Abigail Echo-Hawk fights for the inclusion of Indigenous people in COVID-19 data

IAS alum Abigail Echo-Hawk has been working for years with Indigenous people, mostly in cities, across the United States to collect data about their communities. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic takes a disproportionate toll on many Indigenous communities, Echo-Hawk’s work takes on more urgency. Science magazine recently featured Echo-Hawk’s fight for data inclusion in the article, “COVID-19 data on Native Americans is ‘a national disgrace.’ This scientist is fighting to be counted."

Echo-Hawk is the director of the Urban Indian Health Institute (UIHI) and the chief research officer for the Seattle Indian Health Board. She received a B.A. in American Studies (’07) and M.A. in Policy Studies (’09) from UW Bothell.