Getting Connected | Comcast Newsmakers

4:01

LGBTQ+ Digital Divide: More Than 8 Million Households Without Internet Acce...

Arin Rook, a digital navigator with LGBT Tech, talks to Dara Brown on location at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia. According to the organization’s research, more than 8 million LGBTQ+ households may be struggling to access affordable Internet. Rook states that it’s “very critical that those folks are able to access technology and have personal technology that they can use safely.”

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4:12

‘You Can't Participate Fully in Society’ Without Digital Literacy

Zaire Martin, Digital Navigation Specialist at Beyond Literacy in Philadelphia, joins Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024. On the importance of digital literacy, Martin says, “Without some level of digital literacy, you can't participate fully in society. Whether that is trying to make a doctor's appointment or trying to (apply) for services, I think you have to have some level of digital literacy in order to really fully participate in society.”

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3:18

Digital Skills: ‘It’s About the Future of the Workforce’

The COVID-19 pandemic raised awareness about the importance of connectivity not only for distance learning, but also for the workforce. Megan Steckly, CEO of Compudopt, talks with Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia about how the organization works with under-resourced youth to ensure they grow up with technology to compete in the workforce.

“It's about the future of workforce,” Steckly says, “and what they're going to do when they grow up with technology jobs being the fastest growing employment market.”

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3:22

For Job Seekers in Houston: ‘Everything Depends on Technology and Access to...

Lack of Internet connectivity can be a key barrier for those seeking employment. Sheroo Mukhtiar, CEO of SERJobs in Houston, joins Dara Brown on location in Philadelphia at Net Inclusion 2024 to talk about how the organization works to eliminate barriers to employment.

Mukhtiar says, “Everything depends on technology and access to it, while also learning how to use it to its full potential. Part of that effort is to ensure that people not only have access to the tools that they need, but they can also learn how to use those tools to complete educational requirements, to learn skills that they need related to the job. And then finally, complete job applications so they can apply for jobs.”

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3:01

Connecting Albemarle County, Va.: ‘Universal Broadband Access by the End of...

Connectivity in rural Albemarle County, Va., has been a priority for more than a decade. Jason Inofuentes, Program Manager of the county’s Broadband Accessibility and Affordability Office, joins Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia. In addition to a digital equity plan and affordability, Inofuentes shares how the county plans to achieve universal broadband access by the end of 2025 through federal, state, and private investments.

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3:14

Expanding Digital Skills in Pueblo of Jemez, N.M.

Through the Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network in New Mexico, all residents of the JemezPueblo Reservation are connected to the Internet. However, a digital literacy gap persists for portions of the population.

Angela Diahkah, Network Operations Supervisor at Jemez Pueblo Tribal Network, joins DaraBrown on location at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia. Diahkah talks about what’s next for thecommunity when it comes to developing digital skills and continuing to work toward high-speedInternet.

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4:07

Upskilling King County, Wash., Workers on a ‘Pathway to Good Quality Jobs’

Ensuring that area residents have the skills needed to compete for quality jobs is apriority for the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County. Marisol Tapia Hopper, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Funding for the council, joins Dara Brown at Net Inclusion2024 in Philadelphia. Marisol discusses how the council works with area organizations to foster
digital equity in Seattle-King County.

Tapia Hopper shares: “When someone comes into their doors, it's really assessing what are their needs, but also making sure that they have access to the training they need, the funding that they need. So that they can get those skills and make sure that they're on a good pathway for their own upskilling, but also a pathway to good quality jobs.”

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2:08

Providing Technology Support for Baltimore County Students and Residents

Internet connectivity and digital skills are necessities for higher education students. But for some, barriers to accessing connectivity and devices persist.

Ke’ra Thomas, Program Coordinator for the Digital Navigator Program at the Community College ofBaltimore County, talks with Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia. Thomas highlights how the program helps CCBC students and Baltimore County residents get connected and provides resources to develop digital skills.

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3:14

‘Working as a Community and as a Movement’ to Advance Digital Equity in Phi...

Kate Rivera, Executive Director of the Technology Learning Collaborative, joins Dara Brown on location at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia. TLC promotes collaboration between community organizations in Philadelphia to advance digital equity.

