Ep. 8: Data, Gatekeeping & Who Sets the Questions?

Episode 8 asks a deceptively simple question: who controls the data that define Black veterans’ realities, and who gets locked out? The discussion unpacks how restricted access to VA data makes it hard (or impossible) for independent researchers, Black scholars, and community partners to replicate findings or challenge blind spots, and how incomplete race and ethnicity data can hide real disparities. Listeners learn how underrepresentation in research participation, mistrust, and technical gaps come together to create “partial visibility” for Black veterans. The episode then explores what equitable data practices could look like, from shared governance and open science norms to tiered data access and partnership with HBCUs/MSIs. The central message: data equity is not a technical side issue; it’s core to justice, accountability, and trust.