I nā kualono: towards systems change in data equity for the Hawai`i-Pacific region

in 'Ōlelo Hawai'i: kualono is the ridge line that joins mountaintops, the highest point of the ahupua’a, a place of hearing. I nā kualono describes traveling and approaching those mountain ridges.

WHAT we are doing: Targeting SYSTEMS CHANGE

"Systems change is an approach to tackling the root causes of a problem by identifying and creating shifts in the systems that are responsible for the problem."  Ashoka

HOW we work: Through a COLLECTIVE IMPACT FRAMEWORK

  • NSF INCLUDES Alliances focus on systems change through a Collective Impact framework

  • Collective Impact emphasizes partnering organizations achieving change through:

    • forming a backbone organization of committed partners

    • identifying a mutually shared agenda for change

    • performing mutually reinforcing activities

    • maintaining open and continuous communication

    • conducting shared measurement to track progress and identify impacts

ALL-SPICE SYSTEMS CHANGE LEVERS:

Lever 1:

Develop skills and resources in individuals and communities for empowered engagement with data

ALL-SPICE SYSTEMS CHANGE APPROACHES:

Capacity Building (Lever 1)

ALL-SPICE programs directly impact Pacific data empowerment through education, training, workforce development and broadening participation

Example initiatives:

  • Data Science major and minor serves Hawaii-Pacific students

  • Data4SDG research internships and employer internships provide early experience working real-world use cases and pathways to graduate placement

  • DataSkills, Summer Immersion and UN Short Course Certifications offered to Hawaii and USAPI participants

  • Working professional, marginalized persons and social sector programs build individual and organizational relationships with data and skillsets

  • Implementing the Wayfinding to Data portfolio of opportunities

Lever 2:

Effect structural changes in policy and practice level to ensure equitable data and inclusive Pacific data ecosystem

Lever 3:

Enhance access to accurate information and promote cultural and linguistic inclusivity in Pacific data science

Pacific data policy and advocacy (Lever 2)

Addressing structural issues such as ethnicity aggregation, data gaps and data suppression in Pacific data.

Example initiatives:

  • EWC faculty Hattori and Watanabe responded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Interagency Working Group on Race and Ethnicity Standards (RESS), with new standards adopted in May 2024

  • Alliance analyst Connor Flynn is mentoring student research projects assessing data gaps for Small Island Developing States across UN SDG indicators in areas such as criminal justice, aid, health and gender equity

Countering misinformation and disinformation (Lever 3)

Addressing the destabilizing influences of information pollution on Pacific communities, developing and implementing data-science and educational Counter Malign Information (CMI) solutions

Example initiatives:

Promoting language equity (Lever 1, 2, 3)

Language equity tools, practices and research studies to support Pacific data science

Example initiatives:

Measuring Systems Change (Lever 1, 2, 3)