In today's data-driven world, it's easy to get caught up in the numbers and statistics. We rely on data to make informed decisions, whether it's for research, business, science, or everyday life. For example, most–if not all–organizations and companies use data analytics to gain insights into the targeted audience's behavior, preferences, and consumer patterns. Similarly, when individuals run for office, they rely on voter data and historical election results to fine-tune their campaign strategies and make informed choices about how to conduct genuine and effective outreach to the community. Even on a day to day basis, when looking for a restaurant to dine at, we tend to consider places with the highest ratings and numbers.
However, there are certain aspects of the human experience that are difficult to quantify, such as emotions, personal preferences, and the nuances of human behavior. Using the same restaurant-searching example, although scrolling through Yelp for the restaurants with the highest star ratings is useful, most individuals will also choose to take into account the reviews left by people who have already eaten there. Using these personalized reviews as a tool can help paint a more elaborate picture for individuals to make the best decision for themselves.
So, in short, not every story can be told through solely numbers. On Monday, June 26, our cohort had the honor to chat with Dr. Raphael Sonenshein during our afternoon session. During that session, there was one thing Sonenshein said that stuck with me. It was:
"Sometimes the eye test works better than data." – Dr. Raphael Sonenshein
Dr. Raphael J. Sonenshein is the Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA. He is also the author of three books on Los Angeles politics and government.
As humans, we have a tendency to believe what we hear and see before anything else. Our senses and emotions provide us with valuable information that cannot always be captured by numbers and algorithms. Listening to narratives and testimonies can be just as informative, while additionally allowing us to tap into our empathetic sides to see the bigger picture at hand. For instance, quantitative data alone falls short when attempting to fully comprehend historical events and the experiences and hardships of individuals who lived during such times. Recently, on June 30th, our cohort had the chance to explore the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (NCPD) at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM), where we delved into the stories of multiple individuals. In particular, we got to walk through and interact with one of their educational exhibitions called: Fighting for Democracy: Who is the “We” in “We, the People”?
The Fighting for Democracy experiential exhibition premiered in Los Angeles in 2005 and provided the diverse perspectives of seven ordinary citizens whose lives and communities were forever changed by World War II. This exhibition asks visitors to think critically about freedom, history, and, ultimately, the ongoing struggle to live democratically in a diverse America.
The exhibition uses World War II as a case study to begin a discussion about how women and minorities have expanded the meaning of "we" in "we, the people". It looks at the experiences of seven real people and traces their stories throughout the pre-war, war, and post-war periods as examples of the millions of Americans whose lives were affected. These firsthand accounts offered us invaluable insights and perspectives that allow us to make connections and interpretations that quantitative data alone cannot provide.
That said, I would like to note that qualitative analysis, such as the eye test and the Fighting for Democracy Exhibit, should not be seen as a replacement for numbers and quantitative data. Rather, it should be viewed as a complementary approach. Through a combination of both qualitative observations and quantitative data analysis, we can achieve a deeper understanding of the world around us. It is a reminder that, while numbers and statistics are powerful, they should always be considered alongside our lived experiences. Because although numbers are compelling, there is also great power in storytelling and testimonies.
The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not reflect the views or positions of CAUSE or the CAUSE network.
Written by Andrea Mac, Leadership Academy 2023 Intern.
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a nine-week, paid, internship program that prepares college undergraduates to lead and advocate for the Asian Pacific Islander community on their campuses and beyond.