October 20th 2023.
On October 19th, four Black tech executives gathered at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies to discuss advancing digital equity for Black people and communities at the 2023 Future of Black Communities Summit. The panel was moderated by Anthony Green, the co-creator of the SHIFT podcast.
Dr. Jon Gant, Director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives, Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, Director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution, Sean Mickens, Comcast NBCUniversal Associate Vice President, and Google Manager and Senior Analyst, Justice Ukadike, were all in attendance.
Green began the discussion by asking Lee what have been some of the most exciting developments when it comes to advancing digital equity since the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Lee responded that the pandemic has brought attention to the issue of the digital divide. “We actually have coming out of the pandemic and with the infrastructure bill, probably quadruple the amount of money that we had since President Obama when it comes to addressing connectivity,” she said.
Mickens also discussed Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, which has been providing internet services for low-income households for more than a decade. “The program helps low-income communities be able to gain access to the internet, but also to teach them some of the digital skills that are necessary for them to grow in that space,” he said.
Green then asked Ukadike what challenges government, industry, and the nonprofit sector should come together to address in closing the digital divide. Ukadike answered that everyone must understand their comparative advantage and take action. “We should also work to scale up these efforts and understand how to ensure training efforts into the space we know that works and then ensuring that we’re investing in bringing capacity as well,” he said.
The panel also discussed the Affordable Connectivity Program, an FCC benefit program that is part of the infrastructure bill providing a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households, and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Mickens emphasized that the program is paramount, and that people are working on extending it. “Currently there’s a little over 21 million Americans enrolled in the ACP program, so continuing to fund that program and getting Congress to reauthorize funding for this program is something in the short term that can be immediately impactful for everyday people as we work to get more people signed up,” he said.
The panel was an important opportunity for Black tech executives to discuss advancing digital equity for Black people and communities. With the Affordable Connectivity Program and other initiatives, there is hope that the digital divide can be closed.
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