Championing Digital Equity

Don’t forget that Community Tech Network’s Fall Fundraiser has started! As part of this campaign, you can sponsor various parts of a bridge, including its towers and suspension cables. Listen to this special message from Kami Griffiths, CTN’s co-founder and executive director, as she explains CTN’s “Bridge the Digital Divide” campaign.

You or your company’s name will be featured on our website, newsletters, and social media platforms next to the corresponding bridge section. Thank you to all who have donated so far, including Okta, the CTN Board of Directors, Hyewon Park, John Prochnow, Celia Hamman-Cueto, Erika and Bobby Clary, and those who have made contributions in honor of Georgia Whitaker and Margaret Yanco. Click here to donate today!

COMMUNITY TECH NETWORK SPOTLIGHT

LEARNER SPOTLIGHT: MATTHEW ROBINSON

Seventy-four-year-old Matthew is a living blues legend who has played music for over 50 years and toured internationally. After acquiring digital literacy through the Senior Connect program, Matthew, a self-taught guitarist, is now taking online guitar lessons to learn the official techniques he initially taught himself. He also frequently uses YouTube to watch videos from his childhood music mentors. Learn more about Matthew.

Read More Older Adult Digital Equity Impact Stories

Charles Hale was incarcerated for 48 years. When he was released from prison last year, he discovered that the world he had known was no more: everything was now digital. “Before learning with Community Tech Network, I couldn’t use a touchscreen. When I went to places like grocery stores and even the DMV, I had to ask for help to fill out forms and pay at self-checkouts.

Qing Li Yang is from Taishan, China. As an older adult and immigrant, Qing Li has faced many language and cultural barriers while living in the United States. Fortunately, after learning digital skills through Community Tech Network’s Home Connect program, she discovered the positive impact that technology could have on her life.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: JESSICA PASQUARELLO

Jessica Pasquarello, Community Tech Network’s communications and marketing associate, has worked or traveled in over 40 countries and comes to the organization with extensive experience as a writer and activist. “Working with CTN has been a fantastic experience, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to champion digital equity,” Jessica says. Learn more about Jessica’s story.

DIGITAL EQUITY AND WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

As women’s access to reproductive health services has been limited the past year, the Internet, which offers both privacy and up-to-date information, has grown increasingly important. Through online searches, individuals can learn where services are provided in their area, find nonprofits to support them, and schedule appointments. Read more about the connection between digital equity and reproductive health.