Celebrating Stories: Shaping a healthier future through a community-led data ecosystem

On a bright summer day, the Coalition of Communities of Color’s (CCC's) Climate and Health Coordinator stands in the blistering heat of East Portland. With barely a tree in sight—an unusual scene for a state like Oregon—it's a stark reminder of the environmental inequities that exist and vary by neighborhood. As we walked around Portland, we couldn’t help but wonder who were our communities really designed for?

At CCC, our mission is simple yet powerful: to advance racial justice through cross-cultural collaboration.

We work closely with 18 diverse and culturally-specific member organizations and a broad group of partners on a shared goal of driving meaningful change for our communities. 

One of the key ways we’re making progress collaboratively this year is through the Modernized Anti-racist Data Ecosystem (MADE) for Health Justice initiative.

MADE for Health Justice seeks to create an ecosystem rooted in community data—data that reflects the lived experiences of those most affected—to influence decision-making and address racial, health and environmental inequities in Multnomah County.

By centering the lived experiences of the community, we’re not just gathering data—we’re shaping a future where decisions are informed by those who have been historically marginalized by dominant systems.

Supporting CCC means you’ll be helping to bring this vision to life and making a real impact for climate and health justice. 

Join our mission this Giving Tuesday and make a donation today.

This year, we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, including:

  • Convening an Advisory Council composed of 19 community-based organizations, alongside the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and Multnomah County’s Office of Sustainability and Health Department.

  • Gaining a deeper understanding of local data resources and enhancing our knowledge of how government data systems operate.

  • Drafting our first-ever values-based data charter.

  • Supporting the City and County in preparing their systems to expand the use of community data and foster a cultural shift in how this data is viewed and utilized.

We’ve got exciting things in store for 2025, starting with the technical design and creation of our data ecosystem! Join our mailing list to stay updated for upcoming gatherings in the new year.