Rivera states: “We make sure that those individuals and organizations who are working on this issue are really equipped with the best practices and resources, that they connect with each other and collaborate. So that ultimately we're all working in a way that's aligned andeffective and working as a community and as a movement to solve this issue.”

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5:12

Fighting the Digital Divide in Philadelphia: ‘Everything Is at Stake’

The COVID-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the need for access to the Internet, devices, and the skills to use them. Youngmoo Kim, Ph.D., Vice Provost for University and Community Partnerships at Drexel University, talks with Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia about Drexel’s longstanding commitment to digital equity through community engagement and partnerships.

Highlighting the importance of digital equity, Kim says, “When we talk about the digital divide … and those who have access to broadband Internet and devices and technology, and those who don't, everything is at stake.”

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4:19

‘We're Making a Difference in People's Everyday Lives’ on Umatilla Reservat...

Indigenous Americans in rural areas say limited resources create barriers to digital access and skills. Debra Croswell, Executive Managing Director of Cayuse Native Solutions, joins Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia. Efforts are underway to bridge the digital divide for the tribal community residing on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon.

Croswell shares the impact of the work: “We're making a difference in people's everyday lives, whether they need a laptop to go to college or go to school. Or they may be just a tribal elder who wants to know how to better use their mobile phone.”

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4:50

Teaching Digital Skills in Multiple Languages in Syracuse, N.Y.

Karimullah Kamwar and his family immigrated from Afghanistan to the U.S. in 2021 and quickly recognized challenges navigating the digital world. Embarking on his own digital literacy journey, Kamwar recognized that other refugee families were facing the same challenges.

Kamwar, Digital Empowerment Manager at Syracuse Northeast Community Center in New York, joins Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 to discuss how the program he manages works to empower immigrants and refugees through technology and digital skills training. He states, “We are a team of five people and providing sessions in ten languages. So, we believe if we teach them, the clients, in their native language, they will learn very fast.”

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3:01

‘What We're Trying to Achieve is Digital Adoption’ in Portland, Ore.

Pairing digital literacy with refurbished or repurposed technology is a core component of Free Geek in Portland, Ore. Executive Director Juan Muro Jr. talks with Dara Brown on location in Philadelphia at Net Inclusion 2024 about Free Geek’s efforts to increase digital adoption.

Muro notes, “What we're trying to achieve is digital adoption, and that means that individuals can utilize the digital tools that they have now to be able to thrive in society.”

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3:49

Bridging Digital Applications in Houston: Training ‘Through the Lens of Dis...

Digital education is key to breaking down technology barriers for disabled people. Amy Fuchs of Easter Seals Greater Houston talks with Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia about Bridging Apps — a program where disabled people and caregivers can gain digital skills and learn about accessible apps.

Of the program, Fuchs shares, “We review apps through the lens of disabilities so we can help caregivers and disabled people find apps easier that work for them.”

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3:23

Helping Atlanta Students ‘See Technology as a Tool,’ Not Just Entertainment

A belief that children will live up to the expectations set for them is the inspiration for Atlanta-based Raising Expectations. Faith Porter, Director of Programs, sat down with Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia to discuss how — through after-school programs and mentorship — they are using technology and digital skills training to help underserved youth get on a path to success.

Of the program, Porter says, “Our students have an opportunity to learn about
computational thinking, about presentation software, in the hopes that they will see technology as a tool rather than just as a source of entertainment.”

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3:03

Focus on Digital Skills ‘Catered to Different Populations’ in Westchester, ...

Low-income community members can face multiple barriers to technology adoption, including lack of Internet, devices, and skills. Margaret Käufer, Chief Visionary Officer of The STEM Alliance, talks with Dara Brown at Net Inclusion 2024 in Philadelphia about the group’s work to promote digital equity in Westchester County, N.Y.

Kaufer notes a need to customize programs: “We really have to look at having programs that are catered to the different populations that are stuck in this digital divide. We have to have programs for seniors. We have to have programs for formerly incarcerated individuals. We have to have programs for students. There's no such thing as a digital native.”

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