Next Century Cities works to ensure that residents in every community – regardless of geography or zip code have reliable and affordable access to high-speed connectivity. On November 4th, Next Century Cities Executive Director, Francella Ochilo, spoke at LULAC’s National Innovation, Technology, and Education Summit to discuss the importance of digital inclusion. 

LULAC CEO Sindy Benavides opened the session by discussing the Emergency Broadband Benefit with the Acting Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. The organization’s new partnership with Heartland Forward is designed to support local EBB outreach startegies in states such as Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio, and Tennesee. 

Hispanic and Latinx households make up almost one-fifth of the U.S. population. Ochillo highlighted that when 35% of Latinx households do not have a broadband connection at home and 33% do not have a computing device, the economic and workforce development consequences of disconnectedness are not limited to those households. There is a measurable impact on their communities and states as well as an aggregate impact on the national productivity.

Related Media

Heartland Forward And League Of United Latin American Citizens Announce Partnership To Increase Latino Enrollment In Emergency Broadband Benefit (November 4, 2021)