Tackling the Digital Divide in one of America's least digitally connected cities

In 2019, it was estimated that Detroit was the least connected city in the U.S. with greater than 100,000 households.*  On this episode of Connected Nation, we take you to a special event held in the heart of Detroit that’s getting the city one step closer to changing that statistic for good.

Related links:
eero
Nonprofit partners: Digitunity | Human I-T | E2D | National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)

Michigan High-speed Internet Office - main page | MIchigan digital equity resources & MITTEN grant program

More details:
Click here for more details on the project
2019 American Community Survey*
 

Transcript

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Jessica Denson, Host (00:06):

This is Connected Nation, an award-winning podcast focused on all things broadband from closing the digital divide to improving your internet speeds. We talked technology topics that impact all of us, our families, and our neighborhoods.

(00:20):

In 2019, it was estimated that Detroit, Michigan was the least connected city in the US with greater than 100,000 households. That was according to an American community survey.

(00:33):

On today's podcast, I'll take you to a special event held in the heart of Detroit that gets the city one step closer to changing that stat for good.

(00:43):

I'm Jessica Denson, and this is Connected Nation. Can

natural sound (00:47):

Please give them a hand

(00:47):

APPLAUSE

Jessica Denson, Host (00:52):

I am standing in Detroit, Michigan, and we are at the Human IT offices and we just wrapped a press conference with EO Connected Nation Human it, and I'm standing with Heidi Griswold, who is the director of Product marketing. Did I get it right? No, I didn't. I destroyed it.

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (01:09):

I think you promoted me head of product marketing, but I'll take it.

Jessica Denson, Host (01:13):

Head of product marketing. Okay. Tell me why was it important? I know that there are thousands of devices that you're giving out to communities in need, working through Connected Nation and local nonprofits to really reach those who need it. Why was this important for Eero to do this?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (01:29):

It's always important for us to stay connected to communities and understand needs for connectivity. It's something that we've started as our passion of just making wifi simple and we believe everyone should have access to simple, fast, reliable, and secure wifi.

Jessica Denson, Host (01:45):

So some of the organization is helping. Today is Human 19. I was talking to some of the beneficiaries of this, A school that was picking up some for the students. They're talking about the fact that without it, they're struggling. There's not a lot of help for this. Does the EERO just feel, do they want to do more of this?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (02:06):

I think that that speaks to where we are with connectivity. It is the foundation of everything that we do, working remotely, learning remotely, and we want to stay connected to those communities that do recognize that there are gaps. And so, I see this as being kind of the first of many ongoing conversations where we can get closer with different organizations like Human IT and Connected Nation.

Jessica Denson, Host (02:26):

So, let's step back a little bit. Tell us what eero is. It's not just a router, it's a bigger thing, right? It's not just plugging into the internet. It's extending the internet, right?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (02:40):

Correct. Yeah. So Eero pioneered in-home mesh wifi almost 10 years ago. We wanted to make wifi just work in everyone's homes. So Eero is a mesh router. We use a patented true mesh technology, which then blankets your home in fast, reliable wifi. Whether you have one device or you have many throughout your home, you're able to take advantage of that fast, reliable, and secure wifi.

Jessica Denson, Host (03:02):

And now the idea that there was a time when homes maybe had one device, two device, but now even your fridge needs it, right?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (03:09):

That's right, yes. The number of devices is increasing and the use cases for different people. And I loved the example earlier today where Jennifer was talking about her three kids all trying the game at the same time while she's taking a work call. So it's not just the quantity of devices, it's the demand that we're putting on those devices and our overall connectivity in the homes.

Jessica Denson, Host (03:28):

So Eero is an Amazon company or how does it fit into for the average person to understand How does, am I saying it wrong too? I feel like I'm feeling Eero and you're saying your accent's doing it a little different. Justice.

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (03:41):

Well, Missouri accent, so take that as it is, but it is pronounced and it is a Holyoke subsidiary of Amazon.

Jessica Denson, Host (03:48):

So when you say that Amazon completely supports it is just part of it,

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (03:54):

Correct? Yes. Amazon acquired Eero in 2019.

