Mapping is a powerful tool that can help us uncover geographical patterns in assets and disparities. In September we will be exploring the Census Bureau's My Community Explorer tool with our guest, Chip Walker. This tool "is an interactive map-based tool that highlights demographic and socioeconomic data that measure inequality and can help inform data-based solutions. This tool is designed to help users identify underserved communities as directed by the President's Executive Order 13985 on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce." Learn more about the tool here. This is Part 1 of our two-part series on Geographical Information Systems (GIS), or mapping. Sign up for the October 18 session, "How does 'where' matter?" here.
About the presenter
Chip Walker is creator and co-lead of the Census Bureau's Emergency Preparedness and Response Team. He has worked on Census Bureau issues for 24 years. He was appointed by the Secretary of Commerce to serve on the Committee on the African American Population for the U.S. Census Bureau's Racial and Ethnic Advisory Committee from 2004 - 2006. Prior to that appointment, Chip was Staff Director from, 2001 -2002, and Communications Director, 1998 - 2001 of the House of Representatives' Subcommittee on the Census. While at Census, Chip has been co-lead on the creation of OnTheMap for Emergency Management, Census Business Builder, the COVID-19 Interactive Data Hub, and My Community Explorer. Chip has been active in developing and promoting Census equity capabilities to help identify underserved communities.
About this group
We are a group of data users in Connecticut who are supporting one another as we work toward more equitable data practices. We focus on racial equity explicitly but not exclusively.
Take a look at these recordings and blog posts to get a feel for this group: