Telling the Story of the U.S. Racial Wealth Gap with Data Visualization
In 2024, we had the extraordinary privilege of partnering with Dr. William “Sandy” Darity and Kirsten Mullen—co-authors of From Here to Equality and two of the most prominent voices advancing the case for reparations for Black Americans who are descendents of slaves in the United States. We hosted a pair of events that they led in New York City to spotlight their research and engage in thoughtful dialogue around these issues.
Their work has profoundly shaped how I think about justice, history, and the structural inequities that persist today. For years, I've been in conversation with Sandy and Kirsten about how we might help amplify their research—particularly through digital storytelling that makes their data more accessible, visual, and emotionally resonant.
For those unfamiliar, s a small introduction to their work, here’s a suggested starting point, ordered by time commitment:
Their book, From Here to Equality
More recently, during a Savas Labs hackathon, I challenged our team to explore how we might help bring this story to life. One team focused on creating a data visualization experience to more clearly convey the racial wealth gap and the historical context behind it. What they built is powerful—and we're putting some final touches on it before sharing it here.
We believe digital tools can help people connect more deeply with critical ideas—and we’re proud to contribute, however modestly, to the broader movement toward equity and understanding.
Stay tuned for the launch. And if you’d like to collaborate, learn more, or support this effort, don’t hesitate to reach out.