Hello Great School Voices Family,
I am embarking on something new, something exciting, and something I have a lot of reverence for this week. Starting tomorrow Friday, May 13th at 12 PM PST, I will be hosting a special broadcast focused on digital equity. Every two weeks beginning May 20th, I will be continuing the conversations started by Dirk Tillotson on Access Denied and Access Granted with the next iteration, Access Lit: The Last Mile for Digital Equity. Broadband is being lit up from the hood to the holler and it’s going to take grassroots level advocacy to make sure that everyone is taking full advantage.
Access to high-speed internet is being seen as a human right, a necessity, and a May 10th announcement from the White House has confirmed it. Rooted in Oakland, the show will feature guests from across the nation who have committed themselves to close the digital equity gap. We will have experts in Broadband connectivity, infrastructure, policy, education, and then some.
Like many of you, Dirk’s shows provided me with data, context, and drive for equitable access to broadband and the new digital economy. Like you, I learned alongside Dirk as he interviewed equity advocates about the challenges to universal free broadband. I learned about how the challenges were being met head-on. I am excited to reconnect with those leaders and see where they have taken their programs. From checking in on Oakland Undivided to unpacking the President’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) with the FCC we will learn, grow and light up the stoop together.
Join me tomorrow for my special broadcast on Youtube, Facebook, or Twitter, or register here. Please, click the YouTube subscribe button on the top right corner to get announcements of our next shows. After our episode tomorrow, we’ll continue every two weeks beginning May 20th, in continuing the journey from granting access to broadband to a community-led last mile charge for equity and digital opportunity!