Data Day 2024 marked the 10th Anniversary of Data Day!  On October 23rd, we welcomed over 400 attendees. The theme was “Measures and Movements: Using Data to Spark Change.” Our keynote speaker was Jesse Van Tol, the President and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). After the keynote address, Greg Wesley, President and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, provided a response and moderated a Q & A session with Jesse. During the keynote, Jesse demostrated the online interactive data tool “Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Longitudial Dataset” which allows users to investigate the historical impacts of redlining and disinvestement through new geographical alignment across multiple decades of mortgage resporting over fourty years by census tract. 

Data Dreams were awarded to two finalists at the event – Clean Wisconsin and Sherman Phoenix. Clean Wisconsin’s data dream is to provide a comprehensive, evidence-based evaluation of the local impact of green infrastructure in Milwaukee’s northwest side, incorporating an analysis of what environmental determinants of health are driving health inequities among the community and in the state of Wisconsin. Sherman Phoenix’s data dream is to employ precise measurement and data collection methods to effectively track the impact of our initiatives and validate the critical role we play in providing essential support to Black and brown small businesses seeking funding and assistance. They aim to identify the key indicators to substantiate their mission and facilitate the continuous improvement of their programs.

Moderated by Andrés Gonzalez, Vice President of Community Engagement and Chief Diversity Officer at Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Inc., the afternoon panel focused on the ways that local organizations used data to advance community health. The panelists represented organizations from sectors along the spectrum of social determinants, such as housing, education, healthcare, community-based development, and the built environment. The panel was made up of Antonio Butts, Executive Director of Walnut Way Conservation Corps, Anne Christiansen, Executive Director of Milwaukee Healthcare Partnership, Stephanie Maney-Hartlaub, PhD, Executive Director of City Year Milwaukee, and Teig Whaley-Smith, Executive Director of the Community Development Alliance. Highlights from the conversation include how each organization was utilizing data to advance their mission. For example, the Community Development Alliance compiles data on the individuals going through homebuyer counseling, grouped by neighborhood and political districts. They recently used this data as an advocacy tool with the Milwaukee Common Council when the city was considering cutting the home loan assistance budget considerably. Other examples of how panelists were utilizing data included measuring individual student progress, creating awareness and planning among community members, and guiding strategies for coalition-building.

Data Day 2023 took place on October 18th at the Italian Community Center, with 300 attendees. The theme was “Journey to Justice: Using Data for System chance in Milwaukee.” Our two keynote speakers were Cashauna Hill and Dr. Tonya Howard Calhoun. Cashauna Hill is the Executive Director of the Redress Movement, and previously served as the Executive Director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center. The Redress Movement is committed to leading a multi-racial movement that empowers communities to take director action to redress racial segregation. Dr. Tonya Howard Calhoun is the Director of the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) Office of Community Collaboration & Engagement. EDF is a global nonprofit tackling climate change through bold, game-changing solutions which put people at the center.

Data Dreams were awarded to two finalists at the event – Milwaukee Community Land Trust and Milwaukee Food Council. The Milwaukee Community Land Trust’s data dream is to compare the wealth created for families in three different scenarios: rental / fair market / community land trust. Using Milwaukee housing historical data to create a ten year comparison of the different scenarios, they hope to to inform potential homebuyers’ decision-making and the general public’s understanding of the land trust model. The Milwaukee Food Council’s data dream is to create a social network map of the pre-existing programs, policies, organizations, and businesses within the complex food system of Milwaukee to determine if they are meeting public need. Through facilitating dialogue among organizations doing overlapping work, they seek to mitigate the historical and systemic barriers that inhibit individuals from accessing nutritious, healthy food by fostering an organizations of shared resources and collaboration.