Data for Black Lives
Data for Black Lives is a US nonprofit founded in 2017 that uses data science, advocacy campaigns, conferences, and educational content to address algorithmic bias and data-driven harms affecting Black communities, serving activists, organizers, data scientists, and policymakers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Data for Black Lives does
Data for Black Lives (D4BL) is a US-based nonprofit movement organization founded in 2017 by Yeshimabeit Milner and Lucas Mason-Brown that uses data science, advocacy, and convening to address algorithmic bias, data-driven harms, and racial inequities affecting Black communities. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected programs rather than a unified software product: educational content (Crash Course video series on algorithms, facial recognition, predictive policing, and data weapons), data products (notably a consolidated state-level COVID-19 racial-disparity tracker recognized by the New York Times Good Tech Award in 2020), advocacy campaigns (#NoMoreDataWeapons, Abolish Big Data), biennial conferences (D4BL I in 2017 at MIT Media Lab, D4BL II in 2019, D4BL III in November 2024 at Pérez Art Museum Miami), a multi-disciplinary Decompress series and physical co-working venue in Miami's Little Haiti neighborhood launched in 2023, and the inaugural Movement Scientist Fellowship cohort announced in August 2024.
The organization's core technology stack is intentionally lean: an informational website (d4bl.org), video distribution via YouTube, GitHub-hosted open resources, and a growing catalog of datasets and reports (including the Consentful Tech Curriculum co-developed with the Consentful Tech Project in 2021). D4BL does not build proprietary AI or ML systems; its technical work centers on data aggregation, dataset publication, and policy framing rather than model development. It operates as a movement-based entity supported by foundation grants (Wikimedia Foundation Knowledge Equity Fund, Echoing Green, Ashoka), individual donations, and fellowship support, with a disclosed headcount of 1-10 employees and active regional hubs in Miami, the DMV area, and Detroit. Notable institutional relationships include co-litigation with the Brennan Center for Justice against the DC Metropolitan Police Department (filed February 2022) and conference partnerships with MIT Media Lab and Pérez Art Museum Miami.
Data for Black Lives firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Data for Black Lives
- Legal name
- Data for Black Lives
- Website
- https://d4bl.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Data for Black Lives is a US nonprofit founded in 2017 that uses data science, advocacy campaigns, conferences, and educational content to address algorithmic bias and data-driven harms affecting Black communities, serving activists, organizers, data scientists, and policymakers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Data for Black Lives industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Justice Advocacy and Data Activism
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Processing & Data Preparation (7374)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health Statistics & Reporting (National/State/Local Indicators) (HLAJAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Data Privacy, Confidentiality & Statistical Disclosure Control (HLAJAJAN), Health Equity Analytics & Disparities Measurement (HLACAHAK)
Keywords
Where Data for Black Lives is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Data for Black Lives business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization accepts donations through its website and likely relies on individual and institutional charitable contributions to fund operations
- Grants and Foundation Funding: D4BL receives support from foundations and fellowship programs including Echoing Green Fellowship, Ashoka Fellowship, and is a grantee of the Wikimedia Foundation Knowledge Equity Fund
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Donation-based support |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Data for Black Lives product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Data for Black Lives is a movement organization that runs advocacy campaigns, conferences, datasets, reports, and educational content focused on using data science to advance racial justice, challenge algorithmic bias, and combat data weaponization in Black communities. Its core deliverables include the D4BL conference series, the Decompress multi-disciplinary event series, COVID-19 disparity datasets, the Movement Scientist Fellowship, the Consentful Tech Curriculum, and the Crash Course video series.
Product overview
Data for Black Lives is a movement organization that operates as a platform of interconnected advocacy programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include educational content (Crash Course video series), community events (Decompress multi-disciplinary series), data products (COVID-19 tracking datasets), annual conferences (D4BL I, II, III), advocacy campaigns (#NoMoreDataWeapons, Abolish Big Data), and research publications. The organization functions as a convening and advocacy hub, providing resources, organizing frameworks, and educational materials rather than a SaaS platform with modules. Their technology-focused initiatives center on raising awareness about algorithmic justice and data rights rather than developing proprietary technical products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Decompress: A multi-disciplinary series and movement laboratory featuring art, music, and cultural programming alongside data activism.
- Movement Scientist Fellows
Quantifiable outcome
- COVID-19 Black cases & deaths tracking database
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Data for Black Lives
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Data for Black Lives technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Data for Black Lives partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Brennan Center for JusticecoreData for Black Lives and the Brennan Center co-filed a lawsuit against the DC Metropolitan Police Department for surveillance records related to social media monitoring of activism. This partnership represents a core litigation and advocacy collaboration focused on government transparency and accountability around data weaponization.
- Consentful Tech ProjectcoreData for Black Lives joined forces with the Consentful Tech Project to release a curriculum that guides practitioners through a process to develop technology in truly inclusive and consentful ways, pushing back against the weaponization of data. The curriculum is designed to be used by practitioners developing technology.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Data for Black Lives competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AI Now Institute: Research institute producing high-impact reports on algorithmic accountability, bias in AI systems, and the social implications of AI deployment — directly overlaps D4BL's algorithmic justice and data weapons focus, with similar policy orientation and target audiences (researchers, policymakers, journalists).
- Algorithmic Justice League: Founded by Joy Buolamwini, AJL combines art, research, and advocacy to highlight algorithmic bias (notably facial recognition) — closely aligned with D4BL's #NoMoreDataWeapons campaign and Crash Course educational content around biased technologies.
- Data & Society: Research institute studying the social implications of data-centric technologies; their D4BL III coverage indicates they engage with the same community. Comparable in producing research publications and convening researchers on data justice themes.
- Color Of Change: Large racial-justice advocacy organization running campaigns against tech-driven harm (predictive policing, Facebook hate speech, AI bias) — comparable mission and movement-building model, with a much larger member base.
Broad incumbents
- Brennan Center for Justice: Major law and policy organization that is both a D4BL litigation partner (DC MPD surveillance lawsuit) and a structural peer on civil liberties, voting rights, and technology accountability — broader portfolio but overlapping on surveillance and algorithmic justice advocacy.
- Movement for Black Lives: Coalition of Black-led organizations advancing a broad racial justice agenda — D4BL sits as a data-and-technology-focused node within this larger movement ecosystem.
- Electronic Frontier Foundation: Established digital rights organization focused on privacy, surveillance, and algorithmic accountability — comparable advocacy framing on data weapons and surveillance, with substantially more resources and a longer history.
- Center for Democracy & Technology: Nonprofit tech policy organization working on AI governance, civil rights, and data protection — overlapping with D4BL's policy/legislative audience and algorithmic accountability campaigns.
- ACLU: Largest U.S. civil liberties organization running sustained campaigns on surveillance, facial recognition, predictive policing, and AI — the institutional incumbent whose work D4BL's campaigns often complement or push forward on data-and-tech-specific issues.
Regional players
- Partnership on AI: Multi-stakeholder AI policy organization that convenes philanthropy and civil society on inclusive AI; D4BL participated in Partnership on AI roundtables in 2024 — peer in the inclusive AI/algorithmic accountability conversation with a more industry-aligned posture.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Data for Black Lives social profiles
Digital presenceData for Black Lives financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Data for Black Lives leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Data for Black Lives funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Data for Black Lives M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Data for Black Lives
What does Data for Black Lives do?
Data for Black Lives is a movement organization that runs advocacy campaigns, conferences, datasets, reports, and educational content focused on using data science to advance racial justice, challenge algorithmic bias, and combat data weaponization in Black communities. Its core deliverables include the D4BL conference series, the Decompress multi-disciplinary event series, COVID-19 disparity datasets, the Movement Scientist Fellowship, the Consentful Tech Curriculum, and the Crash Course video series.
Is Data for Black Lives a public or private company?
Data for Black Lives is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Data for Black Lives founded?
Data for Black Lives was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Data for Black Lives based?
Data for Black Lives is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Data for Black Lives make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are grants and Foundation Funding.
Who are Data for Black Lives's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AI Now Institute, Algorithmic Justice League, Data & Society and Color Of Change. Broad incumbents are Brennan Center for Justice, Movement for Black Lives, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Center for Democracy & Technology and ACLU. Partnership on AI is listed as a regional player.
Does Data for Black Lives have an API?
No public API is recorded for Data for Black Lives.
What industry is Data for Black Lives in?
Data for Black Lives's product category is Social Justice Advocacy and Data Activism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAJAC, Health Statistics & Reporting (National/State/Local Indicators), with a secondary code of HLAJAJAN, Data Privacy, Confidentiality & Statistical Disclosure Control. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 7374.