By Brian Donoghue
Graphic illustration pictured above: Local, state, and federal broadband leaders made recommendations for expanding broadband access, increasing adoption, and making digital equity a priority.
Next Century Cities had the privilege of co-hosting the Broadband Access Summit with the Pew Charitable Trusts in Cleveland, Ohio. In light of our commitment to support local leadership, NCC sponsored a delegation of 17 local officials and community leaders to attend. Local leaders had unique opportunities to interface and learn from federal and state leaders who are responsible for broadband program development.
Conference festivities began on June 21, 2022, with a reception for local broadband leaders to connect and share their experiences working to improve access and adoption. Many have recently launched innovative partnerships in their communities.
Photo above: The Next Century Cities team gathers for a photo before the Tuesday evening opening session.
The conference programming kicked off with welcome remarks from Pew’s Kathryn de Wit, director of its Broadband Initiative, who shared the two core themes of the conference. She encouraged local, state, and federal leaders to demonstrate the art of the possible in order to deliver on #InternetForAll goals.
Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, participated in a fireside chat. He shared his view of what success would look like after the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) implements the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act broadband funding programs. Secretary Davidson drew comparisons between the current opportunity and the work of prior generations to build electric, highway, and water infrastructure. Additionally, he stated his hope that when we look back on this time period in ten or twenty years, it will be recognized as our moment to build the broadband infrastructure that helped people succeed in a modern economy.
Photo above: Pew’s Kathryn de Wit and NTIA’s Assistant Secretary Alan Davidson discuss broadband funding opportunities during a fireside chat.
Local leaders shared the story of Cleveland’s long history of work to advance digital equity. Leon Wilson, the CTO of the Cleveland Foundation, offered an analogy that centers his systems-level work in the space. According to Wilson, when trying to solve the issue of fish becoming sick from environmental concerns in the lake, you could spend all your time trying to fix the fish, but you really need to address the lake and the groundwater for the fish to flourish.
Cuyahoga County’s Chief Innovation Officer, Catherine Tkachyk, discussed her plans to bring low-cost, high-speed internet access to roughly 25,000 residents, or 85% of their unconnected households. Tkachyk emphasized the importance of partnerships in digital equity efforts. In her perspective, knowing how to leverage expertise is far more effective than training to become an expert in every aspect of broadband planning.
Pictured above: Panel including (left to right) Felton Thomas, Executive Director & CEO, Cleveland Public Library; Ricardo Reinoso, Digital Inclusion Manager, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority; Leon Wilson, Chief of Digital Innovation & CIO, The Cleveland Foundation; Catherine Tkachyk, Chief Innovation and Performance Officer, Cuyahoga County; Wanda Davis, Executive Director, Ashbury Senior Computer Community Center; Dorothy C. Baunach, Strategic Advisor, DigitalC; Samantha Schartman-Cycyk, President, The Marconi Society; Bill Callahan, President and Director of Connect Your Community
On day two of the conference, NCC’s Executive Director, Francella Ochillo, moderated a panel on building partnerships with outcomes in mind. A group of experts shared their thoughts on what Tribal, state, and local leaders need to consider as they build partnerships. When prompted to share one piece of advice for broadband leaders in various phases of planning and implementation, Corey Bryndal, the Broadband Director for Region 10 in Colorado, advised community leaders to “listen such that you can hear what your partners’ goals or aspirations are.” He continued, “offer or give before you ask, because every time you offer or give, doors open.” The panel closed with a group activity where attendees paired off and committed to two action items aimed at building collaborative efforts when they returned to their communities.
Photo above: NCC’s Francella Ochillo moderating a panel including (left to right): Sarah Tennant,
Sector Development Director & Cyber Initiatives, Michigan Economic Development Corporation; Corey Bryndal, Broadband Director, Region 10 in Colorado; Kristi Westbrock, CEO, Consolidated Telephone Company; Adrienne Bradley, Director of Community Impact, Promedica Foundations; Danny Peralta, Director, Hunts Point Community Network
Other workshops focused on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program planning process, measuring the impact of digital equity programs, engaging with philanthropy, and coordinating between levels of government. The final day was devoted to supporting broadband leaders from states and territories. Programming included briefings on funding programs from federal representatives, fostering regional collaborations, and one-on-one office hours with federal program directors and technical assistance nonprofits.
Building the #InternetForAll communities will take hard work. The Broadband Access Summit set a new bar for bringing advocates, policymakers, local leaders, and providers together in service of that goal. We look forward to working with local leaders in our member municipalities nationwide to ensure that this next phase of broadband funding will equitably bridge connectivity gaps across the country.
