We, at Replica, are grieving the senseless loss of Black lives due to persistent and systemic racial injustices in our country. We stand in solidarity with peaceful protestors who continue to raise our collective consciousness about structural racism and the need for actionable, meaningful change.
But in spite of the threat, or because of it, the people who plant the seeds of movements make a critical decision: they decide to live divided no more. They decide no longer to act on the outside in a way that contradicts some truth about themselves that they hold deeply on the inside. They decide to claim authentic selfhood and act it out — and their decisions ripple out to transform the society in which they live.
— Parker Palmer
At Replica, we’re on a mission to empower cities through data-driven decision making. For many of us, the work we do is guided by a deep passion to make cities more equitable, more accessible, and more resilient. Much of the structural racism that exists in the world today has its roots in cities. Land use planning and zoning codes were used as weapons of separation — limiting access to schools, transit, and jobs — and tools of division — displacing Black communities to build highways in the name of economic prosperity. And the list goes on. The problems we face need to be attacked at every level, but cities represent an opportunity to attack the problem at a more structural, fundamental level.
We decide to live divided no more.
This is why Replica is putting together an advisory board of members focused on combating systemic, structural racism, and providing them free access to our data platform. This access will also include insights highlighting disparate access to jobs, healthcare and education by race and ethnicity. For example, in the snapshot below, we capture Black residents in Chicago who use the Red line for traveling to and from work. On average, these Black residents travel nearly 25% more than White residents, culminating into an annual average of 125 hours of extra commuting — time spent away from their families and participating in their local community.
Access to Jobs by Transit by Race.
And their decisions ripple out to transform the society in which they live.
Our national data platform can provide these change makers with data-driven tools needed to create a more equitable economy, a more inclusive society, and more just public policies. At Replica, we will continue to listen, learn and evolve as an organization. We’ll keep using our voice and collective spirit to empower the public good.
