About us
The Pivot Ethos
We call Pivot a collaborative design and training studio, and we don’t use the word “collaborative” lightly.
We care about the people behind the numbers. That’s you — the funder, nonprofit organization, or researcher — but it’s also, and more importantly, the communities you serve.
For too long data has been used to tell stories about people, but not for them.
We’re working to make data-gathering an inclusive, rather than extractive, practice, inviting communities to take part in how their stories are told.
Our values
Capacity strengthening*
There’s a reason why programs and workshops are such a large part of Pivot’s offerings. We’re not interested in dropping in, creating a data visualization, and leaving. We’d like to figure out how we can really help your team improve its data evaluation and design over the long-term. We recognize that your team already has the knowledge, expertise, and passion to make sound decisions for your organization — our job is to bolster your work, not to commandeer it.
Where possible, we’re shifting to the term capacity strengthening, rather than the more conventional phrase “capacity building,” because capacity-building practices have historically been rooted in uneven power structures — perpetuating the false notion that communities of color and low-income communities need direction, rather than support. As the authors of the report “Reimaging Capacity Building” write, “The limitations of models that do not consider dynamics of power and issues of equity have never been more apparent than they are now.”
Part of our work internally and with our clients involves recognizing how we may be unintentionally perpetuating racial inequities by doing data evaluation-as-usual. Our goal is to truly listen to our clients, learn about the communities they’re serving, and create reciprocal data evaluation and design practices that center cross-cultural understanding, racial equity, and community-building.
Clarity in creativity
We turn scary Excel sheets into aesthetically pleasing charts and graphics; and we review and refine our clients’ processes so they feel capable of making adjustments for years to come. Data can be fun, and it can look good too. We swear.
Data inclusivity & reciprocity
Data has a history of being extractive — something that is taken from Black, brown, and low-income communities to create stories that are about them but not for them. We are always skill-building ourselves, looking for ways to create and share more equitable data-gathering and visualization practices. That includes understanding that data is not purely quantitative (i.e. numbers), but is largely made up of historical context, lived experiences, and other qualitative and anecdotal input.
People come first
We’ll remember your dog’s name and the way you take your coffee. We build real relationships with our clients. We take the time to get to know you, include you in our processes, and respect your experience and expertise.
Work with us
If you have any questions or comments, please contact us via email or fill out the contact form.