Jessica Denson, Host (03:58):

Okay, because Eero started in 2014, you said in the thing. Have you been with the company since it started or when did you start in?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (04:05):

I started two years ago, so I worked in an Amazon devices before that and pandemic happened and I became so reliant on my in-home connectivity. I had eero and realized this is so core to my daily life, I wanted to go work on it and be part of it. And so I started there just over two years ago.

Jessica Denson, Host (04:22):

I get asked to come to a lot of conferences and take our podcast to a lot of conferences. And one of the coolest booths that I saw and when I was in the Woodlands at another broadband conference was E. And they had some really cool stuff, but different, there's different sizes to this, there's different ways you can use it. Explain some of the opportunities people have. It's not just residential, right?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (04:43):

That's correct. So we have E for residential, we also have E for communities, which works with multi-dwelling units like apartments and condos. And then we also do it for small businesses, making it available. The same fast, reliable wifi you have in your home now extends to your small business and has an added layer of security and feature set that small business owners demand.

Jessica Denson, Host (05:03):

What do you think people get right or wrong about aero?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (05:07):

Well, the thing that I love that customers tell us is they think wifi is magic. And in a lot of ways it is. And Eero has really perpetuated that we are constantly innovating on behalf of customers so that they believe it is magic. It just works right out of the box.

Jessica Denson, Host (05:22):

So you just open it up and there it is.

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (05:24):

That's right. So you set it up, it takes less than 10 minutes and then it's working for you proactively fixing any issues in the background and giving you that fast, reliable wifi you demand.

Jessica Denson, Host (05:33):

So what is your ultimate hope from something like this to see happen? I love that you're partnering with Connected Nation obviously, but also that really taking the approach of working with local nonprofits that can really help people at the community level. In your perfect world, Heidi Griswold's, perfect World, what would come from this?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (05:56):

Oh, great question. So something that we're learning through now, this is the first time we're really getting closer to the community and understanding their needs. And we just passed out the first devices today. We look forward to hearing more from the recipients to understand their needs and how they're interacting with eero. And we hope to continue the conversations with Connected Nation, human IT and other organizations around the country to see how we can perpetuate connectivity access.

Jessica Denson, Host (06:20):

And finally, we talked a little bit about the pandemic and how you felt that it really helped you to have this type of device. Let's talk about the future a little bit. There's AI and all this stuff that's coming. Well, is ERA and Amazon itself, are you guys making plans for what's next? Can you give us any insight?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (06:44):

We're always making plans for what's next, which is essentially innovating for customers and understanding their needs. And to your point, the bandwidth increases. We're always changing as devices keep getting more capabilities. And so we're always looking at how we can make that easier for customers. Okay.

Jessica Denson, Host (06:58):

Well Heidi, I hope to see you at more of these events and any final words that you would want people to remember when they think about eero?

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (07:06):

I would say it may seem like magic, but there's a lot of innovative teams behind it making what it is today.

Jessica Denson, Host (07:13):

Alright, thank you so much Heidi.

Haidee Griswold, MBA, eero  (07:15):

Thank you.

Jessica Denson, Host (07:16):

We are still in Detroit, Michigan, and we just wrapped a press conference at Human It's Headquarters and I am standing with Jennifer Jambo, who is a senior manager of Partnerships for Human it. Hi Jennifer.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (07:28):

Hi, how are you?

Jessica Denson, Host (07:29):

Good. Great press conference. A lot of good snacks. I'm always a fan of

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (07:34):

That. Exactly. People come when there's food.

Jessica Denson, Host (07:38):

It's a great facility. Tell me a little bit about Human it.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (07:41):

Yeah, so Human IT is a social enterprise nonprofit. We've been doing this work for 12 years. We work with businesses around the country. We're a national nonprofit, bring in their older unwanted technology. And our goal is reuse. So we make sure that we can properly refurbish it and if not, we responsibly recycle it so that we can utilize that tech to bridge the digital divide. It's critical for us for four pillars, which is we want to make sure someone has a working device, they have connectivity to the internet, they know how to use the device and should something go wrong, they have tech support.

Jessica Denson, Host (08:16):

I like the way you said connectivity. I would say connectivity. You say connectivity. Did you grow up in Detroit, Michigan area? I did.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (08:22):

Is that a Midwestern connectivity?

