"Everyone needs that access. It's not an option''
The access is to broadband Internet and the speaker is Vice President Biden, who unveiled the rules for $7.2B in stimulus funds for broadband in Erie County, PA. The announcement was made in a rural part of the county, but the county is also home to the fourth-largest city in the state (and to my family - hello!).
Video of Biden shows him speaking about broadband access in the context of jobs and basic utilities like electricity, for people across the state.
Of the total, $2.5B of the funds are slotted for rural development, but that leaves the balance, $4.7B, available to "underserved" areas, including cities like Philly. Last week a variety of stakeholders met to discuss Philly's priorities in applying for those stimulus funds. TheNotebookjoined several organizing groups, other nonprofits, businesses, and numerous city workers and officials to outline our thoughts about the possibilities for this funding.
The Philadelphia Digital Justice Coalition drafted a set of core principles that helped direct our discussion of the funding. The four principles focus on connecting disenfranchised groups, building access in the home, working from a broad definition of digital inclusion, and ensuring access in the places where people already are.
Now that the rules have been announced, there is a 45 day window to apply for the grants. Applications are accepted starting July 14. One of those rules is a win for activists--net neutrality, but aWall Street Journalblog cautions companies on its implications.
Like the influx in education funding the stimulus is providing, this funding is a huge opportunity. It's a chance to work on bringing Internet access to an estimated 50% of Philadelphians who do not have it.
What are your ideas about what Philly should include in the application?Here's a brief outline of what the funding is all about and the full rules are here. How could reliable, easily available Internet access change how students in Philly learn and their parents get involved and informed?
In the Digital Justice Coalition principles doc you can find some responses including:
I learned video production, made a video about poverty in Philadelphia, and then circulated the video to other high school students on the Web. In the process, I learned I can make a positive impact across the city, region, and world.-- Phuong Ninh, High School Student & member of Philadelphia Student Union
We have just a few weeks to make sure other students have opportunities like the ones Phuong had.
Read more on the Notebookblog.
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