{"id":369132,"date":"2020-09-22T06:27:13","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T13:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=369132"},"modified":"2022-03-29T14:45:28","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T21:45:28","slug":"sharing-black-gis-user-perspectives","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/blog\/sharing-black-gis-user-perspectives","title":{"rendered":"Sharing Black Perspectives on the Racial Implications of Place"},"author":6761,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","castos_file_data":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[461441],"tags":[471702,471322,471722,471712],"industry":[],"esri-blog-category":[478462],"esri_blog_department":[478192],"class_list":["post-369132","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-equity-social-justice","tag-black-lives","tag-inequity","tag-opportunity","tag-perspectives","esri-blog-category-viewpoint","esri_blog_department-gis-for-good"],"acf":{"video_source":"","video_start":"","video_stop":"","short_description":"Black users of GIS share how geography provides a lens to address inequities, examine their unique perspectives, and take action.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Right","content":"A Homecoming of Black GIS users provided an opportunity to gather lived experiences and share several perspectives.\r\n\r\nKey Takeaways\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>GIS empowers users to examine data and create maps that display inequities.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Visualizations of the continuing harm of systemic racism provide a means to take action.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Sharing lived experiences helps others empathize and consider equity to guide public policy.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Growing up in Philadelphia, everyone in my neighborhood was Black. My elementary school was at the border of all-Black and all-Latinx neighborhoods, and our school makeup reflected that. The only white people I saw in my daily life were teachers at school. I didn\u2019t realize this was all by design until several years into my career using geographic information system (GIS) technology.\r\n\r\nGIS helped me connect Philadelphia\u2019s racially segregated communities to the limits to prosperity for non-white Americans. I learned that more than 200 cities across the country were redlined, yellowlined, or greenlined by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ncrc.org\/holc\/\">a federal program<\/a>\u00a0that started in the 1930s, with maps guiding an effort of systemic racism. It was clear to me that GIS could be a tool for unraveling racism and designing a better future."},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","image":349411,"text":"I\u2019d heard about redlining as a thing of the past, but my work in GIS for the City of Philadelphia exposed me to continuing patterns.","author_name":"Clinton Johnson","author_profession_organization":"Solution Architect, Esri"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"I\u2019d heard about redlining as a thing of the past, but my work in GIS for the City of Philadelphia exposed me to continuing patterns. Work to support the city\u2019s Reinvestment Fund got me excited about using GIS as a tool to uncover and eliminate racial injustices that plague my friends, family, and community. I joined Esri to expand my focus beyond a single city\u2014and leverage my lived experience\u2014by helping cities, counties, and organizations address racial and social inequality.\r\n\r\nAbout a year and a half ago, I founded\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gisnorthstar.org\/\">NorthStar<\/a>\u00a0to connect students, professionals, and entrepreneurs of African descent to collaborate to increase the representation of Black people in GIS and advocate for the use of GIS to advance equity and social justice. In the wake of the senseless and horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, Esri launched a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/racial-equity\/overview\">Racial Equity initiative<\/a>, which I lead. This work focuses on the application of GIS and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/mapping\">mapping<\/a> to address racial inequities and involves developing datasets and solutions; creating education materials in the form of demos, videos, webinars, courses, and lessons; and capturing and sharing maps and stories to elevate best practices.\r\n\r\nAt the recent virtual Esri User Conference, a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/product\/announcements\/recap-diversity-equity-inclusion-racial-justice-at-the-esri-user-conference-2020\/\">Homecoming<\/a>\u00a0was organized by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gisnorthstar.org\/\">NorthStar<\/a>\u00a0and Blacks in GIS\u00a0to provide a place for sharing perspectives.\u00a0We spoke about equity, inclusivity, unity, and our power to make a difference.\u00a0We captured the following personal accounts to relate what it means to be a Black GIS user:"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h3><strong>Adrian Gardner was the longest-serving CIO at the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when he retired two years ago. He since founded SmarTech Nexus, a nonprofit that uses GIS, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) to empower at-risk and underserved communities.<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nDuring the Homecoming, we spoke about the African continent, what\u2019s going on there, and how people of color in different countries have different experiences. I\u2019ve walked through my life very differently than somebody who does not look like me.\r\n\r\nI was born in Germany, went to high school in the US Virgin Islands and college at Tuskegee Institute, and joined the US Air Force as a second lieutenant straight out of college. I spent four years in Sicily and have done a lot of international travel for work and pleasure. I have seen and lived how people of color are treated in different countries. Much like life in the US, it doesn't matter how high Black individuals rises in their community or profession; they are still at risk of racial profiling in the street and the board room.