City of Pittsburgh Named One of Nation’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazers
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has named the City of Pittsburgh as a 2023 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer, recognizing the city’s efforts to close the digital divide. As the pandemic demonstrated, digital inclusion – access to affordable high-speed internet, devices, and digital skills training – is essential to participating and thriving in today’s world. Recognizing the ongoing needs of the community, Pittsburgh didn’t stop digital inclusion efforts at the end of the quarantine.
“We realize how important it is to close the digital divide that excludes older residents, minorities, disabled individuals as well as those in various under-served communities. That’s why we’re working towards closing the digital gap by 2030 as indicated in the strategic plan released on December 6th, by the Pittsburgh Digital Equity Coalition Community,” said Mayor Ed Gainey.
This year, the City of Pittsburgh, joins a record number of Digital Inclusion Trailblazers, with 47 total awardees representing municipal, county, and regional governments paving the way for digitally inclusive communities across the US.
“Nonprofits, libraries, churches, and other community organizations can’t reach digital equity on their own. For everyone to thrive in today’s digital world, we need all hands-on deck,” said Angela Siefer, NDIA executive director. “NDIA’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazers exemplify the key role local governments have in building connected communities for all of their residents.”
Trailblazers provide models for other local governments to aspire to as communities build digital inclusion ecosystems. Pittsburgh achieved Trailblazer status by prioritizing digital inclusion for residents of their communities through:
● Making Accessible and Affordable Broadband a priority
● Ensure all residents have access to Digital Skills Training
● Resident are able to receive low-cost computing devices and technical support
NDIA revised the seven-year-old Trailblazer program this year, identifying seven categories of current best practices. Each applicant’s materials are verified for accuracy, assessed for community impact, and posted in an interactive map and searchable database on NDIA’s website. By sharing materials with open-sourcing, NDIA provides community advocates and local governments ways to continue learning, connect with trailblazing peers, and plan their own digital inclusion solutions. #digitization #digitalliteracy #government
About National Digital Inclusion Alliance: NDIA advances digital equity by supporting community programs and equipping policymakers to act. Working collaboratively with more than 1,500 digital inclusion practitioners, NDIA advocates for equitable broadband access, tech devices, digital skills training, and tech support. For more information, visit digitalinclusion.org.