Upcoming event
We’re living through a time with an unprecedented level of broadband infrastructure funding, fueled not only by the American Rescue Plan, but the Consolidated Appropriated Act, the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Hundreds of community-driven projects are already underway, but finding solid footing amidst these
Long before the pandemic highlighted and expanded the gulf in internet access between served and unserved or underserved communities, churches diligently worked to identify the need to connect members of their communities to the internet and sought to provide that connection. For instance, churches have long provided educational opportunities for adults, and with the advent of the digital era, they quickly realized that computers were necessary to serve this goal.
Recently, Montana’s Governor, Greg Gianforte stated: “Too many of our communities, particularly in our rural and frontier areas, lack access to reliable broadband. That’s why we’ve made a historic investment to get fiber in the ground and close the digital divide.” State Broadband office data shows that two-thirds of Montana addresses currently have 100 mbps service or its pending.
A conversation on the EEB, the newly funded ACP program, and what the transition means for vulnerable communities.
The public airwaves, also called spectrum, are a natural resource owned by the American people. Last year alone, the FCC raised more than $100 billion for the U.S. Treasury by auctioning spectrum licenses to mobile broadband providers—costs that will increase the prices consumers pay for wireless services for years to come.
On February 4, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) received comments on how to distribute more than $48 billion in broadband funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). With the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Digital Equity Act, and the Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure (MMBI) Grant Program all in the mix, there’s a lot to discuss.
The conference will gather activists, public servants, academics and other experts together for a series of discussions that will explore historic and contemporary racial discrimination in all modalities of modern media. Scheduled speakers include Cathy Hughes (Urban One, Inc.) former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, Antoine Haywood, Ph.D., MediaJustice founder Malkia Devich Cyril, UCLA Professor and MacArthur Fellow Safiya Noble, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and so many more.
This virtual event will gather public and private sector thought leaders from a variety of disciplines, including telecommunications and health care, to discuss issues around recognizing broadband connectivity as a “social determinant of health.” Social determinants of health reflect the fact that health begins where we live, learn, work, and play; they are the non-medical factors (including education, health care access, income, and employment) that affect health or can serve as a predictor of one’s health status.
This event will feature remarks and a subsequent panel to highlight the impact of the digital divide on Black communities and plans to promote and enroll households in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Additionally, panelists will discuss how households will benefit from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) as well as additional state and local efforts to get families connected to and equipped with broadband, devices, and digital skills.
Moderator: