City of Portland, NTEN, and Comcast Announce Fellows Selected to Help Expand Digital Equity Programs Locally Two-Year Fellowship will Provide Selected Portland Nonprofit Professionals with Funding and Knowledge Needed to Help Launch or Expand Sustainable Digital Literacy Programs in the Greater Portland Area
PORTLAND, Oregon
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October 30, 2024 08:55 AM Pacific Daylight Time
Today, the City of Portland, Comcast, and NTEN announced the five fellows and organizations in the 2024 Portland Digital Equity Service Corps (DESC) that were selected to receive a grant of up to $5,000 to help launch or expand a sustainable digital literacy program within their missions. They are: Marina Alvarez, Latino Network; Isa Alvarez, Hacienda CDC; Jeremy Gomez, Free Geek; Rukia Aweys Mohamed, African Refugee Immigrant Organization; and Fabiola Sanchez from Rosewood Initiative. In addition to funding assistance, the DESC fellows will receive training in program design and management, accessibility, adult education learning methods, impact evaluation, coalition building, leadership skills, workforce development strategies, and more.
The Portland DESC, administered by NTEN, was selected as a $250,000 grant winner of the Talent for Tomorrow: Digital Equity Challenge that was launched as a joint initiative earlier this year by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Comcast’s Project UP. The Digital Equity Challenge supports the development and expansion of local workforce programs designed to grow college and career readiness, close the digital skills gap, advance economic mobility, and lay the foundation for generational wealth in under-resourced communities.
“Tackling digital equity requires multi-stakeholder collaboration and a holistic approach to inclusive community access. We believe that the outcomes from this fellowship will help expand pathways for educational and workforce advancement,” said Rebecca Gibbons, City of Portland Digital Equity Manager. “Nationwide and locally, Indigenous people, Black Americans, Latino Americans, low-income households and people living with disabilities face barriers that result in the lowest rates of accessibility to the internet and to devices. The City of Portland’s strategy to closing the digital divide calls for a cross-sectional and root-cause approach.”
The Portland DESC, which models and builds on a decade of insights from NTEN's Digital Inclusion Fellowship, will equip fellows with the tools to establish sustainable digital literacy programs in the rural and urban communities most affected by digital inequities. NTEN provides mentors and comprehensive support to all fellows as they develop and implement a digital inclusion program tailored to their organization's and community's specific needs and contexts. The five organizations participating in the fellowship have deep roots in their communities and working on issues such as affordable housing, tech sustainability, digital access and youth engagement.
"Organizations face many barriers to meeting their community's socioeconomic and civic needs. When community members don't have internet access or the skills to use it, those barriers are even higher," said Amy Sample Ward, CEO of NTEN. "We believe that the organizations best positioned to provide critical digital literacy programs are those that are already in and trusted by impacted communities. Our program is designed to build the skills, confidence and effectiveness of the fellows to deliver an innovative, sustainable digital literacy program that meets communities where they are."
Project UP is Comcast’s a comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities. With a substantial commitment of $1 billion to reach tens of millions of people, Project UP encompasses programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal, and Sky to connect people to the Internet, promote economic mobility, and create opportunities for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers, and creators.
"Comcast is proud to partner with NTEN and the city to build on our shared commitment to digital equity through Portland's Digital Equity Service Corps," said Rodrigo Lopez, Region Senior Vice President for Comcast in the Pacific Northwest. "Together, we are pleased to support an impressive group of people passionate about bringing digital equity to communities. These individuals will ensure that more people, especially those most often left out of the digital economy, can take advantage of the opportunities that come with acquiring digital skills."
About NTEN
NTEN is creating a world where missions and movements are successful through the skillful and equitable use of technology. We build transformative power by connecting people who are putting technology to work for social change. We strengthen their individual and collective capacity for doing good by offering expert trainings, researching effective approaches, and providing places where relationships can flourish. We relentlessly advocate for the redesign of the systems and structures that maintain inequity. NTEN’s amazing community is made up of nonprofit staff, volunteers, board members, funders, consultants, and vendors from all walks of life. For more information, visit: https://www.nten.org/about-nten.
About the City of Portland’s Digital Equity Strategic Initiatives Program
The Strategic Initiatives program champions public policy and local resources and investments to ensure the benefits of communications technology are available to all in support of an equitable, sustainable, and economically healthy city. BPS’s Digital Equity Strategic Initiatives team helps ensure all have the opportunity to thrive in the digital economy by focusing on just and equitable strategies to achieve digital access and adoption for all. The Coalition of Digital Equity (CODE), of which the City of Portland and NTEN are members, is a coalition of community organizations interested in raising awareness about digital equity barriers and developing local solutions to bridge the digital divide.
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms, we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
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