The Evident Change Podcast

Now that you've learned about Evident Change's approach to Data for Equity, we want to encourage you to get started (or build on what you've done). And while the topics of data and equity are complex--and can sometimes cause anxiety--we all have a perfect place to begin: wherever we are right now. In this episode, guests from our research, program, and strategy and integration teams talk about trust, asking questions and collecting baseline data, documenting your process, and including a wide range of people in your equity work. They also talk about the importance of recognizing and building on success, and observing the day-to-day things your organization is already doing that can become a springboard for incremental change. Finally, you'll hear about Evident Change's organizational equity journey and, we hope, leave emboldened to begin or build on your own. Guests: Erin Espinosa, PhD, Director of Research Deirdre O'Connor, Associate Director of Strategy and Integration Angie Wolf, PhD, Chief Program Officer Host: Kathy Park, Chief Executive Officer

What is an equity statement? If your organization has a mission statement, do you even need an equity statement?  This episode of the Evident Change Podcast focuses on an equity statement as a key tool and strategy to anchor  individuals and entire organizations within their specific commitment to equity work.  An equity statement serves as a guide for both internal culture work and external accountability to clients and partners. But as much as the equity statement itself is important, the process of creating it is just as important for organizations who are looking to create usable and equitable outcome metrics. In this episode, guests from Evident Change's DEI department will walk you through the process of building an equity statement. They discuss how important it is to simply begin the work, no matter where you're starting from or how intimidating it may seem, and emphasize that normalizing imperfection opens us up to greater learning and trust, which ultimately propels us in the direction of our equity goals. Guests: Kisha Freeman, DEI Manager Michele D. Harper, Chief Equity Officer Marisol Martinez, Senior DEI Specialist Host: Kathy Park, Chief Executive Officer

What do humility, trust, respect, and accountability have to do with working with data? Everything! Our values, purpose, and methodology choices about how we collect, use, and share data affect not only the results of our analysis but more importantly, the people being served by our systems and community organizations. In this conversation with Evident Change data analytics and strategy and integration staff, you'll hear about the importance of who is "at the table" when making decisions about data. You'll learn about how Evident Change guides its partners in conversations about their values and purpose, and how those discussions impact data projects and system transformation. Guests also share examples of how using different methodologies on the same information can result in vastly different pictures, which has real implications for the choices organizations make in how to equitably serve their clients. Guests: Erin Wicke Dankert, Data Solutions Program Manager Deirdre O'Connor, Associate Director of Strategy and Integration Chris Scharenbroch, Director of Analytics Host: Kathy Park, Chief Executive Officer

Bias in data is a big issue when it comes to systems change. And exploring the topic can leave us feeling like there are few answers and many questions: Are all system data biased? If so, can system data still be useful to create meaningful social change, or does using these data do more harm than good? Is there any way to mitigate bias, and if so, how? This episode brings together staff from our DEI and analytics departments to discuss whether it's possible to use (or ignore) data ethically, what we can do about bias in data and in ourselves, and how advancements like machine learning and AI complicate these topics. Guests: Erin Wicke Dankert, Data Solutions Program Manager Marisol Martinez, Senior DEI Specialist Chris Scharenbroch, Director of Analytics Host: Kathy Park, Chief Executive Officer

Equitable outcomes go beyond finding out who is overrepresented in our social systems; they are about creating real and lasting change that people experience and feel. And while many organizations want their outcomes to be equitable, they often confuse equity and equality, and lack the language to talk about what equity outcomes they want their data to drive.  In this episode, staff from Evident Change's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion department discuss the conversations organizations need to have before they begin data projects with a goal of creating equitable outcomes. You'll leave with a better understanding of how to examine questions like, does your organization have shared language and understanding of equity vs. equality? Where is your leadership in their equity journey? How can you build on what you've already done without leaving anyone behind?  Organizational and culture change are hard but are very much possible, no matter where you're starting from. In this discussion, we focus on the difficulties organizations can face when doing data work through a racial equity lens, the benefits of equity for everyone, and how we can get past shame and blame to normalize discomfort and imperfection and work as a collective to create real and lasting transformation.   Guests: Michele D. Harper, Chief Equity Officer Kisha Freeman, DEI Manager Marisol Martinez, Senior DEI Specialist Host:  Kathy Park, Chief Executive Officer

Welcome to the Evident Change podcast! In our first episodes, we're taking a deep dive into data and equity. The series will introduce you to the unique way Evident Change brings together these concepts and practices, most explicitly in our Data for Equity model. The Data for Equity model meets organizations where they are to increase their capacity to create and support equitable outcomes.  The series incorporates a diverse range of Evident Change staff with background in research, analytics, justice, child welfare, and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) to examine the ways data and equity can intersect. We'll examine questions like: What is equity? How do we know if our outcomes are equitable? Why does data work require us to have tough conversations about our values? Where do we begin? Episode 1 invites some of our organizational leaders with backgrounds in research, analytics, and DEI to answer these questions and discuss the potential and pitfalls of bringing data and equity together. You'll learn more about their equity journeys, the process of unlearning what it means to be an "expert," and why it's so important to center humility when we bring together data and equity. Guests: Erin Espinosa, PhD, Director of Research Michele D. Harper, Chief Equity Officer Chris Scharenbroch, Director of Analytics Host: Kathy Park, CEO