Our Focus
The Digital Equity Coalition will work collaboratively to close the digital divide through 4 main goals:
- Access to Devices – To help ensure there are affordable, available, and sufficient devices for all Baltimore residents (students, adults and families), small businesses and community organizations to allow all Baltimore City to be connected.
- Greater Internet Connectivity – ensure there are sufficient options for affordable and available internet connectivity for all.
- Digital Skills Training and Technical Support – create and deliver educational opportunities for all residents to gain technology skills necessary to be successful in employment, entrepreneurship, education and life-long learning, civic engagement and use of essential online services. Ensure there is technical support for all.
- Advocacy – engage elected officials, civic leaders, and citizens most affected by the digital divide to advocate for all Baltimoreans to have full participation in society through equal access to computers, internet connectivity, and digital literacy.
Each of these goals tackles a different barrier that often prevents historically underserved and underrepresented groups from achieving digital equity.
Strategies
BDEC has formed 4 workgroups: one for each of the goals listed above, and a fourth for advocacy and fund development.
Each workgroup is working to:
- Establish a common agenda and specific goals
- Define achievable strategies to achieve those goals
- Conduct and share research, assessing current needs and existing services in their priority area
- Develop and implement an action plan that builds on current expertise while integrating new solutions
Workgroups meet every other week, or more frequently as needed.
The full membership of the BDEC, including members of all workgroups or teams, convenes every other week of the month, alternating during the “off” weeks when workgroups or teams do not convene.
Combined, the BDEC is working to:
- Create channels for collaboration among all 4 workgroups or teams Establish the direction of the Digital Equity Coalition and create or adapt the framework for workgroups & teams
- Identify and support the development of new opportunities
- Drive forward broad efforts to solve the digital divide and create social change.
Note that these are emerging strategies and are subject to change.