Jessica Denson, Host (08:26):

Tell me a little bit about Detroit.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (08:28):

So we've been in the city of Detroit. We started having conversations in 2019 and opened a processing facility here in 2020. And then where we're standing human IT N seven Mile opened a year ago. But the interesting thing about Detroit, I mean I love this city, but when we started doing work here and having conversations with the city and other corporate partners, the word was there was nowhere in the city of Detroit for individuals to come and find a working device. So standing up human IT on Seven Mile was critical for that as well as us building trusting community with community-based organizations. The other bad wrap we had was we were listed as the least connected digital city in America. And we've made great strides to change that through great partnerships, but we are turning the tides in Detroit and we're really thrilled to be here.

Jessica Denson, Host (09:21):

So talk about some of the community organizations that are going to benefit from this program and some of the groups that you work with.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (09:28):

Yeah, we are fortunate. I said when we were speaking earlier today that we can only do this work with trusted community partners, right? Human it is an org that has a lot of great resources, but the orgs have the people. And so we lean in heavily on our community-based partnerships. We work with organizations like Detroit School for Digital Tech, brilliant Detroit, Detroit Promise, United Way of Southeast Michigan, an organization called the Lab Draw that is very focused on STEM education. So Ameritas, they're helping New Americans settle in. This is one of the largest resettlement areas. So we hit the gamut. Everybody needs to be digitally connected and our goal is to make sure that families can thrive, seniors can thrive, veterans can thrive, and they have the tools to be successful.

Jessica Denson, Host (10:21):

And in the press conference, Heather said that you'd been talking to Connected Nation. We've been flirting with each other for a while, right? Yeah. So talk a little bit how you got connected with our team.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (10:31):

Yeah, I was cracking up when her and I were having that conversation. I don't even remember who it was I talked to and I was like, was it blah, blah, blah? She's like, oh yeah, that's her was. But Amazon approached Connected Nation and Heather knowing that we had had some conversations in the past, she said immediately she said, oh my gosh, I've got the org that can help us do this. So we're very grateful to Heather and all of her leadership and brilliance in the digital inclusion space to reach out to us and say, Hey, we want to bring you in on this partnership. And Connected Nation can only help us because we too are national.

Jessica Denson, Host (11:09):

Just to say how important it is to get connected, there was a representative from Senator's office, there was a representative from the Maya Eye office, Amazon local community organizations here. IT definitely working with community organizations to close the digital divide. How important do you feel it is?

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (11:26):

I feel that the only way that we're truly going to be successful is if we all work together in this partnership. And what was announced today is a perfect example of that, right? You bring in corporate, you bring in private public, nonprofit partners, and you've got the resource arm, you've got the connection to the community, you've got just a real wealth of information that can really drive change. So we're only going to be able to do it if we do it together.

Jessica Denson, Host (11:53):

Alright. Jennifer Jambo, thank you so much. Yeah,

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (11:56):

Thank

Jessica Denson, Host (11:57):

You. I'll include a link to Human IT in the description of our podcast.

Jennifer Jambor, Human I-T (12:01):

Oh, thank you. human-i-t.org. Let's go.

Jessica Denson, Host (12:04):

Let's go. I am at the press conference that human it just held and they are receiving some eero Amazon devices through the Connected Nation program that we're doing with eero and Amazon.

(12:18):

And I am standing with Raquel Williams and Sierra Rozier, hopefully I got your name right. And they're with DSDT. So Sierra, tell us what DSDT is. So

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (12:28):

DSDT is a college. We offer about eight o'clock hour programs and we're actually stepping into the associate's degree program. We range from cybersecurity to AI to medical assistant, just depending on what you're looking for are programs for and from one month to about nine months.

Jessica Denson, Host (12:48):

And what is your role with the organization?

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (12:51):

I'm the director of admissions, so I make sure that everyone has all the documents that they need to get enrolled. I make sure that they get through orientation and that they're ready to begin class on the first day.

Jessica Denson, Host (13:01):

And Raquel, what is your role with the organization? What would you want someone to know about DSDT?

