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Community Equity, Data

& Information Lab

School of Information and Library Science

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

We work with community members, not-for-profit organizations, and other researchers to understand and support the information, data, and technology needs and use of people, communities, and individuals who are traditionally marginalized.

Community Data Lab

Community Data Lab introduces students to issues related to uses of data in, for, by and against local communities. View fall 2020 Community Data Lab Projects!

CEDI Lab Members

Amelia Gibson, PhD

Assistant Professor

Amelia Gibson is an Assistant Professor at the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her primary research interests focus on the ways that information and data are used by and against marginalized communities, with a focus on health and wellness in communities of color (particularly among women and girls) and among disabled people. Her work explores the ways we understand and replicate systemic information poverty, marginalization, and equity in local communities and on the internet. She is the director of the Community Equity, Data and Information Lab at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Gibson is a Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholar and a fellow with the UNC Center for Media Law & Policy, the Parr Center for Ethics, and the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute. She is the recipient of an IMLS Early Career Award and UNC Junior Faculty Development Award.

Laura March, MS, MEd

PhD Student

Laura March is a PhD student and Asheim Fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Information and Library Sciences. Laura is an instructional designer, trainer, and web developer with more than ten years of experience designing accessible online environments and teaching virtually. Prior to starting her PhD, Laura worked at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Office for Online Learning, American University‘s Center for Teaching, Research & Learning in Washington, D.C. and the Pennsylvania State University’s Education Technology Services. She received an MS in Art Education and an MEd in Instructional Systems. Her research interests include universal design (for learning and for the web), educational technology, digital and visual culture, and informal learning at cultural institutions. Laura enjoy painting friends and family in the style of famous works of art, trivia games, and eating far too much pizza.

Alexis Romero Walker, MA

PhD Student

Alexis Romero Walker is a PhD Student and Roy H. Park Fellow at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Her primary research interests are around creating an equitable media pedagogy in higher education media classrooms through critical media literacy practices, with a focus on how to make visual media-making better representative for womxn and communities of color. Her work is directly connected to her experience in filmmaking, and she believes that when media skills classrooms in higher education teach about gender, sexuality, race, and disability, there will be more empathetic media practitioners in the field.

Alexis was awarded the William Francis Clingman Jr. Ethics Award in 2019 for her work in the Media Literacy field, and was a member of the student leadership council for the National Association of Media Literacy Education (Namle.net) for three years. She received her MA from Sacred Heart University in Media Literacy and Social Justice, and her BA from BYU-Utah in Media Arts. Alexis also enjoys yoga, acai bowls, and her favorite movie is "The Red Shoes" (1948).

Alexandra Paz Cody

MSLS Student

Alexandra Paz Cody is a second-year MSLS student at UNC’s School of Library and Information Science. After earning her bachelors in English from Northwest University, Alex left her home state of Washington to teach English Language Arts in Northampton County, NC as a corps member in Teach for America. This experience lead to her desire to advocate for digital literacy and accessibility for students of all ages. Since arriving at SILS, Alex teaches with the Community Workshop Series and is interested in the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion within the technology in the public sphere, such as affordable internet access and digital literacy education in schools and libraries. In addition to her participation in CEDI Lab, Alex is a research assistant for the Community-Driven Archives Mellon Grant within the Southern Historical Collection. In her spare time Alex enjoys baking, listening to music, and taking cross-county road trips.

Lianza Reyes

MSIS Student

Lianza Reyes is a first-year MSIS student with an interest in human-computer interaction, user experience, and user interface design. She’s currently involved in the CEDI Lab to translate materials into Spanish to make educational resources accessible to non-English speaking parents. She joined the CEDI Lab to continue her passion for making information accessible to non-English speaking communities. In her free time, Lianza owns a small business called Lines by Lianza and volunteers with the Community Workshop Series. Her academic interests include accessibility, artistic expression, and equitable design in UX. She holds a BS in Broadcast and Digital Journalism at Syracuse University.

Ashton Davis

CEDI Intern (Undergraduate)

Ashton Davis is a senior undergraduate student majoring in Linguistics and Human Development and Family Studies. She is currently working on the Connect EC Durham site with CEDI to gain more knowledge about providing Exceptional Children with resources within public school. Ashton plans to continue her education at UNC-Chapel Hill with the Masters of Art in Teaching program to attain her teaching certificates for K-6 and English as a Second Language. Her academic interests include child and family relations, languages, and child advocacy. Her hobbies include painting, reading, and hiking.

Dana McCraw

CEDI Intern (Undergraduate)

Dana is a senior graduating from UNC - Chapel Hill in May of 2021, with degrees in Human Development and Family Studies and Communication Studies and a minor in Social and Economic Justice. Dana’s contributions to the CEDI Lab are focused on the Connect EC Durham Site, where she assists with the creation of learning resources to help K-12 students with disabilities, their parents, and their teachers. Following graduation, Dana will be attending Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College to join the Master’s in Elementary Education Program. She is eager to further explore best practices for teaching and empowering students of all backgrounds in a culturally responsive, accessible, and inclusive manner. In her free time, she is typically found running, listening to podcasts, or doing both at once.

CEDI²

The Community-engaged Disability Informatics workgroup (CEDI²) within the lab does community-engaged research with disabled people and people with a broad range of neurodiversities. Follow us for information on our most recent projects.

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