Keepin' it real about race in HCI

I opportunity for like-minded people to discuss how the lack of conversations about race had detrimental implications for both minoritized researchers and participants, as well as our research outcomes. More importantly, this workshop allowed us to begin to assemble practical recommendations for those in this space. As a collective, we collaboratively designed a series of zines to understand the following topics: race and design research, race and identity, reporting on race in research, racially inclusive research and design, and researchers’ positionality outside the community of focus. Culturally and historically, zines have served as a powerful outlet for content outside of the mainstream. Zines are significant because they offer the opportunity for connection, community, and networking among those interested in these topics. The participatory nature of the zine democratizes and progresses In 2020, several of us aimed to disrupt the status quo and begin conversations around race in research and what that meant for the HCI community. We sought to construct a haven for ourselves, our participants, and our research as people of color by adapting critical race theory to HCI [1]. We knew, however, we were not alone in our thoughts nor our experiences, so we set out to create a space for and build a community of individuals interested in not only discussing race but also grappling with better processes to implement radical change from individual to institutional levels. To extend our work, we held a workshop at CHI 2020 called “What’s Race Got to Do With It? Engaging Race in HCI” [2]. This workshop was by no means the solution to the racial problems that plague our research designs, methodologies, and academic and industry professions— or more broadly, the HCI community. Instead, it was an Keepin’ It Real About Race in HCI