#Datajustice 

using open data and open source tools 
to support social services and social change

Presented at Minnesota Social Service Association 
Annual Conference 2014



Goals

  1. Spark conversation, debate, and collaboration around the use of open data in social services and social change
  2. Engage participants in actively considering how open data might change their work
  3. Empower participants to take leadership in the growing open data and data justice movements within their field!

Make a list





What kinds of data do you see 

in this room, right now? 




Take 3 minutes.

Make a list



What kind of data do you already collect 
at your organization or agency?


If you aren't at an agency,
imagine being at an agency you'd like to be at.



Take 3 minutes.




ON post-it notes





What kind of data would you like to have?






Take 3 minutes.




a few startling facts...



 Source: WikiLeaks Document Release







 Source: Flickr, GadgetGirl




Open data, 

open access, 

open source... 


Open what!?

open source



    def __init__(self, db_name=None):
        # specific database name specified
		if db_name:
			self.db_name = db_name

					# open MySQL connection
		self.db = DBConnect()


	def __is_installed(self, db_name):
		# Create database if it isn't there already
		# Need to check that this returns TRUE		return self.db.query(("SELECT SCHEMA_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.SCHEMATA WHERE SCHEMA_NAME = '%s';" % self.db_name))



Open access


Open government






USING open data

Human centered design







What's it all mean for me?



Take a minute...


add any new ideas 

about data you want



turn to a person next to you

  1. Introduce yourself
  2. Introduce your agency
  3. Brainstorm: What can you imagine doing if resources and technical expertise didn't limit you?

Data Justice


  • Orientation toward social justice in collection/creation, analysis and distribution
  • Community & organizational capacity building
  • Data Literacy






what dangers lie ahead?

being replaced




big data is big money


 Source: Axciom

surveillance



 Source: FBI Vault




What's possible?




Fairy tales are more than true; 

not because they tell us that dragons exist, 

but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.


- G.K. Chesterton

DISCUSSION



Notes & Resources    bit.ly/JustDataPresentation 
 Slides    bit.ly/JustDataSlides

Me 

PGP ID 4B96 271EFINGERPRINT 7E36 743A F1BC E71F 66B4  A308 8002 557B 4B96 271E

Using Open Data & Open Source Tools to Support Social Services & Social Change

By Alex Fink

Using Open Data & Open Source Tools to Support Social Services & Social Change

This session is meant to: (1) spark conversation, debate, and collaboration around the use of open data in social services and social change; (2) engage participants in actively considering how open data might change their work; and (3) empower participants to take leadership in the growing open data and data justice movements within their field!

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