WAGIS2019

This workshop will serve as an introduction to recent trends and practices related to using GIS for Equity and Social Justice (ESJ). GIS professionals are bound by the GIS Code of Ethics to consider the impact of their work on society. For hundreds of years mapping has sometimes been a tool for creating and preserving inequity. During the past 25 years there have been some uses of GIS for issues related to equity or social justice. We will explore critical race theory (CRT) and trends in critical race spatial analysis. We will review recent literature and academic programs around the topic of GIS for ESJ. Most importantly we will outline best practices for GIS professionals in doing GIS for ESJ work. This includes creating a data/mapping/application support framework both for their own work and to support the work on non-GIS professionals. Non-GIS professionals will become the largest community doing actual ESJ work with GIS. These non-GIS professionals include those who work for agencies, non-profits, and NGO’s with an ESJ mission, as well as government policy professionals who want to use GIS to support an ESJ lens for developing upstream agency policies.

Intended Audience:
GIS professional plus Equity & Social Justice and public policy practitioners

Learning Objectives:
1. Why GIS for Equity and Social Justice
2. GIS code of ethics and moral imperative
3. Principles of equity and social justice
4. The role of GIS professionals
5. The role of ESJ practitioners
6. The role of public policy
7. Critical race theory
8. Critical race spatial analysis
9. How upstream policies impact downstream outcomes
10. Understanding how maps and GIS can be used to create long-term inequity
11. How GIS and maps can expose oppression and inequity
12. How GIS can be used to manage and monitor pro-equity policies
13. Examples of public agencies with ESJ policy priorities
14. Educational resources for GIS professionals
15. The URISA GIS for ESJ workgroup

Presenter Bio(s):
Nicole Franklin develops workable, pragmatic solutions to technology access problems faced by underserved communities. She serves as the chief equity officer for the Department of Information Technology, where she leads efforts to ensure social justice and equity in her workplace and community. She previously managed the department’s data center for two years and served as administrator of the organization’s enterprise business continuity program. She’s currently piloting a version of performance management with ESRI with the goal of determining whether current equity actions are changing desired outcomes. She holds a master’s degree in demography from the University of Pennsylvania and bachelor degrees in computational and applied mathematics; sociology; and statistics from the University of Washington.

Greg Babinski is Marketing Manager for the King County GIS Center in Seattle, where he has worked since 1998. Previously he worked for nine years as GIS Mapping Supervisor for the East Bay Municipal Utility District in Oakland. He holds an MA in geography from Wayne State University. Greg is a GISP – Certified GIS Professional. Babinski is Past-President of URISA and founder and Past-Chair of URISA’s GIS Management Institute. In 2005 he founded The Summit – the Washington State GIS Newsletter. In addition to GIS consulting, he is a GIS researcher, author, and instructor. He has spoken about GIS management across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Greg also teaches GIS for Public Policy as an instructor with the University of Washington Evans Graduate School of Public Administration. In his spare time Greg likes hiking steep, narrow and dangerous trails that lead high above the clouds to awesome views.