Monday February 10th saw NDIA’s Executive Director, Angela Siefer, present at the ReCONNECT to Technological Opportunity forum in North Carolina. The forum provided participants with the opportunity to learn about what their communities can do to leverage high-speed Internet in an equitable way, and how both rural and urban communities are using broadband as a driving force of social and economic growth. Workshops addressed topics such as preparedness for future advancements in technology, ensuring that North Carolinians are able to take full advantage of existing technology and access to and adoption of high-speed internet as imperative to economic development, amongst others. Panelists who shared the stage with Director Siefer were:
- Gregory Clinton, Director of Information Technology and Facilities: North Carolina Central University School of Law
- Joshua Edmonds, Director of Digital Inclusion: City of Detroit.
- Amber Westall Briggs, Regional Director: Avery-Mitchell-Yancey County (AMY) Regional Library System
In speaking to the role of Digital Inclusion in equitable internet access for communities, Director Siefer said:
“Digital Equity is the goal – this is where we want to go. Digital Inclusion this is the work. That’s the “how”. It’s how we’re going to get to the digital equity.”
That Digital Inclusion work was described as activities necessary for full participation in an ever- expanding online society, activities such as ensuring that people have the appropriate devices to do so, affordable broadband, and tech support.
Director Siefer praised the work being done by the North Carolina State Broadband office, highlighting the efforts of its staff in effective communication and coalition building.
For more information on ReCONNECT, please visit https://iei.ncsu.edu/reconnectnc/