By Andy Stutzman
When you have been working in broadband advocacy and digital equity for as long as I have, emceeing a conference like Bipartisan Tech is somewhat of an ethereal, out-of-body experience. Seeing people and organizations from all corners of the advocacy world come together in the same space is not something that I take for granted. For myself, this year’s conference reaffirmed why I do the work and why Next Century Cities has been a critical part of the broadband story for the past ten years. Bipartisan Tech 2024 was a beautiful culmination of federal policy professionals, public interest groups, and local practitioners from across the country.
Next Century Cities has a legacy of uplifting local communities through advocacy and partnership. During Bipartisan Tech, we curated panels with local advocates and elected officials as well as federal leaders. Those discussions provided a feedback loop that is integral to the work we do everyday. With over 220 member municipalities, it’s not just about providing them resources and guidance. Our job is also to create opportunities for members to interact directly with policymakers so they understand the variance in how policy is played out at the local level across multiple states. Members from Maryland, Washington, Kentucky, and Ohio were given the opportunity to speak with policy staff in their congressional offices during our pre-conference Day on Capitol Hill.
The Bipartisan Tech conference also allowed for our members to confer, commiserate, and problem solve around issues that affect them all. Member municipalities have expressed a desire to meet with communities dealing with similar permitting issues, public/private partnerships, and digital equity planning. As the song Glad I’m not Alone states, “I’m sorry that you understand, but I’m glad I’m not alone.” The conference provided the opportunity for local leaders to connect in community around the issues that matter most. Fostering these connections serves as a conduit for innovative ideas and thought partnerships. You are not alone!
That is what is unique about Next Century Cities – we connect leaders while providing them with a platform to make their voices heard. We are proud of the robust membership and genuine connections that have formed over the last ten years and we look forward to the continued connectivity (no pun intended) that will happen as we embark upon the second decade of service.
Bipartisan Tech 2024 was such a phenomenal success because of the intentional choice to center public interest groups, federal leaders from the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and municipal leaders. Advocates from all sectors came together to help write the story of equitable, affordable broadband access and digital equity across America. I hope attendees were inspired to continue the fight as we work together to write broadband’s next chapter.