As The Digital Divide Widens, The Black Churches For Broadband Coalition Is Rising To Educate Black Communities On Internet Accessibility
By Michelai Graham
Broadband should be accessible to all and this new coalition is working to push the needle on the matter.?
The FCC predicts that 30 million Americans don’t have access to reliable broadband internet. The lack of access to the internet stems from a widening digital divide, which can be defined as the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology and those that don't have access, Investopedia reports. The publication added that the digital divide isn’t just about access, it also encompasses the technical and financial abilities needed to use available technology.?
Pew Research Center reported that Black and Hispanic adults are less likely than white adults to share that they possess a traditional computer or high-speed internet in their households. Pew surveyed more than 1,500 individuals early this year and found that 80 percent of white adults report owning a laptop or desktop compared to 67 percent of Black adults. Eighty percent of white adults also said they have broadband internet access compared to 71 percent of Black adults. This data is very specific to a small group of individuals, so let’s look at the bigger picture.?
The U.S. Census Bureau’s August 2020 Household Pulse Survey claims that the digital divide is prevalent primarily because of socio-economic differences. Dr. Adaobi Anakwe, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Missouri, found that the digital divide worsened during the pandemic, especially for Black families led by a single parent or guardian.?
“Thinking about the unique dynamic of African-American households and how the pandemic affects (them), when you think about digital divides and digital access, that could impact them more severely,” Anakwe said in a statement. “Everyone was thrust into this issue of having to rely on tech, (but) what this is showing is there’s going to be a greater reliance on tech going forward. And not having access to broadband internet, my biggest fear would be that that would be adding on to the numerous social determinants of health that are already projected onto the African-American community.”
The Black Churches for Broadband Coalition (BCBC) is working to educate the Black community about internet assistance programs, sharing resources that encourage households to get online, and advocating for a permanent broadband benefit. The coalition’s ultimate mission nis to advance digital equity. BCBC is organized by the Multicultural Media and Telecom Internet Council (MMTC), a public interest tech organization advocating for equality and inclusion in tech, media, and telecommunications.?
The coalition includes these partners:
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MMTC was eager to launch the new coalition because it believes universal broadband access is a civil rights issue that the nation hasn’t been able to get a hold of. The coronavirus pandemic has put a spotlight on the lack of access to the internet and technology as people everywhere were forced to work and learn from home. If anything, the public health crisis propelled BCBC’s mission forward, which is why the organization is calling on citizens to reach out to Congress and demand the creation of a permanent broadband benefit to ensure every household in America has access to broadband connectivity.?
Sign up for the coalition’s newsletter to find out more about the BCBC’s work, and check out the organization’s website for other resources and assistance with getting internet access.?
Check out these ten (10) D.C. area organizations and new initiatives working closer to narrow our nation's digital divides:?
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Michelai Graham is the Washington, D.C. Bureau Senior Editor for bdpatoday. She is a creative investigative and multimedia reporter. She completed her M.A. in journalism and public affairs with an investigative journalism focus in July 2018. Prior to graduate school, Michelai acquired a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in media & information from Michigan State University, where she served as co-writer during a study abroad program to India.