Jameila “Meme” Styles, founder of the nonprofit MEASURE, is passionate about using data to represent the true circumstances of people of color and underserved communities.“ Austin is an optimal environment for activism,” Styles said, “due the clear racism that exists here.”
After the the killing of unarmed teenager David Joseph by an Austin police officer, Styles knew she needed to join the movement for change. She founded MEASURE in 2015 to promote the use of evidence-based programs that tell the real life stories behind the numbers.
Austin is an optimal environment for activism due the clear racism that exists here.
With MEASURE, Styles continues a family legacy of community activism. Her father is a member of the NAACP and was active in the Black Power movement. Styles’ grandfather was also a community advocate.
Her award-winning nonprofit creates performance metrics and a common language to describe issues, then empowers communities to come together to solve complex problems.
Styles asserts that MEASURE is “data driven, but not data lead.” The organization produces results by calling out racially biased organizations and forcing them to report the facts. When communities have data that illuminates pervasive racism, it is hard to overlook the need for change.
To learn more about MEASURE and how you can support their efforts, visit their website. The group holds meetings every second Wednesday at 5 pm on the Huston-Tillotson campus in the Dickey-Lawless auditorium.
