digital equity

Content tagged with "digital equity"

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BEAD: The Metamorphosis | Episode 109 of the Connect This! Show

Connect This! Show

Catch the latest episode of the Connect This! Show, with co-hosts Christopher Mitchell (ILSR) and Travis Carter (USI Fiber) joined by regular guests Kim McKinley (TAK Broadband) and Doug Dawson (CCG Consulting) to talk about major changes coming to the BEAD program and a grab-bag of other topics, including:

Join us live on March 7th at 2pm ET, or listen afterwards wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us at [email protected] with feedback and ideas for the show.

Subscribe to the show using this feed or find it on the Connect This! page, and watch on LinkedIn, on YouTube Live, on Facebook live, or below.

‘The Human Infrastructure of Broadband’ Will Take Center Screen at Upcoming B4DE

As digital inclusion advocates look to get their bearings amid an all-out assault on federal broadband funding programs, the next Building For Digital Equity livestream offers a port in the storm.

Slated for March 13 from 3 to 4:15 pm ET – and once again co-hosted by ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) – the keynote speaker for the UTOPIA Fiber sponsored event will be Revati Prasad, Vice President of Programs with the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society.

Charting the Course: Adapting to Policy Shifts While Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize” promises to bring hundreds of digital inclusion practitioners together to regroup and recalibrate while hearing from those working in the trenches to adequately address broadband access challenges across the nation.

Registration for the increasingly popular live stream is now open here.

Prasad will focus on Benton’s recently published report: “The Human Infrastructure of Broadband: Looking Back, Looking Around, and Looking Ahead.”

Trump FCC Begins Dismantling Agency Civil Rights Reforms

After decades of redlining and broadband “digital discrimination” by the nation’s biggest telecom monopolies, the FCC finally began taking aim at the problem in 2023. Now the entirety of those efforts are poised to be dismantled, courtesy of the Trump administration’s broad, controversial frontal assault on discrimination reforms and civil rights.

The 2021 infrastructure bill set aside $42.5 billion to expand broadband into all unserved parts of the United States.

But it also tasked the FCC with crafting new rules taking aim at “digital discrimination.” On November 15th of 2023 the agency obliged, passing rules banning ISPs from broadband discrimination based on income, race, or religion.

Civil rights and digital equity activists were split on the potential impact of the rules, but they did agree on one thing: it was historic for federal policymakers to finally admit that telecom monopoly deployments had unfairly excluded many low income and minority neighborhoods from affordable, next-generation broadband access.

Save the Date: Next B4DE Marks Pivotal Time In ‘Charting the Course’ Forward

With uncertainty swirling around the future of BEAD and Digital Equity Act programs in the wake of an Executive Order by the Trump administration freezing federal funding and loan programs, the next Building for Digital Equity (#B4DE) live stream is shaping up to be perhaps the most monumental one to date.

Charting the Course: Adapting to Policy Shifts While Keeping Our Eyes on the Prize” promises to bring hundreds of digital inclusion practitioners together for the increasingly popular virtual gathering that aims to offer insights and ground-truth on how communities continue to their work in closing the digital divide at a time when the programs established to do so have been tossed into disarray.

Registration is now open here.

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Vintage photo compass, hourglass and map on wooden desk

Slated for March 13 from 3 to 4:15 pm ET, the upcoming live stream will once again be co-hosted by ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) and sponsored by UTOPIA Fiber.

Internet at $25: How Pharr is Making It Work - Episode 624 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

In this episode of the podcast, Chris reconnects with Jose Pena, IT Director for the City of Pharr, Texas. They discuss Pharr's remarkable journey in building a municipal fiber network that delivers affordable and reliable Internet access to all residents and businesses in the city, including underserved and rural areas.

Jose highlights Pharr’s successful partnerships with the local school district, their innovative use of funding sources such as rescue plan dollars, and the community impact of providing high-speed Internet at a fraction of traditional costs. Learn how Pharr has achieved an impressive 50% take rate in just two years, saving residents millions annually and helping bridge the digital divide.

The conversation also delves into the city's digital equity initiatives, including home visits by digital navigators, free cybersecurity tools, and digital literacy training programs that come with free laptops. Jose also shares insights about their plans to expand connectivity to apartment complexes and businesses, as well as their forward-thinking internship program for local high school students. 

This episode is a testament to what municipalities can achieve in creating accessible, community-centered broadband networks.

This show is 30 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

Coalition Building Success Takes Center Screen On B4DE Livestream

As Digital Inclusion Week 2024 swings into action, frontline digital inclusion practitioners from across the nation will come together for a timely Building for Digital Equity (#B4DE) livestream event today that focuses on “Coalition Building for Success.”

The popular (and free) virtual gathering – co-hosted by Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) – will go live today from 3 to 4:15 PM ET.

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Building for Digital Equity

For Digital equity advocates or interested guests who have yet register for the event, there is still time to register here.

