New efforts elevate intersectional diversity in the Tableau Community

Data is a powerful tool to reveal insights, ignite conversations, and drive change—whether you’re looking to solve business problems or address injustices in your community. Last year, Tableau launched the Racial Justice Data Initiative (RJDI), committing to a new three-year, $12 million expansion of equity work done by the Tableau Foundation and its network of partners.

We’ve been working with our partners and the Tableau Community to expand conversations and community projects to address the intersectional diversity—the intersection of multiple identities—of community members. To help people use data and analytics for greater diversity, inclusion, and equality, we’re building on broader Tableau commitments, as shared by Tableau CEO Adam Selipsky in an open letter and announcement of the RJDI. To contribute to realizing a more equitable and just world, the Racial Equity Data Hub was recently launched as a part of the initiative, with the goal of helping organizations and advocates use data and analysis to help end racism. Tableau created this platform to empower anyone working to address institutionalized racism with data, tools, and connections to support their efforts to establish equity and justice in their communities.  

While there is much work to be done, we have the privilege and responsibility to affect widespread, positive change with the power of data and analytics. Read on to hear about what we’re doing with the Tableau Community to elevate intersectional diversity.
 

Tableau Community Equity Task Force

The work being done by the Tableau Foundation and its partners is critical to helping establish a more just and equitable world. And we know that the broader Tableau Community does similarly powerful work to end inequalities using data and analysis. Across Tableau Public, social media, Tableau User Groups, community forums, and the new Community Hub, we look forward to sharing and highlighting the extraordinary projects and individuals who use analysis and visualization in engaging ways. Whether it’s to inform, entertain, inspire, solve problems, pose questions, or all of the above, the Tableau Community is doing compelling analytics and visualization work to move towards a more equitable world.

To sustain these efforts and nurture a thriving community that supports people on their analytics journey, we must work to ensure that every community member is welcomed and represented, living up to the “Data Fam” name. Last fall, the first Tableau Community Equity Task Force was formed to make the Tableau Community a more diverse and inclusive place and keep equal representation central to all conversations within community programs. Meet the impressive data people who make up the Task Force and read about their work on the Community Hub.

Made up of 12 members selected from currently underrepresented groups—in terms of race, gender, and location—this team focuses on actionable ways to improve representation and inclusion in the community. They’re also here to hold the Tableau Community accountable to this commitment. While this first cohort has ambitious plans, managing the pandemic and related professional and personal disruptions has created an additional layer to an already challenging task.

The Community Equity Task Force (CETF) has been busy at work, having established their mission and plans to create and deploy training for all community leaders, actively increasing diverse representation across Tableau’s community programs in the coming year. The CETF is also working on specific pilot projects to develop training, mentorship, and workshops for youth and students in underserved areas. One Task Force member, Sekou Tyler, kicked off a Data Fam fundraiser to provide funds to the non-profit Thurgood Marshall College Fund, which offers scholarships to Black students and historically Black colleges and universities, also contributing with capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships. Tableau will be matching donation funds during the month of February, up to a total of $10,000. You can donate here.

To support one of their goals of educating and engaging the broader Tableau Community in their efforts through vizzes, projects, and events, they’ve curated a Tableau Public viz gallery to showcase the work of the community to further diversity, inclusion, and equality. Check out some of the vizzes in the gallery below:

Hoping to learn more about CETF members? Get to know these extraordinary community members by following the interview series that dives into how they got started with the Tableau Community, where they are on their data journey, and covers everything from tips and tricks, personal stories, and more. Read the first interview with Task Force member Candra McRae, who sat down to chat with fellow CETF member, Allen Hillery. 
 

Data + Diversity event series

As we embarked on this journey, we heard the request from the Tableau Community to have important conversations about how data and analytics can help address barriers to representation and justice. And how they bring greater accountability to diversity and equity efforts— at Tableau and within the Tableau Community as well. So we launched the Data + Diversity event series, partnering with community members to highlight voices, and explore how analytics help people understand inequities and take action. This shared platform features community stories and conversations that also provide much-needed inspiration. Throughout the series, we hope to foster brave conversations around diversity, inclusion, allyship, and actionable ways the Tableau Community can drive progress. 

We’ve had two events thus far with two visionary Black women speakers, Kimberly Bryant, CEO & Founder of Black Girls CODE!, and Jessica O. Matthews, Founder & CEO of Uncharted Power, as well as inviting Task Force members and to participate in captivating discussions. (View the event recordings here.) You can expect to hear from an Equity Task Force member throughout the series. 

The next Data + Diversity event, “Exploring the data visualizations of W.E.B. Du Bois,” celebrates Black History Month and the work of sociologist, author, historian, and activist, W.E.B. Du Bois. Allen Hillery, Community Equity Task Force member, hosts the event and is joined by Jason Forrest, Director of Interactive Data Visualization at McKinsey, and Anthony J. Starks, Independent Consultant. Register for the virtual Data + Diversity event happening on February 25, 2021 at 9:00am PST. Join the #DuBoisChallenge by trying your hand at recreating Du Bois’s visualizations and sharing them online. 

If you’d like to get involved with future Data + Diversity events, we’d love to hear from you. You can fill out this form to express your interest.
 

Looking forward: Using data and analytics for intersectional diversity

While our initial events have been centered on racial and gender diversity, focusing on only those factors will not help us realize the commitment and vision established with the Racial Justice Data Initiative. Without addressing intersectional diversity in our work, we will fail. This year, we plan to tackle topics and highlight community voices reflecting not only racial and gender diversity, but we’ll also hear from veterans, individuals who identify as neurodiverse, people of varying abilities, and other underrepresented members of the community. We’re also actively working to make changes in how we format future events to be more inclusive, having closed captioning and/or sign language translators. 

As a community, we must continue to use the analytics skills, privilege, and platforms we possess to create inclusive, representative spaces that educate, empower, and remove barriers to access. We hope you continue to partner with us and each other, participate in Data + Diversity events, follow the work of the Community Equity Task Force, feel inspired to take action in your own communities, and use data and analytics to help educate, shaping a more equitable future for everyone.

Check out the Community Equity Task Force on the new Community Hub.