Black Living Data Booklet

“Here you have the Black Living Data Booklet or the BLDB, a uniquely crafted manual and manifesto. This manual is a resource to help scholars, educators, and community members to better understand and engage with data while utilizing ethical and social justice-oriented practices. As a manifesto, this project defines and articulates the intents and purposes of Black Living Data, what it is, and how the history of data collection led to this definition. This articulation of Black Living Data informs how I think about the collection, curation, and critique of data and the creation of Black community-based projects. This booklet includes frameworks for understanding the ethics of Black Living Data, a "how to" guide for decoding data and information on Black communities, questions, and writing prompts. Overall, I hope that this booklet encourages you to approach data differently through a better understanding of data discernment and community care.” — Faithe J. Day

The booklet provides a Black feminist perspective on how to interpret and critique data ethically, fostering self-determined data practices that prioritize community care.Tech Literacy & Accessibility: The booklet is both a practical guide and a manifesto for Black communities to understand and engage with data. It breaks down complex concepts in data ethics and justice into frameworks and accessible resources, empowering community members, scholars, and educators to interpret and critique data in ways that prioritise Black lives and histories. This focus on tech literacy is rooted in empowering Black communities to approach data on their terms, fostering community resilience and self-determination in digital spaces.Reducing Harm in New Media: By providing ethical data engagement frameworks, the booklet reduces harm by equipping Black communities with knowledge to push back against data practices that exploit or misrepresent them in media. It encourages thoughtful, ethical media representations, challenging extractive data practices and advocating for more honest, compassionate data-driven narratives that honour Black lived experiences.Data & Knowledge Stewardship: The Black Living Data Booklet promotes a community-centred approach to data management, advocating for data sovereignty within Black communities. Through writing prompts, ethical guidelines, and frameworks, it encourages Black individuals to steward their own data narratives, fostering a sense of collective ownership and agency over community data.