Amy Huffman

The Digital Equity Act One Year Later

Friday, May 8th, 2026, is exactly one year since the President canceled the Digital Equity Act (DEA) via a social media post, claiming it to be unconstitutional. I was working at my kitchen table, as I’m prone to do in late afternoons, wrapping up work for the day and about to make dinner, when I got a text from a friend with the news. Angela heard nearly simultaneously from another source, and we quickly verified the post, notified our full team, then jumped on the phone to talk through our plan for sharing the news with NDIA affiliates. Later that night, Chris Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance hosted us on an emergency podcast episode, and the next few days were a whirlwind of calls and meetings as we sifted through the information we knew and didn’t, and kept everyone up to speed. During those first few weeks, I remember being fueled by anger some days and other days I struggled to get through the day without crying. Eventually, I had a moment of ‘oh, I thought or worked on some aspect of the Digital Equity Act every (work) day for the past four years – and realized, ‘no wonder this is so hard.’ 

The loss of DEA impacted each of us differently. Some NDIA affiliates had to scrap projects, others had to make hard staffing decisions and lay off staff, and some organizations have shuttered their doors. 

And yet, time and time again, our brilliant, amazing community of NDIA affiliates has demonstrated resilience and tenacity that humbles the NDIA team. Despite the challenges, our affiliates keep doing the essential work of ensuring their neighbors can get and stay connected, reminding us that digital inclusion work has never been fueled by one policy or program, but by every person who works toward digital equity in their communities.

The team NDIA mascot is a unicorn. Each staff member we’ve ever had is and has been just that, a unicorn. One of a kind, brilliant in their own realm, and irreplaceable. But NDIA’s affiliates are real unicorns. The work NDIA affiliates do is irreplaceable, brilliant, and one of a kind, so we all need to keep fighting for DEA while also planning for the future.

DEA Month of Action  

While we are dreaming about what is possible for the field the next few years, we also still have some fights to finish. From May 8 to June 8, you are invited to join us for a “DEA Month of Action”. Our goals for the month of action are threefold:

  1. Raise awareness on the harms the cancellation of DEA caused, 
  2. Ensure the President’s budget request to eliminate the Digital Equity Act funds from the FY2027 budget is not heeded by Congress, and
  3. Remind policymakers, funders, partners and the media of the need for digital inclusion programs and in doing so celebrate your tenacity and resilience.

Throughout the month, NDIA and our partners will craft blog posts, news articles, and social media content. Here’s what to expect:

  • Friday, May 8th: We’ll kick off the month with a social media ‘storm’. See this social media kit and supporting graphics from Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership (HTTP).
  • [Stay Tuned for Data and Time]: The Hispanic Federation will host a virtual press conference, MC’d by HTTP’s executive director, JudeAnne Heath, with remarks from Members of Congress, NDIA, Public Knowledge, Maine Connectivity Authority, and others. 
  • May 18th-21st: NDIA, Public Knowledge, Connectivity Policy Corps members, NDIA affiliates, and partners will be in DC for “Hill Week” meeting with the FCC and Members of Congress. 

As other events, publications, and resources are announced, we’ll update you! We encourage you to get creative in how you get involved in the Month of Action, but here are some ideas:

Share Your Story 

Whether your organization applied for DEA funds or not, we know the cancellation of DEA impacted all digital inclusion organizations. So for the DEA Month of Action, we’re encouraging NDIA Affiliates and partners to share a short video on social media explaining how the cancellation of DEA has impacted your work, your organization, or your community. At the end of the month, NDIA will gather your posts and compile them into one blog post.

Your video can be as short as 10 seconds but should not exceed 60 seconds. Do not worry about professional editing or videography; your phone will work just fine.

To help you get started, consider the following questions as you create your video:

  • How did the cancellation of the DEA impact your organization?
  • What services or programs did you plan to launch with DEA funds that you had to scrap?
  • How has the cancellation impacted your community?

By no means do you need to answer all of these questions in your video, nor are you restricted to these questions alone. These questions are simply a starting point to help you craft your narrative.

Additionally, here are some tips on creating a video that is short yet meaningful:

  • Speak in your own voice and tell your story in a way that feels natural to you so that it does not come off as scripted. 
  • Use language that resonates with your audience and evokes emotion. Create a connection with viewers by highlighting the human elements of your story and sharing anecdotes, quotes, or testimonials that bring it to life.
  • Try to avoid jargon, and speak in plain language that anyone can understand. This helps to increase the reach of your message.
  • Don’t shy away from data. If you have straightforward data points that demonstrate the impact that DEA’s cancellation has had on your organization or community, highlight it!
  • Close with a call-to-action. Encourage your audience to get involved, support digital inclusion work, and champion DEA.

Advocate

In addition to sharing your story, you can advocate for digital inclusion and/or DEA to local, state, and federal policymakers. Here are some ideas of things to share with policymakers:

What:

  • Your organization’s story
  • How your organization impacts your community, who you serve, how you impact people’s lives, etc.
  • Discussing the impacts of DEA’s cancellation on your organization
  • Explaining why digital inclusion work is important 

How:

  • Meetings – virtual or in-person
  • Letters – individual or group
  • One-pagers sent via email
  • Op-eds
  • Social Media
  • Get Creative!

Resources: