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“At Howard, we're looking at having people understand that data is the new oil, right? Everyone has access to it, everyone should be aware of it, everyone should be able to understand where they fall when it comes to their own data, but not knowing that cost. So we want everyone to kind of have a space to say, I'm not a computer scientist, I am not someone who loves statistics, but I want to get involved in this ecosystem of data science, where can I start? And social impact and social justice is where everyone can find a space to begin to understand why data is so important.”

Today, we sit down with Dr. Amy Yeboah Quarkume—also known as Dr. A—Associate Professor at Howard University and Director of Graduate Studies for the Applied Data Science and Analytics program. Dr. A shares her journey from Africana Studies into data science, and how she’s building Howard into a hub for data science, social justice, and environmental justice. Together, they discuss her groundbreaking projects like What’s Up with All the Bias and the HELLO BLACK WORLD curriculum, the importance of addressing “data pollution” in marginalized communities, and how students of all ages can find their way into coding and data science.

“Let's create more space to make mistakes. And even though mistakes cost—because the environmental impacts of all this…there are impacts to what we do—being able to make a mistake and learn should be something that we should continue to encourage. Coding takes practice, it takes patience.”

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