The third #B4DE of the year will delve into how coalitions are finding success in pushing the digital equity movement forward as Digital Equity Act grant programs are being established.

The keynote speaker for today’s livestream will be Georgia Savage, Deputy Director of #OaklandUndivided, who helped lead the way in securing $38.5 million in grant funding that will expand broadband infrastructure and distribute Internet-connected devices to thousands of low-income households across East and West Oakland, California.

ILSR Launches New Digital Opportunity Lab

As ILSR continues to support local communities in solving Internet connectivity challenges, the Community Broadband Networks (CBN) team has kicked off a new initiative deep in the heart of Texas we are calling the Digital Opportunity Lab.

It mixes elements from the on-going Tribal Broadband Bootcamps with ingredients from CBN’s community engagement work to create a customizable-program in support of digital equity coalitions and community leaders amid a national effort to unlock the participatory benefits of broadband for all.

“Our focus isn’t on telling communities what they should or shouldn’t do,” ILSR Community Broadband Networks Director Christopher Mitchell explained. “We zero in on demystifying the technology involved, illuminating the digital landscape as it functions today, and share what we’ve learned and distilled after nearly two decades of documenting what local communities are doing to bridge multiple digital divides.”

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Digital Opportunity Lab young student crimping

Digital Opportunity Lab Debut

In a colonia outside of Pharr, Texas – nestled in the Rio Grande Valley – the first Digital Opportunity Lab convened last week with a focus on high school-aged students.

Beyond the Pivot: Fort Collins Connexion's Latest Milestones - Episode 616 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast

In this episode of the podcast, Chris sits down once again with Chad Crager, Executive Director of Fort Collins Connexion, to discuss the city's progress in developing a sustainable municipal broadband network. Chad shares exciting updates, including reaching 21,000 subscribers and serving 80,000 premises, while highlighting the city's innovative approach to broadband, such as leveraging underground power infrastructure and implementing dig-once policies.

Chad also emphasizes Fort Collins' commitment to digital equity, explaining efforts to serve mobile home parks, the challenges of wiring such communities, and the introduction of Spanish-speaking staff to reach underserved populations. The discussion touches on the city's long-term sustainability plans, business model, and collaboration with local government, ensuring that Fort Collins Connexion remains financially resilient while fostering digital inclusion for all residents.

Tune in for an insightful look at how Fort Collins is balancing competition with incumbents, expanding broadband access, and setting an example for other cities looking to invest in community broadband.

This show is 30 minutes long and can be played on this page or via Apple Podcasts or the tool of your choice using this feed.

Transcript below.

We want your feedback and suggestions for the show-please e-mail us or leave a comment below.

Listen to other episodes or view all episodes in our index. See other podcasts from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

Thanks to Arne Huseby for the music. The song is Warm Duck Shuffle and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license

Save The Date: Coalition Building Will Take Center Stage at Next #B4DE Event

With Digital Inclusion Week 2024 only a month away, we are encouraging digital equity advocates to save the date for the next Building for Digital Equity (#B4DE) livestream event.

The popular (and free) virtual gathering – co-hosted by Institute for Local Self Reliance (ILSR) Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) – will be held on October 7, 2024 from 3 to 4:15 PM ET.

You can register for the event here.

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B4DE flyer 10.7.24

For our third #B4DE of the year, the theme will be “Coalition Building for Success” and will bring together hundreds of frontline digital inclusion practitioners from across the nation to delve into how coalitions are finding success in pushing the digital equity movement forward, especially as Digital Equity Act grant programs are being established.

As with the previous #B4DE events, the Digital Inclusion Week livestream will once again be sponsored by UTOPIA Fiber and co-hosted by NDIA’s Pamela Rosales and ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative Director Christopher Mitchell.

NDIA’s Angela Siefer Among IP3 Awards Winners

As the nation observes Labor Day, Public Knowledge is gearing up to celebrate the work of four Internet champions who have made significant contributions “on behalf of the public interest to help everyone connect and communicate.”

To that end, Public Knowledge recently announced the award winners for the 21st Annual IP3 Awards, which will be held on September 26th at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington D.C.

Among the four award recipients is Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). She will be presented with the Internet Protocol Award this year, recognizing her as a national leader of the digital equity movement.

In announcing the awards, Public Knowledge noted how Angela has been a trailblazer “in the field we now call ‘digital inclusion.’”

The announcement went on to recount the early days of her notable career – “starting with setting up computer labs in underserved areas and managing local digital inclusion programs” and how Angela’s “first-hand knowledge” led to her being called on to consult for the US Department of Commerce as well as testify before Congress on a number of occasions.

In 2015, as Angela saw “the growing field needed its own place to build best practices and community,” she focused her attention on becoming “the founding executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, which advances digital equity by supporting community programs and equipping policymakers to act,” the announcement read in explaining why she is being honored.

Three other award recipients were also announced:

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks is being honored with the President’s Award for his work “from combating Internet inequality to advocating for diversity in employment, entrepreneurship, and media ownership.”