Raquel Williams, CFO, DSDT (13:07):

I am the Chief Financial Officer at DSDT, so I handle the billing, assisting students with locating scholarships, financial aid, things of that nature. If there was one thing that I would want students to know about DSDT, I would want them to know that we meet them where they are. I think a lot of times hearing that a program is so fast or accelerated can make you a little bit nervous about entering it and you may be questioning if I'm able to complete it that fast, I would just let them know that the program is more than lecture-based. It's really based on your hands-on experience and giving you that hands-on training. So I want them to know that no matter where they are in their educational journey, they could handle and complete the program.

Jessica Denson, Host (13:57):

Before we get into what you're doing with EO, talk a little bit about Detroit. I'm not from Detroit, I grew up out west. So tell me a little bit about what people should know about Detroit.

Raquel Williams, CFO, DSDT (14:09):

There is a really infectious energy in Detroit, I would say. I think people should know, if you've never been to Detroit, I think they should know that. First of all, Detroit is gorgeous. It's beautiful from the skylines, the architecture, the landscaping. But I'd also want them to know that it's just a really infectious, kind of like a hustler energy here in Detroit that is not, you don't feel anywhere else. And so that's what I want people who's not from here to know about Detroit.

Jessica Denson, Host (14:44):

Well, when I landed at the airport, it definitely felt like hustling. There was a lot going on. So Sierra, tell us a little bit what you're doing with Eero. Are they giving some of the devices for you to help students?

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (14:57):

Yes. So we are here to collect devices for a few of our students at the institution that couldn't make it themselves. So we came out to just do it for 'em. Like we said, we meet them where they are, so if they can't make it, we'll make it for you.

Jessica Denson, Host (15:10):

How critical would you say having a connection is to someone in college? Now?

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (15:15):

I say that it's extremely important because college is not only offered traditional education, now you can do online education such as myself, I got my degree online. So I think that it's very important to have those connections, especially for those students who are moving from state to state or city to city and can't always make it home. And that way they can attend class, they can communicate with their families and get through sometimes those important things.

Jessica Denson, Host (15:40):

You said you were the head of admissions, right? Do you hear from students that are like, I need some help with this, having access to be able to get to my coursework and that type of thing?

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (15:49):

We do. We get that a lot. So even on campus we have a room set up with computers that students can come in and use at their own leisure if it's not a time that they're scheduled for class. We also have computers in the classroom. And then like I mentioned before, we are here picking up routers so that our students have access to the internet and things at home.

Jessica Denson, Host (16:08):

And as a Chief financial officer, that was your role? Correct. Raquel? What are some of the concerns that students have when it comes to the financial side of this? They really need this, correct?

Raquel Williams, CFO, DSDT (16:21):

Yeah, I think for students, they get their tuition covered. So there's a lot of programs that help students with their tuition from veteran benefits, financial aid. I mean even some state granted funding from Michigan works and things of that nature, but no one's helping them with their supplies. No one's buying their laptop for them, no one's paying for their books, no one's helping them buy Scantrons or whatever it is that they need. So I hear that often from students. I have students who will come trying to take out additional loan funding just to cover their supplies. So it's really important, especially if we want to make sure that students can graduate as close to debt-free as possible, that we're helping them with those extra costs, like a laptop, a router for them to be able to connect to their classes and do their homework and do research, things of that nature. It's extremely important. It can be the difference between somebody completing a program and somebody dropping out or not passing.

Jessica Denson, Host (17:23):

So this program, this partnership between Human IT Connected Nation, eero, you really feel will impact lives Sierra? I

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (17:30):

Do. I do. Just being able to get connected through the internet is very important in today's community because everything is done virtual or over the internet or over the phone, especially with the world being shut down for so long and everyone's gotten accustomed to using those online tools.

Jessica Denson, Host (17:48):

If could give a message to big organizations that can do these kinds of programs, e, o or any other, what would you want them to know each of you? Give me a final thought on that, on the importance of this.

Raquel Williams, CFO, DSDT (18:00):

I just want them to know that the impact is real. I think a lot of times with organizations, even DSDT ourselves, when we're doing things for the community or we're giving things away, a lot of times you can feel like where was the benefit or what did you get back? And I think it's important to know that the benefit is in those lives that have been impacted. The students who we're picking up routers for today, they're struggling throughout their classes because they don't have internet connectivity. So even just this event today and picking up those routers, it's going to impact two lives and allow them to complete their program and graduate and make them more employable.

