Today, I had the privilege of participating in the Iowa Latinx Project's Narrative Change Workshop. This session reinforced a critical lesson: while data provides insight, it is the stories that truly inspire change. The workshop focused on how we can use the Nuestro Dashboard to create a collective narrative, one that uncovers the root causes of disparities and points us toward actionable solutions.
For those unfamiliar, the Nuestro Dashboard is a groundbreaking tool developed by the Iowa Latinx Project to visualize critical demographic and socioeconomic data. This tool empowers residents, advocates, decision-makers, and community leaders to better understand and address disparities affecting Iowa’s Latinx communities.
Informed by this workshop, I’m reflecting on an idea that’s guided my work: oddkin. Coined by Donna Haraway in Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene, this concept speaks to the power of collaboration across differences. Haraway writes,
Staying with the trouble means making oddkin; that is, we require each other in unexpected collaborations and combinations, in hot compost piles. We become—with each other or not at all (2016, p. 4).
This resonates deeply with my vision of moving beyond systems that divide us, to one where we come together, learn from each other, and take collective action.
This philosophy directly shapes my work with unevictIA, which began out of my experiences with eviction prevention in Minneapolis and Des Moines. Families don’t just lose homes; they lose their stability, memories, and connections to place. The emotional and social toll of displacement ripples through entire communities. When one household suffers, the entire neighborhood feels the strain. Yet, when households are thriving, the community is stronger. As a collective, we rise or fall together.
Building on this, I launched Walking in Place, a film and community archival project that captures urban change through memory and history. I also co-founded the Just Space Collective, dedicated to community-centered urban planning, and co-host the Just Space Podcast.
Now, I’m returning to unevictIA with a renewed focus—one that combines the power of data with the human stories behind the numbers. By integrating data and lived experience, we can inform policy and inspire the empathy needed to drive action. Stories connect us, humanizing systemic issues and helping us see beyond the statistics. They remind us that behind every data point is a real person, a family, a community. By coming together, sharing resources, and amplifying these stories, we can create the momentum needed to drive positive change.
Learn More:
Nuestro Dashboard by the Iowa Latinx Project — A powerful tool for understanding the Latino Community in Iowa. The Latinx Project accelerates Latinx collective impact by advancing representation, nurturing community development, and fostering intercultural understanding through research and collaborations.
Mid-Iowa Health Foundation — is committed to improving community health through a data-driven and community-informed approach.
unevictIA — develops data-driven advocacy tools for tackling housing displacement.
Through this work, I’ve seen firsthand the limitations of data without context. Displacement is not just a policy issue—it’s a deeply personal and painful experience. The trauma it creates in communities can be profound, and this is why storytelling matters. Stories of loss, resilience, and resistance are essential to understanding the full scope of the challenges we face. By amplifying these narratives, we move closer to a future where we address and disrupt systemic inequities.
unevictIA emerged from the need for data-driven tools that can identify housing gaps and guide equitable solutions. As my PhD research evolves, I continue to explore policy-driven displacement while working alongside communities to share resources and insights that challenge inequities.
Stay Connected:
I am open to connection and collaboration. If you’re in Polk County, Des Moines, and would like to grab a coffee to discuss opportunities for collaboration, feel free to reach out. You can also listen to the Just Space Podcast and stay tuned for future updates from me via unevictIA. In 2023, I released a short film under the Walking in Place project, and I’m currently working on four more short films this Spring. If you're interested in learning more about my film projects or exploring potential collaborations, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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