Community Involvement In Broadband Infrastructure Projects Critical, Panelists Say
Panelists share experiences of building broadband projects with the backing of the community.
May 20, 2021—Panelists at the Net Inclusion 2021 conference on Wednesday pointed to how important community is to cementing broadband infrastructure projects.
The discussion ranged from discussing community support, motivation, and challenges of connecting the unconnected.
The pandemic brought out a call for action within the communities. Panelist Casey Sorensen of PCs for People gave the example of Minnesota University hospital donating its roof for broadband infrastructure. Sorensen also pointed to the example of a farmer donating part of his land so the students in his rural community could continue with a remote education.
Angela Thi Bennett, the administrative director of DigitalC, a non-profit community-based wireless internet service provider, shared her experience of immense growth because of Cleveland’s initiative that donated both rooftop and window access for broadband coverage.
Bennett shared that while access to the rooftop and windows was a solution, they still had the problem of “making sure affordable is actually affordable, according to the context of the neighborhood.”
Cruz said this pandemic taught her the importance of ensuring broadband infrastructure is there for the next emergency.
“It’s about infrastructure for now and the future,” said Sharon De La Cruz, director of The Point Community Development Corporation.
