Internet is not a luxury, or a nice to have, it is a necessity, and should be a right. That is why we will be joining thousands nationwide for a National Day of Action on Wednesday August 26th. We are protesting the impotent federal response to the digital divide and the predatory broadband companies, that are locking underserved children outside the schoolhouse door.
This is time for a digital New Deal, that brings “a hotspot to every household,” in much the way Truman promised a “phone on every farm.” It is time to level the digital playing field and provide an on ramp for every family to the information superhighway.
While we have some scattered local solutions, we need national action, and that is why we have activists from Philly, DC, Kentucky, Atlanta, Chicago, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and Oakland fighting for the same thing. Free, no strings attached broadband, and an appropriate device that let’s every child fully participate in the virtual schoolhouse.
For the millions of children affected, from the hood to the holler, and from sea to shining sea, in red and blue states and everywhere in between, we need to stand up. There are 15 million mostly disadvantaged children who can’t even access distance learning, and they need you.
If you want to get involved check out the actions below and engage online if you aren’t in one of our target cities, and please sign up on our site to partner and get more information. And there are some easy social media posts to share at the end of this blog. Please get involved.
EdLanta will be hosting Atlanta #LockedOut, a virtual town hall, streamed live through the Black Wall Street Times. We demand #INTERNETFORALL 15 million students that are #LoggedOut.
While Chicago has promised that 100,000 students will have free internet access for up to four years through its Chicago Connected initiative, there are still 15 million students across the country that are #LoggedOut.
Demand of Comcast: Make every household that has school aged children eligible for the program Internet Essential program even if they are already a customer. Give low-income households unlimited data. Ensure there are no restrictions on usage or slow-down of speeds.
Join a moment of national reckoning and help history tell the story of how we lived up to the moment and ensured all Americans access to life in the 21st century, or of how we failed to seize the mantle of leadership.
We also have action in Philly, Nashville, and Kentucky more generally, and our action in Oakland where we are interviewing with folks from #Oaklandundivided as well as the California School Board Association to fund solutions.
Please join us, 15 million unconnected students need you.
Here are some easy posts to share