View a pdf of this press release here.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brittany-Rae Gregory
brittany-rae@nextcenturycities.org
Next Century Cities Encourages Members
& Supporters to Document Local Stories
Washington D.C. (June 30, 2020) –Next Century Cities (NCC) would like to highlight three upcoming opportunities for members and supporters to highlight community success stories.
Municipal Case Studies. NCC is committed to finding ways to expand affordable and reliable high-speed connectivity to every resident in every community. This summer, NCC is drafting a report on the increasing need for universal broadband connectivity as evidenced by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Using six cities across the country as case studies, our research will explore the state of connectivity, ongoing challenges to broadband adoption, and local perspectives on what is required from stakeholders at every level of government to make broadband access ubiquitous.
Thanks to a collaboration with the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University, we will be able to incorporate valuable insights on how the digital divide continues to manifest itself in Indigenous communities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Mesa, Arizona. Additionally, due Google Fiber’s support for NCC’s Fellowship Program, we will be able to develop research on best practices and recommendations for expanding broadband access and adoption among populations in Detroit, Michigan; Huntsville, Alabama; Long Beach, California; Memphis, Tennessee.
Specifically, Medvis Jackson, Fellow, is focused on communities in Detroit, Huntsville, and Long Beach. Lukas Pietrzak, Policy Associate, is collecting information on connectivity efforts in Albuquerque and Mesa. Brittany-Rae Gregory, Communications Director, is leading research on Memphis. If you have contacts, data, and/or resources to share on any of the cities that will be highlighted in this report, please contact Lukas Pietrzak by July 15, 2020.
Disaster Response And Recovery Working Group Report. Next Century Cities was recently appointed to the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee’s Disaster Response and Recovery Working Group which will document various strategies and solutions developed and implemented in real time to address the deployment-related challenges presented by COVID-19. NCC is responsible for collecting stories about how municipalities adjusted to telework, digital governance, other challenges while stay-at-home orders were in place. If your community developed innovative solutions and/or faced unique obstacles during the COVID-19 emergency, we need to hear from you. Share your community’s story with Ryan Johnston, Policy Counsel, by July 8, 2020.
Digital Opportunity Equity Recognition Program. FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks created the Digital Opportunity Equity Recognition (DOER) Program to honor changemakers who are working tirelessly to provide digital access in their communities. Are there unsung leaders in your city who deserve to be acknowledged for their work? Consider nominating them for recognition. Submit this nomination form to identify organizations, institutions, companies and individuals who have helped to eliminate internet inequality in unserved or underserved communities by July 8, 2020. Contact Brittany-Rae Gregory, Communication’s Director, if there are ways in which NCC can help.
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Next Century Cities is a non-profit organization of over 200 communities, founded to support communities and their elected leaders. Our membership includes mayors and other officials who are working to ensure that all have access to fast, affordable, and reliable internet access. For more information, visit www.nextcenturycities.org .