\r\n\r\nFor the longest time, when I was growing up, the rest of the world wanted to model the US. Now, I see other countries showing the US how to make more equitable decisions."},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","image":369192,"text":"Geospatial technology provides the opportunity for storytelling\u2014setting issues in context to make them visible so that we can learn from them and then repeat what worked well. ","author_name":"Adrian Gardner","author_profession_organization":"Founder, SmarTech Nexus"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Some of the GIS work of the United Nations (UN) gives us an opportunity to look at, and compare, the capacity of different countries. What are those puts and takes, and how do we get all boats to rise to the same level? Geospatial technology provides the opportunity for storytelling\u2014setting issues in context to make them visible so that we can learn from them and then repeat what worked well.\r\n\r\nWhen I was at FEMA, we used GIS to understand and confirm whether dollars and support for underserved and at-risk communities was equitable. GIS provided us with the tools to look at the agency's decision-making practices, to ensure alignment between the people requiring disaster relief and the people that received it. Often, the data speaks for itself.\r\n\r\nGIS is central to the way our organization, SmarTech Nexus, looks at assets within a community. The technology can empower communities to participate in decisions that impact them. STN is focused on two underutilized assets that exist in every community: opportunity youth, which describes an individual between the ages of 16 and 24 who is not employed and not in school, and faith-based organizations to serve as fulfillment centers for goods and services. We are engaging young people in the practices of mapping their communities and empowering the next generation through GIS to thrive and survive in the skill-based economy. Our goal is to reduce the number of socially disconnected people in underserved communities by 500,000 over five years.\r\n<h3><strong>Valrie Grant calls herself a location intelligence strategist. She founded <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.geotechvision.com\/\"><strong>GeoTechVision<\/strong><\/a><strong>, an Esri partner, and is the executive chairman of the <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtpja.com\/\"><strong>Marlie Technology Park<\/strong><\/a><strong>.<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nI grew up in the countryside in Jamaica where I was socialized to think that everybody is equal. When I entered the international scene and ventured to other places, I realized that was not the case elsewhere. Black Americans have a different perspective than Caribbean Blacks, probably because we are the majority in our countries, and racism isn\u2019t as prevalent.\r\n\r\nIf you think about society as a body, every part has a different function. The hand may not be as important as the heart, but if you take any of it away, you\u2019re just not the same. If society will recognize the value of everyone, we will be so much better for it. At the end of the day, your class or race doesn\u2019t matter, and we all make valuable contributions. I operate like that in every sphere.\r\n\r\nDoing things together can have an impact, which is the foundation of what geospatial technology has always been for me. It's all about creating opportunities for ethnically diverse communities. GIS shines a light on inequities, and COVID-19 has shown that people are suffering based on where they live and the opportunities they have. It\u2019s heartening to come together as a group to collaborate and innovate."},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","image":369202,"text":"I think opportunities should be afforded to everyone, not just the people who were born with access.","author_name":"Valrie Grant","author_profession_organization":"Managing Director, GeoTechVision "},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"In 2006, I founded the Caribbean chapter of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA). We are building on these efforts with the support of the UN-Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) Americas Caribbean project, which began in 2014. We now have developed a close-knit geospatial group, with some 16 Caribbean countries participating, and we are having dialogue on the international and regional level. I lead the UN- Global Geospatial Information Management (GGIM) Americas Private Sector Network. I\u2019m also the only Caribbean representative on the World Geospatial Industry Council. You mostly see gray suits, so I\u2019m glad to be there to represent Black women.\r\n\r\nOne of my passions is youth and education. I think opportunities should be afforded to everyone, not just the people who were born with access. With COVID-19, education has stopped in underserved communities where they don\u2019t have access to technology\u2014computers or the internet. We formed an initiative called EduTech Aid to provide children with tablet computers and enable access to materials so they can continue learning. We recently partnered with the Association of Caribbean States on a series of webinars on equity in education. We\u2019re collecting data about broadband access\u2014the location of internet deserts\u2014and we\u2019re mapping that to inform policy changes. We're trying to collect as much information as possible to be able to say to the decision-makers, \u201cThis is the real picture on the ground. What are the solutions?\"\r\n<h3><strong>Jennifer Johnson, is a senior GIS analyst, at the engineering firm HDR, a company that prides itself on inclusion and diversity that reflects the communities where it does work.<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nAt HDR, we have a long list of team members on most projects that reflect the diverse communities we serve. Our diversity extends beyond race, age, and gender with a variety of disciplines. The inclusion and representation of different backgrounds are very important for any type of work that serves a wide variety of communities and I\u2019m proud to have an employer that recognizes that.