It’s no secret we’re obsessed with data visualization. So we’re head-over-heels with Visualizing.org — a new portal and community for “making sense of complex issues through data and design” driven by the increasing need to understand the constantly proliferating body of public data available.

The project is a mecca for designers, journalists and educators alike, offering a place to showcase work, discover remarkable visualizations and visually explore some of today’s most pressing global issues.

This month, Visualizing is running the inaugural Visualizing Marathon 2010 in New York — a 24-hour student data visualization competition inspired by robotics competitions and science fairs, inviting students to tackle real-world issues through collabortion and design. The jury is a cross-disciplinary team of Brain Pickings favorites, including Visual Miscellaneum author David McCandless, visualcomplexity.com founder Manuel Lima, GE Chief Marketing Officer Beth Commstock, and our grandest culture-crush of all, MoMA’s phenomenal curator of architecture and design, Paola Antonelli. So if you find yourself in New York October 20-22, do pop in. Meanwhile, explore all the amazing visualizations being shared and share your own work.