Reimagining Data Access in Pittsburgh: Recap of the 6th Community Data Justice Collaborative (CDJC) Workshop

On June 26, 2025, we hosted our sixth Community Data Justice Collaborative (CDJC) workshop – part of the collaborative Data Justice for Pittsburgh’s Black Neighborhoods initiative between the Black Equity Coalition (BEC) and the City of Pittsburgh at the South Side Market House. The session was the first of a two-part summer workshop series with the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII), a Georgia-based organization that is working with several of the MADE communities to improve processes through workflow mapping and other analytics. 

As a national leader in data systems and public health impact, PHII will be working with the CDJC to assist the Black Equity Coalition, the City of Pittsburgh (City) and the Western Pennsylvania Regional Data Center (WPRDC) to integrate the community into the Open Data Request Process in a more meaningful, inclusive, and transparent manner.

Foundations in Community, Built Through Dialogue

After a warm welcome and fellowship over dinner, the workshop kicked off with a discussion led by Dr. Noble Maseru on life expectancy. Dr. Maseru highlighted a critical and persistent issue: the over 20-year life expectancy gap between residents of Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as  Highland Park (over 90 years) and Larimer (less than 65 years).

He emphasized that 80% of health outcomes are shaped by four key Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) – economic stability, neighborhood and the built environment, education, and community & social context – while only 20% are influenced by the healthcare system (health & healthcare). Consequently, data-driven decision-making must be grounded in the lived realities of our neighborhoods, and we must also account for political determinants of health, including decision making, policies, and power.

The Current State of Open Data Access in Pittsburgh

Representatives from PHII and the WPRDC then led a detailed walkthrough of the current state of the City’s open data request process. This discussion brought several observations to light, including:

• A general lack of awareness about the WPRDC and open data resources.
  
• Barriers to data access, including privacy protections, security concerns, government regulations and existing data coverage.
  
• There is a disconnect between raw data and user-friendly data products. Many community members need more support to use open datasets effectively.
  
• A lack of transparency when requests are denied or unfulfilled, typically with no explanation or direction for alternative access.
  

A particularly informative example emerged during the discussion: a request from a CDJC member to see if data is available to describe where public investments have been made in each of Pittsburgh’s 90 neighborhoods. This sparked a deeper conversation around equity, data transparency, and how community members can better understand how data can be used in different contexts, and where improvements could be made.

CDJC participants emphasized the need for:

• Clearer communication and expectation-setting throughout the request process.
  
• Alternatives and further guidance when a data request is not fulfilled (for example, the City and the WPRDC can create connections with local community groups who are actively collecting the data or might already have the data). In addition, further guidance for data requesters can be very beneficial instead of the potential discouraging finality of “no” to a data request.
  
• A vision for data justice through the data request process, asking not just what can be accessed, but what should be, and who gets to decide?

Designing a Just Data Future: from Request to Reform

Next, PHII and the WPRDC reviewed the future state of the open data request process. This new framework would:

• Implement a formal ticketing system to log, track, and analyze data requests – creating accountability and visibility.
  
• Allow the BEC to play a more structured role in managing and formalizing community data requests, offering a critical infrastructure for equity and responsiveness.
  
• Enable stakeholders to advocate for improved data systems using the very data generated by request patterns.

Building Capacity and Community Awareness among City Data Workers

The session concluded with a review to finalize a formal letter from the BEC and CDJC to the City of Pittsburgh, urging the City to consider five core competencies for data workers. These competencies are essential to ensure that those stewarding public data are equipped to center racial equity, community knowledge, and public trust.

The five core competencies listed below reflect essential knowledge, values, and practices that support this vision of equity-centered, community-informed data governance:

1. Employees should be aware of their own worldviews, including personal attitudes, beliefs, biases, and assumptions about others and how this shows up in datasets and systems.
2. Employees should understand who the constituents are in the City of Pittsburgh and the benefits and harms of data practices.
3. Employees should understand the importance of accessibility in data tools, engagement efforts, processes, and policies – including language accessibility.
4. Employees should accept the responsibility to improve their own education and practices before engaging community members, demonstrating a willingness to familiarize themselves with relevant language and acronyms.
5. Employees should engage in continuous learning and curiosity around technology, legal and policy frameworks surrounding the management of data, and community dynamics.

Looking Ahead

During our next session of the CDJC workshop series, we will explore Community Engagement & the Open Data Process, focusing on the WPRDC’s role as a partner in managing data access and use, opportunities for BEC and CDJC integration, and new models for more meaningful and transparent community involvement in the City’s open data request process. 

As the Community Data Justice Collaborative progresses, these workshops serve as a vital platform for building a data ecosystem rooted in equity, transparency, and shared power. By building bridges between community members, data institutions, and local government, CDJC continues to push forward a just, community-first data ecosystem in Pittsburgh.

Stay tuned for future workshops and initiatives as we continue to shape a more just and equitable future for all at: www.BlackEquityCoalition.org 

About the Community Data Justice Collaborative (CDJC): 

The Black Equity Coalition (BEC), in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh created the Community Data Justice Collaborative (CDJC) as part of the broader Data Justice for Pittsburgh’s Black Neighborhoods project, designed to empower Black residents with decision-making authority over how data is used, governed, and shared in the city. Pittsburgh is one of four U.S. cities selected for the Modern Anti-Racist Data Ecosystems (MADE) for Health Justice initiative, supported by the de Beaumont Foundation. The de Beaumont Foundation sponsored the BEC’s work to assist in accelerating the development of health-focused local data ecosystems that center principles of anti-racism, equity, justice, and community power.

The Community Data Justice Collaborative is a group of residents who engage in decisions that the City of Pittsburgh makes about data, technology, and policies that will serve as the foundation of the City’s emerging data governance process. The BEC will engage the Community Data Justice Collaborative and city data stewards in participatory activities to find agreement around how the city uses data and technology.