Jessica Denson, Host (18:42):

And what would you say, Sierra?

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (18:44):

I would say that it's necessary just getting out on social media is used to promote businesses. It is used to reach out to families that you haven't heard from or that you haven't talked to or just being successful in your class, in your classes and work. So I think that it's an extreme need and that it's a need for it.

Jessica Denson, Host (19:07):

Well, I really appreciate you both Raquel Williams and Sierra er, right?

Sierra Rozier, DSDT (19:12):

Yes, yes. Thank you. Thank you.

Jessica Denson, Host (19:16):

As you know, I've been talking with people from the press conference that had just happened in Detroit, Michigan. We are at Human IT headquarters, and I would be remiss if I didn't talk to one of our own. Heather Gate is with us. She is the executive Vice President of Digital Inclusion for Connected Nation. Welcome, Heather.

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (19:36):

Hi Jessica. How are you doing today?

Jessica Denson, Host (19:38):

I'm wonderful. Why don't we have to travel all the way to Michigan to see each other as we live right down the road from each other.

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (19:45):

I should come to Louisville for a podcast with you. Yeah,

Jessica Denson, Host (19:48):

We should just talk. I'm sure everybody would love that. So set the stage. What do we do here today?

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (19:56):

So we are, Amazon and the division of era approached us with an idea of creating a donation program where we would donate eero devices to households that are under connected. What that means is they have access to basic internet, but could benefit from having wifi across the house so that everybody in the house has access to a really high quality internet. Because when we talk about the bridging the digital divide and giving people access, it's not just about basic access, it's also creating an experience for them that allows them to really meaningfully navigate the internet.

(20:45):

So think about a household with two and a half, three kids and mom or dad who has to work from home, making sure that everybody in that household has access to high-speed wifi. And on top of that, one of the things that this program does is it helps to overcome the affordability barrier. Because when we talk about affordability, a lot of times we're thinking about the price of the high speed internet itself, but in addition to that, there's the cost of the device and there's the cost of the router. A lot of times when you look at these bills, people are paying a monthly fee in order to have that wifi router. So why not help them overcome that barrier, especially now that a CP has gone away.

Jessica Denson, Host (21:34):

That's the Affordable connectivity program, which provided some discounts for those who needed it.

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (21:41):

Yes. So if we can provide them with the Eero Pro, which is essentially a router, that means that they never have to ask the internet service provider for a router, which as you know, a lot of them charge a monthly fee for.

Jessica Denson, Host (21:59):

And I was talking with Heidi Griswold earlier who's with eero, and she was explaining to me how it really puts this net of the whole house. So now when we talk internet, we can't just talk plugging in. We got to talk having more access, right, because just the modern world.

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (22:18):

Exactly. It's a modern world in family households, there's more than one person at home. So you want everybody to be able to do what they need to be doing at that time. At the same time, you want mom to be able to do her work in the office, the kid be able to do their work in the bedroom or in the study. And so those type of experiences are very important. And we take that for granted that just because they have a basic connection doesn't mean that everybody in the household has access without a good router, like a hero prayer.

Jessica Denson, Host (22:58):

So talk a little bit about the organizations. We're not giving these directly individuals connected nations actually working with local community nonprofits. Yes. Why was that path chosen?

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (23:11):

I guess they came, they approached us because Connected Nation has over 20 years experience in partnering with entities. We partner with local governments, we partner with nonprofits, we partner with corporations, we partner with everybody. The way that we become effective in our work is making sure that we have community level partners. So Amazon era approached us for this project, and in order for us to be able to ensure that these devices got into households, we wanted to partner with nonprofits that are distribution partners. So it made sense to partner with a partner like Human it, because Human IT is in the business of providing affordable devices, refurbished devices to people across the country. And so it makes sense. They know how to do distribution,

Jessica Denson, Host (24:02):

They already have the network. And so what are the other organizations that we're partnering with?

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (24:07):

Well, one of our outreach partners, and we really appreciate them helping to introduce us to different partners is Digit. And our other partner is NDIA. That's the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. And then the other one is a North Carolina based nonprofit called ED two. So these are our partners. We still have more work to do and more partners to engage. But those partners, we found that they had the most reach and a most connected and most effective in what they're doing right now in helping to bridge the digital divide. So we reached out to them and they all were excited to partner and were ready to go.

