“Good Data, Stronger Tribes: Overcoming Native American Data Challenges in Southern California”—a new joint report from the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and Brooking Metro—examines persistent barriers to reliable data for Native American Tribes in the SCAG region and outlines a regional roadmap for change

Data is integral to the well-being of communities. With good data, policymakers can make laws and regulations that reflect the conditions and needs of the populations they serve, as well as make informed decisions about how best to support their citizens.

Native Americans need data that sufficiently measures their populations, lands, and governing priorities. Native nations face the challenge of governing their citizens and territories while needing to rely on data that would be considered inadequate for nearly any other group in the United States.

The report draws on over 30 interviews and site visits with tribal leaders and stakeholders in the SCAG region, identifying core data limitations affecting tribes—including small sample sizes, misclassification, and limited access.

Authors:

• Robert Maxim, Fellow, Brookings Metro
• Manann Donoghoe, Fellow, Brookings Metro
• Hannah Stephens, Senior Research Assistant, Brookings Metro

While the focus is regional, the report’s recommendations have national relevance: As access to federal data shrinks, regional agencies have a growing role to play in supporting Indigenous data sovereignty and inclusive decision-making.

Read the full report