visualization of Black unemployment rates by state, serving as a proof of concept for stakeholder engagement and validation.
• Website Launch: A publicly accessible Data Portal providing valuable insights for research and policy advocacy.

Outcomes

The Data Portal significantly enhanced the Joint Center’s ability to provide accurate, accessible, and actionable data on African American communities. By clearly illustrating economic disparities and regional differences, the platform has empowered community advocates, informed public discussions, and strengthened policy advocacy efforts. The successful launch and subsequent adoption of this tool have positioned the Joint Center as a leading resource for evidence-based policymaking dedicated to addressing racial inequity and fostering socio-economic improvements.