Jessica Denson, Host (24:53):

What do you hope comes out of this?

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (24:56):

I think one of the things is when it comes to bridging the digital divide, it's important for us to have diverse corporate partners. So it's our first time working with Amazon and Aero, so welcoming them into our world of bridging the digital divide is what we aspire to do. And so we hope more organization are aspired to find a way that they can help bridge the digital divide in the best way that they can with Amazon on eero, there are innovative companies that are creating these devices and continue to really think of ways of tackling issues that are related to accessing technology.

(25:37):

And so there's room for a lot of corporations and nonprofits to participate in helping to bridge the digital divide from a frontline perspective. We're hoping that these hero devices, as you saw some of our recipients today, get into households where these opportunities are life changing. Maybe a child's going to be able to do their homework and get better grades. Maybe a mother is going to be able to get a job that she wanted but couldn't because of inadequate access. And so we deal in real life stories. We don't just deal in data, we deal in people stories and changing lives. And that's what we do too. We tell the research data, but we also tell the stories of people and changing lives.

Jessica Denson, Host (26:32):

So come on, corporate partners contact us. Thank you, Heather, so much. I really appreciate

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (26:37):

It. Thank you so much. And you look very beautiful today.

Jessica Denson, Host (26:40):

So do you, Heather.

Heather Gate, EVP, Digital Inclusion, CN (26:41):

Thank you. Bye.

Jessica Denson, Host (26:43):

I'm in Detroit, Michigan, where human, it just wrapped a press conference about some new devices that are going to go out to some families in needs. And I ran into Simone Robinson, who is with my high office and give me the full, my high, what that stands for.

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (26:59):

My high stands for Michigan High High Speed Internet Office.

Jessica Denson, Host (27:02):

For some reason, I can't ever get it right, so I always have to check. But you're the digital equity engagement specialist, correct? Yes. Yes. And tell us what's the latest that's happening? My high is the office that runs all broadband expansion, access adoption, all that stuff that's happening. All those things all over the state, right?

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (27:21):

Yes. So we're just in the mid stages of wrapping up the statewide challenge process for the BEAD program. And so basically what that is, is that the state of Michigan opened up a mapping portal based on the FCC map to allow state governments, community-based organizations and residents to challenge that information that was on that map so that we can better understand where the gaps are within the infrastructure across the state. So then once that's wrapped up, then the bead funding will then provide the resources to build in those areas to ensure that by 2030, that the full state of Michigan is fully covered with broadband internet access.

Jessica Denson, Host (28:05):

So does your office really recommend for businesses, residents, everybody to go look at that map and make sure if their home says it's covered, that it's actually covered or not,

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (28:15):

Vice versa? Absolutely. So at this stage of the process, it's best for everyone to check out the FCC map to make sure the information is up to date, and then they can make edits based on that information. But for us, our process is ending in terms of collecting data. And so the next steps on the digital equity side of things, because the bead covers infrastructure, digital equity covers adoption and access and ensuring that everyone has the digital skills to then use the resources once they actually get the high-speed internet service. And so today we just launched the MIT grant program, which will identify host sites and resource hubs across the state that will include digital resource navigators that will provide localized services to each community based on their needs to help ensure that those residents can access the internet once they get that access. But they can also learn those digital skills and learn how to use those tools to make sure that they can use it the way that they want to.

Jessica Denson, Host (29:20):

So explain to someone who may not understand how important it is that we also address this need for digital skills training, digital literacy, especially since you deal with digital equity engagement.

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (29:33):

Absolutely. So I mean, getting the access to the service is the first step, but once you get connected high speed internet service, you may not have the actual computer or laptop or whatever digital device that you need to then use it. And so that's another issue that we're trying to address is making sure that people have the tools like this organization did here today with providing those resources, but then also teaching people to make sure that they know how to use those tools so that they can use the internet for jobs or for educational purposes, or doing telehealth services to make sure that they're connected with their everyday lives and they're not being excluded from those type of activities.

Jessica Denson, Host (30:20):

I think there's this misunderstanding that's just seniors that need help with this. No, there are lots of populations that

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (30:26):

Need assistance correctly.

