From the demise of the Affordable Connectivity Program and the sudden termination of the Digital Equity Act to the drastic revamping of the BEAD Internet infrastructure program and the myriad ways trust in governmental institutions has been eroded, digital inclusion advocates will not want to miss the next Building for Digital Equity (B4DE) livestream.
Slated for October 1 at 3 pm EST, the next B4DE virtual gathering will speak to the moment by focusing on a fundamental formula Internet access warriors cannot afford to overlook as they face down the forces actively working to undermine efforts to bridge the digital divide.
Co-hosted by ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), the next B4DE will spotlight local strategies for digital equity and explore why it’s necessary for frontline digital inclusion practitioners to be “Moving at the Speed of Trust.”
Register for the free event here.
Building on a phrase popularized by Stephen Covey and echoed by noted writer and activist Adrienne Maree Brown in her book “Emergent Strategy,” the line-up of guests will share their on-the-ground experiences and stories to showcase why bottom-up trust building is not just a soft, emotional concept but a measurable, actionable asset that improves outcomes.
With this year’s Digital Inclusion Week set to kick off the week of October 6 around the theme “Community-Driven Digital Futures,” the B4DE livestream – once again sponsored by UTOPIA Fiber – will serve as a timely preface to the week’s events, underscoring how trust is a foundational element of community-driven initiatives and why trying to move too quickly leads to miscommunication, resistance, or failure.
Among the guests who will take center screen are:
- Dr. Mariette Ayala, Director of Curriculum And Instruction with TechGoesHome
- Amy Huffman, NDIA’s Policy Director
- Jessica Strom, Senior Program Manager with DigitalLIFT in San Antonio, Texas
- Brandon Forester, Senior Campaign Lead at MediaJustice
The big finish will come with a virtual fireside chat that will feature Wanda Manning of Delta Interfaith in East Carroll Parish, Louisiana and North Carolina-based Wave7 Communications Founder and CEO LaShawn Williamson, sharing their inspiring stories as well as the challenges they continue to face.
That discussion will be moderated by the CBN’s team Associate Director for Communications Sean Gonsalves.
The livestream will be available (and later archived) on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn with live viewer questions answered by the invited speakers and presenters. We will also be live posting from the Community Broadband Networks Bluesky page.