How Numbers Tell a Story: Ensuring Racial Equity in Data Collection

When I was in school, I had a strong aversion toward any subject that had to do with math. Whether it was a simple algebra course or more challenging physics class, numbers were never my strong suit. When I would look at an equation or see a graph, it honestly felt like a foreign language to me. It all felt so theoretical, like we were just learning about numbers and solutions without any practical application. I wanted the numbers to have meaning but in a school setting, they were simply just problems to be solved. 

But as I’ve gotten older, I see how numbers are part of our everyday life. Perhaps I don’t need to know how fast a rocket will land on the moon going 20,000 miles per hour, but there are other practical things I need numbers for. Whether it’s balancing a budget, following a recipe or figuring out how many minutes I need to walk to burn off the calories from a pecan tart I ate (this may or may not have happened recently). 

But more importantly, numbers tell a story. Here at the League, we understand that numbers are more than just points on a page, they give us information to evaluate systems, and pursue solutions that improve the lives of those we serve. One of our priorities is investing in complete and equitable data systems that are transparent and focused on delivering positive, equitable outcomes for kids and families. 

We have seen countless examples of how racial and economic disparities have led to missing, inaccurate and fragmented data that hurts our most vulnerable communities. Right here in Detroit, we can see how inconsistent data has held back the city.  

Researchers from the University of Michigan and Wayne State University found there was a significant undercount in the 2020 Census data, which would cause the city to lose out on millions of dollars of federal aid funding that Detroiters could greatly benefit from. The population count from the census helps to determine the future of a city—where schools will be built or new housing developments will be formed, how highways are constructed or how education funding is allocated. The census sets the stage for the next decade of funding for communities, and an undercount can lead to misrepresentation and decreased funding for people who desperately need it. 

There are reasons for the undercount and potential misrepresentative data that stem from long-standing racial disparities. One example is the digital divide among lower-income communities. The lack of investment in internet connectivity and wide-reaching broadband access made online self-reporting for the census difficult for Detroiters. There is also the question of expanding the race category for those with Middle Eastern or North African heritage. In southeast Michigan, we have a rich community of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) families—from Arab Americans to Lebanese, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Yemeni, and many more. As of now, they are still left to check “White” as their racial category, which provides an inaccurate picture of our region. 

This is just one example of how racial disparity can hinder data collection and data results. Lack of resources to collect data contributes to lack of representative data, which then furthers the lack of resources that come into a community. This cycle of underrepresentation will continue unless intentional action is taken to bring a racial equity lens to the work we do. 

We are proud to say we are making strides with data collection through our 2022 Kids Count Data profiles—offering policymakers and advocates new data to evaluate past, present and future investment decisions. But there is still work to be done, and we continue to push for more thorough and equitable data collection.

Our work is one small piece of the puzzle, and we encourage our partners to consider the racial equity lens in the work that they do. Numbers tell a story, and we are constantly striving to make our stories accurate, transparent and whole.