June Digital Equity Public Webinar

Welcome and Introduction

Speaker: Michelle, Acting Deputy Director
Focus: Digital equity in rural and small communities
Challenges: Deploying broadband and increasing tech adoption in rural areas
- Example locations: remote fishing villages in Alaska, Appalachian Mountains, US Virgin Islands, Heartland grow-up cooperatives
Opportunities: Addressing food insecurity, outmigration, health disparities, small business growth
Moderator: Philip Powell, Nia’s State Federal Program Officer for Arkansas and Oklahoma
Format: Presentations followed by Q&A

Background: SOAR born out of decline in coal mining jobs in Eastern Kentucky
Main Challenges: Economic distress, population decline, employment gaps
Data Points:
- Decline in mining jobs since 1990
- High unemployment rates, low household income, high poverty rates
- Significant population decline in economically distressed counties
- Prime age employment gap: 25-54 year-olds leaving or not participating in the workforce
Current Employers: Health care, retail, education, local government
Job Opportunities: 8,500 unique job postings, mostly entry-level
Solution: Leverage broadband for remote work opportunities
Remote Work: Potential for 2.5 million remote jobs with median wages higher than regional averages
Current Steps: Developing job board and Eastern Kentucky Talent Network to match job seekers with remote opportunities

Background: Small town near Asheville, NC, diverse population
Key Event: COVID-19 impact on internet access for schoolchildren
Actions Taken:
- Partnered with regional planning organization Land of Sky for grants
- Hosted event to gather data on internet access
- Found that 60% of families lacked internet, 60% only had school-supplied tablets
Grants: Tapping into police radio internet tower, refurbishing devices for back-to-school
Challenges: Legal restrictions on municipal broadband ownership

Focus: Broadband infrastructure and digital equity
Capacity Building: Funding support for place-based organizations
Partnerships: Collaboration with various stakeholders including state governments, local governments, industry advisors
Digital Navigators: Training programs to increase digital literacy and adoption
Examples:
- Public safety network in Eastern North Carolina
- Labor Force development in Brownsville, Texas

Questions Addressed:
- Involvement with organizations like 4-H, Boys and Girls Clubs
- Municipal ownership of broadband infrastructure
- Training for remote jobs
- AI in digital Skilling and remote jobs
- Prevalence and role of smartphones in outreach
- Alignment with state digital equity plans
- Remote workers moving to rural areas
- Addressing digital equity for senior citizens and older adults