Digitunity’s Impact in Rural Communities

What strategies have you found most effective for reaching out to and involving the community?

We follow a three-step process for community engagement. First, we identify a local champion—someone who is trusted and respected within the community. This person knows the area and the people, and we ask them to invite stakeholders. Then, we move to a stakeholders meeting, involving individuals and organizations with a vested interest in the goals of our program. We remind them that what’s good for their local economy is good for the sustainability of these rural networks. This initiative helps households gain access to broadband connectivity, which is essential. But it goes beyond just providing access. It opens up better educational opportunities for children and allows them to stay in their communities and contribute through remote work when they enter the workforce. It’s also great for local small businesses to tap into the online market. Finally, we recruit participants from various parts of the community to ensure broad representation and buy-in. This approach builds trust and ensures that our initiatives are well-received and effective.

What are some of the key challenges you face in your role, and how do you tackle them?

One of the challenges is gaining the trust of the community. We tackle this by working closely with local champions and stakeholders who are already trusted within the community. Another challenge is ensuring the sustainability of our initiatives, which we address by demonstrating the economic and social benefits of broadband connectivity and digital literacy to both individuals and local economies.

Creating sustainable pathways for people to learn digital literacy and achieve device ownership could be the difference between areas being successful or not. We have a new world that is digitally based, and I’ve said this before: if you think your area is behind socially and economically and you don’t do your part to include connectivity, literacy, and device ownership in your area, you’re going to be further behind than you’ve ever been. This is your chance to become on par with the world by having that connectivity in your community. It’s a dichotomy—if we don’t do something about it, areas like the Mississippi Delta that have been left behind financially and socially will be left even further behind without connectivity, literacy, and device ownership.

Why do you think it’s important to combine device deployment with digital skills training?

Combining device deployment with digital skills training is crucial because just providing a device isn’t enough. People need to know how to use these devices effectively to fully benefit from them. In my experience, broadband connectivity and digital literacy can open up numerous opportunities for individuals and families. For example, children can access better educational resources, which can lead to improved academic performance and future job prospects. Having digital skills allows adults to participate in the modern economy, whether through remote work, online businesses, or accessing essential services like telehealth and online banking.

The goal is not just to provide technology but to empower people with the knowledge and skills to use it effectively. This combination helps break the cycle of persistent poverty by giving people the tools they need to improve their lives. For instance, during our Warren County event, a 70-year-old participant intends to use her new laptop and digital literacy training to earn her GED, setting a powerful example for her family to break the cycle of poverty.

What is your biggest hope for the impact of your work?

My hope is that households in these communities will gain access to broadband connectivity and fully utilize the benefits it brings. This means better educational opportunities, improved health outcomes through telehealth, and economic growth through remote work and online business opportunities. In the end, it’s about transforming lives and creating self-reliant, sustainable communities.

One of the other things we’re working on is our state capacity grant. We want to go around to all the state’s underserved and socio-economically challenged areas to educate stakeholders. Our goal is for them to turn around and provide important information to their constituents about why they need broadband services and the benefits they afford. I don’t think the average person fully understands the breadth of services that broadband brings. Many people think of broadband as just for entertainment or social media. But when we educate them about online banking, telehealth services, workforce development, and in-home tutoring, they realize its true value.

For example, a $50 monthly broadband bill might seem expensive at first. But if a family uses just one telehealth service, they’ve already saved money compared to traveling to a doctor. Or if they switch from a satellite provider to streaming services like Netflix or Hulu, they’ve covered most of that cost. Online banking can save money that would otherwise be spent cashing checks, which often leads to untracked spending.

There are so many educational opportunities around this. Our program focuses on three main areas: affordability, literacy, and device ownership. We’ve broadened the definition of affordability to look at the return on investment for the household and how it can improve their lives. By providing both the tools and the knowledge, we’re aiming to create lasting, positive change in these communities.

What are your goals for the next six months in Warren County and beyond?

The most important thing is to get the majority of these households to understand the benefits of connectivity and remove these barriers. That’s the whole goal. In order for households to take advantage of broadband connectivity’s benefits, they must have access. Secondly, we want to help individuals understand and take advantage of these services. By doing so, we not only improve their lives but also ensure that our rural networks remain sustainable. It’s like the saying goes: when you’re on a plane, and it’s going down, you have to put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. We need to make sure our networks are strong and sustainable so we can continue to support rural America effectively.

We aim to expand our digital literacy training programs, increase device ownership among underserved populations, and ensure the sustainability of rural broadband networks. We build these networks with the hope of achieving a high take rate. We can ensure the networks remain viable if we get 30-40% of households to participate. But if these networks fail, not only do we lose the other 30% who didn’t participate, but the initial 30% who did will also lose connectivity. It’s crucial that we build a foundation of trust and understanding so these communities can thrive and remain connected.