Jessica Denson, Host (30:27):

Can you expand a little bit on what those populations may be or some of what you're seeing?

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (30:32):

Sure. I mean, it's people across the board. It's oftentimes people of our age are not always as up to date and current on the new technologies, the applications and things of that nature. Telehealth is a new concept for everybody, particularly since covid, right? And so learning how to use those type of things, or even within the past couple of years when a lot of jobs were converting to fully virtual. So these things are all new to everyone. People are still having issues with Zoom in 2024. So it is just making sure that people of all ages, not just seniors, but kids that are trying to still do school online can do what they need to do to get their education to, like I said, people of all ages, just trying to stay abreast on the new current technology so that they can work and get the resources that they need for their everyday life.

Jessica Denson, Host (31:33):

Working within this sphere with digital equity, what are some of the big challenges that you see ahead? Or opportunities?

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (31:42):

Oh my goodness. Well, there's a lot of opportunities, I would say, because there's still such a great need, and Michigan has gotten so much money so that we can make sure that those gaps are filled. And so that's one of the exciting things that's going on with us now, is to figure out where those gaps are. And then working with communities and community organizations and internet service providers to make sure that the money is going to the right places so that the infrastructure can be built that wasn't there before. And that the people that are having issues with the digital literacy or the costs that are associated with working with internet, that they can get the resources that they need. And so there's so much opportunity, but fortunately, we've gotten a lot of money and we have a lot of great partnerships throughout the state of Michigan from all levels that we can make sure that this is implemented effectively.

Jessica Denson, Host (32:41):

Eric Frederick, the head of your organization, he used to work with Connected Nation. Super awesome guy, very passionate about this. I know. And the lieutenant governor is also very technology savvy. So how important is it to have people who have that knowledge base leading this

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (32:58):

Effort? It's absolutely critical. We've been set up for the best success because of our leadership. The governor is very interested in this, and she was the reason why our office exists in the first place. So it's based on an executive order from her office that created the Michigan High-speed internet office, and we were able to get that initial funding. And so that's the charge that Eric is now leading, that we have to make sure that every residential business community-based organization across the state has access to that high speed internet by 2030. And he's fully prepared and fully equipped from leadership, education, experience standpoint to ensure that we get that done.

Jessica Denson, Host (33:41):

And how important do you think community organizations like Human IT or other nonprofits like the Connected Nation, and in those partnerships with for-profits like EO, how important is it to continue partnering to reach that goal?

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (33:54):

That's everything, because those organizations are our eyes and ears and boots on the ground. They know their communities better than we could ever imagine because there's only 10 of us. We can't be everywhere at all times, and we don't know everything about every community. And so those partnerships are critical to the success of this because not only do we need them for that information perspective, but for the implementation aspect of it as well. And so that's part of what the Mitten grant will be doing, is connecting with those community-based organizations that are already doing the work on the ground and making sure that they have the resources they need to expand their efforts to implement our digital equity plan.

Jessica Denson, Host (34:34):

So, I'll include a link to the MITTEN grant. Is that on your website? It is. I'll include a link in the description of our podcast. Any final words? What would you hope would come from this grant period?

Simone Robinson, Digital Equity Engagement, MIHI (34:45):

We hope that organizations that are extremely passionate about bridging the digital divide, we'll take the time to take a look at the grants that are coming out. There's going to be a couple over the next couple of months, including the one that just was launched today to see if it fits the work that you're already doing. And if it does, please apply. If you're a little hesitant, work with some partners to see if you can build that capacity so then you can all collaborate and get that grant money together. But we really want to make sure that those resources are administered to the areas that are most needed, underserved communities that cover a lot of different populations, and so we want to make sure that those organizations are getting the funding. So please apply.

Jessica Denson, Host (35:34):

Okay. Thank you. Simone Robinson with MIHI office

Jessica Denson, Host (35:37):

I really appreciate you. Thank you for your time.

(35:41):

I'll include links to the survey I mentioned at the top of this podcast as well as to e, o and the nonprofits taking part in this project.

(35:49):

I'm Jessica Denson. Thanks for listening to Connected Nation. If you like our show and want to know more about us, head to connect the nation.org or look for the latest episodes on iTunes, iHeartRadio, Google Podcast, Pandora, or Spotify.