Happy 2020 from Databoom! As we reflected on 2019, we realized that we learned several lessons that will guide us into the new year. So instead of wrapping up 2019 by looking backward, we’ll start off the new decade by looking forward. We’ve put together five learnings inspired by projects we’ve worked on, things we’ve read and listened to, and lessons gleaned from our work, which will guide our work in 2020 and into the future.
One of the things we love most about our work is that we’re constantly learning – from our clients, our partners, the people we serve, and experts. To truly learn, we need to check our own assumptions and biases, and really listen to those around us.
- This piece from the Washington Post on racial bias in medical algorithms was especially interesting for our work.
- Brevity & Wit’s excellent newsletter highlights how equity, diversity, and inclusion are critical for public health. This resource they shared on data visualizations for audiences in LMICs was particularly useful to us.
- Women Deliver was a highlight of 2019. We were especially moved by calls to action from youth leaders, who spoke about flipping the narrative from youth empowerment to recognizing that many youth already feel empowered. What they need most is for us to hear their voices, support their work, and spread their ideas.
- We love Hidden Brain! This episode on the psychology of false beliefs explains why compassionate and responsive health communication is critical for public health initiatives. And this episode on outrage culture challenged us to think critically about what we share, what we respond to, and how in control we are of narratives based in outrage.