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DALLAS – On March 8, 2023, Dallas City Council approved an agreement with Dallas Innovation Alliance (DIA) to serve as a subrecipient of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the purpose of administering the Digital Navigators Program.
The purpose of the Digital Navigators Program is to address the four pillars of digital equity across the City of Dallas through: Affordability, Access, Devices, and Digital Skills. The program will engage with targeted communities to better understand and alleviate their needs to be connected to the internet, utilize computers and laptops, and acquire training to support digital skills, as well as increased awareness and use of the Dallas Public Library resources.
The program will increase public knowledge of the importance of digital equity and encourage digital inclusion efforts across our city to improve broadband access, foster adoption, and promote digital skills that will mitigate the negative effects of digital inequity on educational gaps, job and housing losses, food insecurity and health crises in the targeted communities.
The City of Dallas and the Dallas Innovation Alliance are committed to bridging the digital divide through cross-sectoral engagement and collaboration to address the various needs of the public and private sector to get connected. Which includes Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment assistance, tech support, and community engagement and more.
“Getting all Dallas residents fully engaged in the opportunities that today’s digital world provides is complex and requires each of us to play a part across infrastructure, access, skills and on-the-ground engagement,” said Jennifer Sanders, Cofounder and Executive Director, Dallas Innovation Alliance. “The City of Dallas’ leadership and vision for attacking this challenge head on is commendable, and DIA is so grateful to be a partner in getting our neighbors across Dallas connected and empowered.”
On March 25, the Get Connected Dallas community festival will be held at South Oak Cliff High School to celebrate and educate all of the ways that technology and digital access improves our lives, and will include local performers, digital resource fair, ACP enrollment, onsite job fair, STEM village and South Dallas food truck vendors.
The launch of the Digital Navigators Program will advance the recommendations identified in the City’s Broadband and Digital Equity Strategic Plan. The plan identifies specific ways the City can bridge the digital divide through infrastructure investments, public-private partnerships, and programming.
To read the full document and learn more about what the City is doing to bridge the digital divide, visit bit.ly/dallasdigitaldivide
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