2025 Hartford Youth Data Fellows Learn About Community-Driven Budgeting
The Hartford Data Collaborative’s Hartford Youth Data Fellows program represents an innovative approach to youth empowerment through data training, developing community data projects, and fostering connections among peers and the broader Hartford community. Meeting twice weekly from January through May at the Swift Factory in Hartford's North End, these young data scholars develop skills that will help shape the future of their city. Beyond teaching technical skills, the program encourages Fellows to think critically about their communities and how data can be used as a tool for positive change and they receive a stipend for their work.
At a time when many young people feel disconnected from the decision-making processes that impact their lives, the Hartford Youth Data Fellows program offers a compelling alternative—one that values youth knowledge, builds practical skills, and empowers young people to use data as a tool for creating more equitable outcomes in their communities.
This year's cohort of Hartford Youth Data Fellows come from diverse backgrounds and walks of life across the Greater Hartford region. Our program brings together an impressive mix of high school and college students from institutions including Connecticut River Valley High School, CREC Academy of International Studies, Central Connecticut State University, Capitol Community College, and the University of Connecticut (UConn).
Despite their different educational journeys, these young people share a common interest in leveraging data for community benefit. Their motivations vary—some aim to apply their data skills to academic projects, while others hope to use this experience to jumpstart careers in the data field. Particularly inspiring are those who envision using data as a tool for community advocacy by identifying needs, tracking progress, and demonstrating impact in ways that can influence policy and resource allocation.
On March 11th, 2025, the Fellows hosted members from Hartford Decides at the Swift Factory, creating a powerful intersection of youth engagement, data literacy, and community activism. They welcomed Evie Cartagena, a staff member at Hartford Decides, along with Frank Senter, Treasurer, and Richard Frieder, a board member of the organization. During this session, the Fellows learned firsthand about participatory budgeting—a democratic process that allows community members to directly decide how to allocate a portion of a public budget. Hartford Decides works with diverse neighborhoods across the city, facilitating a process where residents propose, develop, and vote on community projects that address local needs.
This exchange underscored the powerful potential of combining youth data skills with community decision-making processes. For the Fellows, it provided a real-world example of how data can inform community-led initiatives and ensure resources are allocated to projects that truly reflect community priorities.
Each Hartford Youth Data Fellow is working on a data project addressing a community issue important to them, combining their growing technical skills with their personal knowledge of Hartford's communities. The culmination of their work will be showcased at our annual Data Walk—an event open to the public where community members can engage with the Fellows' work. This year's Data Walk will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at the Capitol Building in Hartford.
The Fellows will present their findings through visualizations and interactive displays that make complex data understandable to community members of all backgrounds.
CTData appreciates the financial support provided by the Travelers Foundation, the charitable arm of Travelers, and the Community Development Block Grant funds allocated to CTData Collaborative, Inc. by the City of Hartford. Their generous funding makes this year's cohort of Hartford Youth Data Fellows possible, creating meaningful opportunities for our participants and the Hartford community.
To read more about their work and see the full data projects, click here. Join us for our 2025 Hartford Youth Data Walk to learn about local issues that affect you and your community! If you are interested in learning more about Hartford Data Collaborative, click here. To review more Hartford data projects by CTData, click here. You can keep up with us by subscribing to the CTData newsletter and following us on Linkedin, Instagram, and Bluesky.