Change the Frame, Change the Conversation

Details:

• Resource Type: Video
• Estimated time: Part of one team meeting

Purpose:

• Understand how language influences understanding and interpretation of data
• Self-identify opportunities for improving communication around data

Directions:

1. Measurement and Evaluation also connects to Partnerships, Stakeholder Engagement, and Communication. You may be working with a partner to evaluate your grant strategies, and you should also be disseminating results with your partners and other stakeholders. Watch this clip from Change the Frame, Change the Conversation.
2. Discuss the questions below.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is damaged imagery? Where have you seen it in your own context?
2. If you are working with an external evaluator, what historical and sociopolitical context do they need to know about your local context?
3. Juanita Gallion talks about “focusing on the systems, not the kids.” When thinking about your data collection and how you communicate your results, how will you focus on the systems?
4. At the end of the clip, Juanita Gallion shares examples of coded language. Which examples have you seen in your own contexts? As you think about measuring and communicating your outcomes, how will you avoid using coded language?
5. Review your evaluation plan. How are the evaluation questions worded? What damage imagery exists? What coded language exists? How might you reframe your questions or, if it is too late to reframe your evaluation questions, how will you communicate results with stakeholders in ways that do not reinforce stereotypes and/or use coded language?

1. If this topic is of interest to your team and you want to do a deeper dive, review the Do No Harm Guide: Applying Equity Awareness in Data Visualization. After reading, commit to trying at least one new data visualization.
2. Before communicating results with your stakeholders, get feedback. Reach out to a peer grantee for feedback and get internal feedback from a variety of trusted stakeholders to ensure that your communications and data visualizations are free from coded language, easy to understand, and focus on systems not individuals.