DRIP Center
Data, Research, Impact and Policy Center
Beloved Community’s DRIP Center (Data, Research, Impact & Policy) decolonizes practices in data collection and analysis and research, in order to drive policy advocacy, generate organizational culture change, support anti-racist leadership development, and advance sustainable regional political-economic shifts.
Beloved Community's DRIP team is changing the face of research, and how everyday people may leverage data and research to advance antiracist practices and equity in their own lives.
Lauren Young and Dr. Faith R. Kares lead a diverse, gender-expansive team, which is comprised largely of women experts in the fields of social movements and activism, critical race theory, organizational culture and change management, education, housing development, positive youth development, community psychology, and public health.
Since its inception, Beloved Community's research arm has centered community-based and participatory research methods, has included a dedicated Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure rigorous human subjects research ethics, and has sought to democratize knowledge production and dissemination through innovative means such as leveraging social media platforms and rethinking white papers.
Meet some of the team below. Clockwise from left: Sr. Director of Research & Impact Dr. Faith R. Kares, Sr. Director of Data & Analysis Lauren Young, Sr. Research Coordinator Dr. Britany Gatewood, and Research Coordinator Carla Melaco.
The DRIP Center develops innovative and equitable research and data practices to inform DEI conversations nationwide and also supports client-facing data, research, and policy needs. Team members collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data to help leaders develop data-driven strategies for their racial equity work plans. They also develop applied research tools to help leaders leverage research in their equity and inclusion strategies.