Galvanizing How We Create and Use Community Data

Dr. Andres Lopez, a leading cultural sociologist and Research Director of the Coalition of Communities of Color (CCC) Research Justice Institute (RJI), is leading transformative efforts across the data landscape, in Portland, Oregon (Andres Lopez, n.d). For six years, he labored in building a new ecosystem of community data created by communities themselves. Building deliberate partnerships, Dr. Lopez and his community-centered team of six researchers earned the trust of city, county, regional, and state government-level officials across Oregon to leverage over twenty culturally specific organizations who are helping government in creating holistic, contextually informed community data which goes beyond ostensible statistics or graphs (Coalition of Communities of Color, n.d.). Kareema Holmes spoke with Dr. Lopez about he and his team’s work with the Research Justice Institute, their successes, and what is next on the horizon.

What brought Dr. Lopez to the Coalition of Communities of Color Research Justice Institute?

After he completed his dissertation, Dr. Lopez recognized he did not want to be a professor, relegated to academia and teaching in the classroom environment. Rather, he was a prime example of the immigrant quest to realize the American dream. Born of two Cuban immigrants who came to America for opportunity later rearing a child who not only graduated from college, but he also earned his doctorates and dedicated his work to building up and empowering communities to own the authorship of society-informed data, the type of data the CCC RJI produces today. Dr. Lopez shared, he chose CCC RJI because two of his mentors recognized his passion for people-centered problem sets and encouraged him to pursue a path in applied work. Not long after he serendipitously found a flagship opportunity at during the COVID epidemic. Following the onset of global protests driven by inequities and targeted violence towards communities of color, Dr. Lopez shared, he joined CCC RJI at a time when there was a strong appetite for social change, which influenced a pivot toward looking at qualitative community-centered data, particularly with communities of color.

Why does community-centered data matter?

When asked about the importance of community-centered data, Dr. Lopez asserted community-centered data is critical not only because it is the ground truth, however, it is also fully contextual and is the most comprehensive component to both aptly frame and resolve the plethora of institution-induced issues within communities of color and achieve social justice.

What are Coalition of Communities of Color Research Justice Institute recent achievements or milestones?

Dr. Lopez declared one of CCC RJI’s most impactful achievements is the community-centered data approach itself. No other organization or city in the U.S. is positioning communities at the forefront to lead the lifecycle of its data. The empowered community organizations’ work is not only participatory. Fundamentally, they are leading critical data studies in developing community data from cradle-to-grave, formulating research questions, conducting the research itself, analyzing information, curating, owning the data product, and housing it in emergent data systems (Dalton and Thatcher, 2014). The new community data systems in development are qualitatively representative of communities of color’s lived experiences. This is a vast departure from the less contextual dominant institution data, the status quo, broad brush, and strictly quantitative data traditionally used to illustrate various aspects of communities across the U.S. This fresh approach in creating community data charts a new path in how to resolutely get after the most critical, systemic issues in communities, particularly communities of color and Dr. Lopez and CCC RJI is leading the way.

What projects or initiatives is your organization currently working on?

Dr. Lopez said aside from portfolio of grassroot culturally specific organizations efforts, CCC RJI’s highest priorities are evolving the development of community data project, formerly known as the Portland MADE Data System, to a full operational capability and advancing the Equity Data Strategy (Coalition of Communities of Color, 2025).

In what ways can Howard University students or faculty support your Coalition of Communities of Color Research Justice Institute’s efforts?

Dr. Lopez replied he has profound respect for Howard University and the caliber of community-informed alumni who are well known for making immense impact in public service, private industry, academia, and especially in communities across the country. He asserts this is shown in CCC RJI’s direct connection to the school through Marcus C. Mundy, a Howard University alumni and leader of the Urban League of Portland and CCC RJI’s Executive Director. Dr. Lopez also spoke very fondly of Howard University alumni, Brent A. Stewart, Sr., who then served as the President and CEO of the United Way of Greater Kansas City, and who approved Dr. Lopez’ first pitch to lead an applied research project. Additionally, Dr. Lopez believes staying connected through continued engagement with Howard University and sharing resources where opportunities exist will strengthen support for CCC RJI going forward.

Finally, Dr. Lopez closed with the reminder, “leadership, justice seeking, and sacrifice [are the keys to realizing] social justice.”