Next Century Cities Goes to California

EVENTS

Next Century Cities Goes to California

By: Stacey Baxter

In January 2024, Executive Director Andy Stutzman and Program Manager Stacey Baxter headed to the west coast to engage in community-centered conversations around digital equity in Los Angeles, California.

The visit began with a statewide digital equity meeting hosted by the California Alliance for Digital Equity (CADE) and the Fresno Coalition for Digital Inclusion (FCDI). Broadband advocates from across the state shared insights on data collection and mapping the legislative landscape, and middle-mile initiatives.

The focal point of the meeting was California’s Digital Equity Plan, whose public comment period ended on Thursday, January 25th. Next Century Cities submitted comments, available here.

Meeting attendees shared unique perspectives on the plan as well as recommendations and strategies for successful implementation. The role of inaccurate mapping data in perpetuating inequities faced by unserved and underserved communities across the state was highlighted. The group acknowledged state success with the digital equity plan and expressed concerns about the importance of definitive strategies instead of the plan’s existing outlined objectives. The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to focus on building coalitions that drive digital equity initiatives forward.

The following day, attendees joined dozens of other community and nonprofit leaders for the Digital Equity Summit LA hosted by California Community Foundation (“CCF”), GPSN, and Digital Equity LA (“DELA”). Miguel Santa, the President and CEO of CCF, gave the opening remarks and spoke on the real issues of digital equity — issues such as digital redlining, and purposeful investment and disinvestment in particular areas — the undercurrents of systemic racism in the United States. He spoke on making progress when faced with resistance and the importance of community and coalition building. “Adelante” he concluded, onward and upward.

The summit continued with exploring the current state of digital equity in Los Angeles and across the country, zooming in on the prevalence of digital discrimination. Research by UC Santa Barbara shows that low income communities are paying higher rates for slower and less reliable service. Eliminating these price disparities is a critical component of achieving digital equity and holding Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”) accountable is the first step. The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has made a significant effort in this realm by defining digital discrimination in terms of impact, as well as intent — a big win for historically marginalized communities. Keynote speaker Sanford Williams, Special Advisor to Chairwoman Rosenworcel and Deputy Managing Director of the FCC, acknowledged these discrepancies and noted that zip codes should not determine access to fast and reliable broadband service.

The remainder of the day was grounded in looking ahead. Patrick Messac, the Director of #OaklandUndivded showcased mapping efforts illustrating digital redlining in Oakland, California. Working with HubbleIQ and the Oakland Unified School District, OaklandUndivided recorded connectivity information of school owned laptops to illustrate the lack of connections and the pervasive errors on the FCC broadband maps. Patrick provided recommendations for improving the current state of digital equity, which includes Internet performance testing at scale so that speed tests can replace false data with accurate data, revealing the truth of inaccurate maps and providing an end to digital redlining. Messac spoke on the importance of publicizing efforts and attending public comment sessions, while also acknowledging legislative wins, such as Governor Newsome’s budget which includes a $1.5 Billion investment in closing the digital divide. Jason Foster, the President and COO of Destination Crenshaw also took the stage, sharing the very real and long lasting investments that his organization is putting into his community to directly benefit Black Americans in Los Angeles and provide safe spaces of dynamic expression and cultural significance. His message of “grow where you are planted” speaks to the importance of leveraging public funding for collective space that benefits private citizens, such as the 1.3 mile Crenshaw Corridor where free public wifi will be available for members of the community.

The room was filled with incredibly smart and determined digital equity professionals from across the state, all joining in collaboration to share ideas and experiences that can make digital equity a reality in California. One message rang true throughout the week — California has made significant strides in addressing digital equity and there is so much more work to do.

Learn more about Next Century Cities’ California footprint:

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Next Century Cities Goes to California

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