\r\n\r\nThe COVID-19 crisis makes us all feel so physically exhausted, mentally overwhelmed and fearful of what\u2019s next. It\u2019s very important to not only stay positive and hopeful for the future but to also have an understanding that the impact of this virus has been more pronounced in minority communities. The power of GIS has shown us that impact nationwide and allowed us to explore other patterns of the virus worldwide. As individuals, we can use this knowledge to be more compassionate and responsible to prevent the spread on a daily basis.\r\n\r\nCOVID-19 has also impacted the way we work. At HDR we are using GIS to provide dynamic tools that track and manage our capacity for staffing our offices responsibly. I personally work from home, but for many the office is a more productive environment. So, our GIS team collaborated with administrative staff, human resources, and office management to provide an Esri mapping solution that supports our goal to make our office a safer environment for colleagues and clients."},{"acf_fc_layout":"quote","image":369252,"text":"As an African American woman in tech and design, I feel a sense of responsibility to progress and open doors for more inclusivity.","author_name":"Jennifer Johnson","author_profession_organization":"Senior GIS Analyst, HDR"},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Growing up in Philadelphia gave me a unique perspective. What was most astonishing was realizing how maps had historically impacted those communities. Redlining is a perfect example of how a lack of inclusion (when it comes to shaping our society) can be detrimental to generations nationwide. We still see effects today when it comes to commercial investment, land ownership, and criminalization.\r\n\r\nWhen I earned my position as a lead GIS analyst for the City of Philadelphia, I worked with a team to build an index of data to identify the impacts of education, drugs, crime, income,\u00a0housing, accessibility and many other variables, and provide policy makers with data-driven recommendations. That team has since continued to evolve what\u2019s now called the Stress Index, and it is a useful resource for public citizens to monitor and address important equity issues in Philadelphia.\r\n\r\nAfter a few years with the CityGeo team in Philadelphia, I found myself in Nashville working as a geodesign specialist for the Metro Planning Department. This position tied in very well with my knowledge of design and my passion for 3D GIS. Moving to Nashville was a professional and cultural adjustment, but landing in the planning department meant that a big part of my job was to get to know my new city. I\u2019ve now been in Nashville for almost four years and have found that everything I\u2019ve learned along the way has prepared me for my current role as a senior GIS analyst at HDR.\r\n\r\nMy personal objective has always been to sustain myself doing what I love and be a positive representation of those who have similar backgrounds as me. As an African American woman in tech and design, I feel a sense of responsibility to progress and open doors for more inclusivity. Often, if you don\u2019t see a representation of yourself in a particular career path, it can seem unattainable, so I\u2019m hoping I can lead by example.\u00a0As my career progresses, I intend to be the change I want to see in the industry by continuing to provide my unique perspective in future collaborations and uplifting other professionals who also have a passion for GIS.\u00a0If we can learn from one another, we can overcome challenges more effectively as a team.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nTo learn how governments, nonprofits, and businesses can address racial inequity, visit Esri\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/racial-equity\/overview\">Racial Equity website<\/a>. Explore deeper GIS resources for racial equity on the <a href=\"https:\/\/gis-for-racialequity.hub.arcgis.com\/\">Racial Equity GIS Hub<\/a>, including a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/webmap\/viewer.html?webmap=1d7c77f1b13c4a688bf123fd469d9792\">dataset on redlining<\/a> and exposure to urban heat islands."},{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Center","content":"<h2><strong>Visualizing Patterns of Systemic Racism<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nThe Home Owners\u2019 Loan Corporation (HOLC)\u00a0was created in the 1930s in the US to guide investments in cities. A neighborhood ranking system guided real estate developers and appraisers in more than 200 cities across the US. The neighborhoods deemed hazardous were marked as red on the map. The racial bias of this action is the origin of the term redlining, which has become synonymous with government policies that underpin systemic racism.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/community.esri.com\/external-link.jspa?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.arcgis.com%2Fhome%2Fitem.html%3Fid%3Def0f926eb1b146d082c38cc35b53c947\">GIS-ready historical redlining data\u00a0<\/a>of 143 cities is now available to help GIS users and policy makers understand how historical inequities continue today. In addition, formerly redlined neighborhoods having fewer resources such as quality schools, access to fresh foods, and health care facilities. This historical data layer can be leveraged to advance equity and social justice in communities.","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":369142,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/www.arcgis.com\/home\/item.html?id=063cdb28dd3a449b92bc04f904256f62"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Sharing Black Perspectives on the Racial Implications of Place<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Black users of GIS share how geography provides a lens to address inequities, examine their unique perspectives, and to take action.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/blog\/sharing-black-gis-user-perspectives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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