The case for decolonizing data sources in indigenous evaluation and research

Western public health research and evaluation remain grounded in deficit-based frameworks that often fail to capture the complexity of Indigenous wellbeing. For American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities, these approaches emphasize measurable disparities while obscuring their root causes. Standard quantitative indicators frequently misalign with Indigenous contexts, overlooking spiritual, relational, and collective dimensions of health. Drawing on the framework of My Story, Your Story, and The Story, this paper highlights how individual, collective, and universal ways of knowing can deepen understanding of health and wellbeing. Decolonizing data and expanding what counts as data is essential to accurately represent Indigenous realities and support meaningful, community-driven change; this work calls for a rebalancing that values Indigenous frameworks alongside conventional methods.