Digital Equity and ConnectedMN

ConnectedMN is a public-private partnership that works to bring tech devices, internet access, and programmatic support to students across the state, focusing on students from rural, low-income, or historically oppressed communities.

Collectivity is excited to work with ConnectedMN, and all of the organizations that are dedicated to advancing equity through digital accessibility by connecting, convening, and facilitating these efforts.

One aspect of this mission is to work with partner organizations to help design a broad based education approach to train “digital navigators” that will work with Minnesotans that are new to having modern-day digital tools. Using high speed internet for the first time will offer new capabilities and open up new possibilities for accessing important services to folks who need these services. Creating a portable and shareable credentialing system for the providers who will do this work will make it easier to deploy around our state and ultimately help more families. 

Why do we think this is so important? Digital equity is a huge issue in the 21st century, with “digital redlining” perpetuating historical inequities in many communities across many population groups (e.g. veterans, seniors, low income, new Americans, etc). Digital redlining happens when internet service providers underinvest or avoid these communities, based on assumptions they will earn more profit in wealthier, whiter neighborhoods. As a result, many areas, both urban and rural, have less digital infrastructure and slower internet speeds.

The new federal funding coming into every state for high speed internet infrastructure must first be used to build out those households that are unserved or underserved. These new service areas will need digital navigation support to get the most out of their new high speed internet!

By : Jeremy Ryan