“We’re not stopping till everyone can connect” — East Carroll’s fight for better internet continues

May 8 was supposed to be a ribbon cutting. Delta Interfaith—a church-based community organizing group—had spent months planning an event to mark fiber reaching Lake Providence, the main town in East Carroll Parish. Jonathan Chambers, CEO at rural operator Conexon Connect, was due to come with a schedule in hand for building into neighborhoods. Veneeth Iyengar, head of Louisiana’s broadband office would be there too. But both pulled out because of a dispute over reimbursements on prior builds. Delta Interfaith leaders absorbed the news. “My heart is bleeding,” said local organizer Wanda Manning on a planning call, just a week before the event. “We’ve given people hope for jobs and education, but right now I feel like a deceiver.” But when residents and partners gathered at the library a week later, the mood was not resignation but renewed commitment. The team turned the ribbon-cutting into a summit focused on how to finish the job—resilience that comes from six years of practice.