As the Oakland technology community grows, issues of uneven access to hardware, internet, skills, social networks and literacy in our diverse communities must remain at the forefront. Please add any interesting and useful information here on topics such as: the scale of the problem, geography of access, organizations working in this area, news, reading materials on the digital divide in general, existing programs and projects, resources for tech/digital literacy educators, and more.
The idea for creating this entry came out of the Access/Digital Divide session at City Camp Oakland on Dec. 1st, 2012. Please see the notes from the session here.
Organizations working on digital divide issues in Oakland
-
Oakland Technology Exchange West
- GotCom (in affiliation with Oakland Technology Exchange West - not clear if this still exists)
- Get Connected! Oakland - the City's initiative to connect business and more working on tech and internet access. Ask Nicole from Open Oak.
- Youth Radio
- The Stride Center (and ReliaTech)
- Community Computer Centers run by the nonprofit OCCUR
- Lions Center for the Blind
- The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment - free classes for kids and adults.
- Mosswood Recreational Center - contact is Dan Finlay, a friend of Sudo Room.
- Oakland Public Library Computer Education
- Oakland Unified School District Adult & Career Education
- Techbridge
- Hidden Genius Project
- Mouse Squad of California - contact is Hilary Naylor
- Oakland Digital Arts & Literacy Center (ODALC or Oakland Digital, for short) - Executive Director is Shaun Tai
- Youth UpRising
-
Black Engineering and Science Students Association
- Oakland Adult & Career Education Center
- Youth Movement Records (possibly unrelated - works with youth and music)
- Urban Strategies
- Liberating Ourselves Locally
- Oakland Asian Students Educational Services
- Alameda County Computer Resource Center
- PC Community Computer Users Group
- Acorn Computer Learning Center
- Urban Habitat
- Business Education Technology
- EOBA - East Oakland Boxing Association | Tutoring/Academic Assistance
- City of Oakland, Office of Parks and Recreation
- Hidden Genius Project
- Assets Project
- Kapor Foundation
- Level Playing Field Institute (related to Kapor Foundation)
- Ready Set Connect
- City Runs
- Hack the Hood
- Community Technology Network (SF)
National/Global organizations working on digital divide issues
- Check out the Digital Inclusion entry on the Kansas City LocalWiki for info on what they're up to out there!
- Free Geek (Portland)
- Digital Harbor Foundation (Baltimore)
- Temple University’s Urban Apps and Maps Studio
- Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project - survey on libraries and e-reading habits
- Latinos in Social Media: http://blog.latism.org/
- New Tech Network
- Detroit Digital Justice Coalition (Detroit)
- Local broadband (NC)
- CodeScouts (Portland)
- Detroit Future Media (Detroit) - this is awesome
- Digital Stewards (Detroit) - this is awesome
-
Connect2Compete, a non-profit organization dedicated toward bridging the Digital Divide. "Connect2Compete aims to eliminate the digital divide by providing high speed, low-cost Internet and computers and free digital literacy training to all Americans. Go to Connect2Compete.org to find out if you qualify for discounted Internet and computers."
Their website "Everyone On" has information on how to find jobs, resources and digital training. They even have a page on Oakland! - Google Fiber is offering an Internet connection speed 100 times faster than today's average broadband, paired with crystal clear high definition TV.
- Digital inclusion pilot project
- http://digitallearn.org/
- "Raleigh offers its Digital Connectors training program, which provides technology training to youth in areas including digital literacy, hardware, networks and programming. The participants, in turn, go back into the community and train their family, friends and the elderly, Roper said." http://gcn.com/Articles/2014/01/28/open-raleigh.aspx?Page=2
Events in Oakland relating to the digital divide
- #YouthTechOAK: Connecting youth of color with tech skills in Oakland: Oct. 22nd, 2013 panel with people who work in the area of digital divide in Oakland.
- #OaklandSocialMedia: Connecting Oakland small business owners and entrepreneurs with digital tools: Oakland Digital's annual event "Social Media for Small Businesses" that takes place at Oakland City Hall.
Grants or funding available towards addressing digital divide or digital literacy
- National Leadership Grants for Libraries. This is a grant available from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, that funds projects to enhance library services. For example: if a library sees that there is a need to improve upon access to digital services at it's branch it could apply for funding. They can also partner with community organizations interested in collaborating. The deadline for 2013 has already passed ,however the 2014 deadline is in February. You would need to participate in the a couple of webinars in December. http://www.imls.gov/applicants/detail.aspx?GrantId=14
Pages tagged “digital divide”
Online Resources
OTX West Google map of locations in Oakland to access wi-fi, buy computer equipment, repair computer equipment, and get training or computer education.
List of computer/tech classes: http://oaklandlocal.com/article/need-improve-your-tech-skills-guide-classes-oakland
http://www.aclibrary.org/services/adaServices/pdf/Resources-Related-to-People-with-Disabilities.pdf
Broadband Map. This is a nationwide map of the broadband availability throughout the US. http://www.broadbandmap.gov/technology
Toward Equality of Access: The role of libraries towards bridging the digital divide (pdf) http://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/Equality.pdf
Infographic: The Internet is important to everyone
News
- The digital revolution's lingering literacy problem- ZDNET by @stilgherrian
- Gap between those who use Internet and those who don’t is widening ~ Washington Post By Andrea Peterson
- Do Your Students Know How to Search? ~ New Digital Divide
- 2013-10-08: "Tests for Common Core shed light on need for computers, a digital divide, in Oakland" Oakland Local
- Does Tech Innovation Always Favor the Rich?
- Temple University’s Urban Apps and Maps Studio: Knight Foundation awards $600k to civic app program for minority students
- The Latino Digital Divide: http://www.pewhispanic.org/2010/07/28/the-latino-digital-divide-the-native-born-versus-the-foreign-born/
- The Digital Divide: The Newest Barrier for Immigrants and Latinos? (2012) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/the-internet-the-newest-b_n_1333755.html
-
Digital Divide Is 'Major Challenge' In Teaching Low-Income Students, Survey Finds
The Huffington Post | By Betsy Isaacson http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/digital-divide-low-income-students_n_2782528.html - Pew Report: "How Teachers Are Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms" http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teachers-and-technology/Summary-of-Findings.aspx (Browse Report Infographics!! Really cool)
- This Chart Shows the Digital Divide Is Still a Real Problem
- Addressing The Digital Divide: The Internet and Social Inequality in an International Perspective
- Poorly Educated & Poorly Connected: The Hidden Realities of Innovation Hubs
- Education, Age and Class Continue to Create a 'Digital Divide'
- Internet inequalities: is the digital divide here to stay?
Readings
- Social Capital and Cyberpower in the African American Community:A Case Study of a Community Technology Center in the Dual City
- eBlack Studies: A 21st Century Challenge
- Technological Revolution And Prospects for Black Liberation in the 21st Century
- BRAIN, Black Research Archive on the Internet: Toward a research program for eBlack Studies
- Digital Inclusion Network
- West, Jessamyn. Without a Net: Librarians Bridging the Digital Divide. Santa Barbara, Calif: Libraries Unlimited, 2011.
- Latinos and the Digital Divide http://www.chavezcenter.org/pdf/digital-divide/latinos-and-digital-divide.pdf
- The Latino digital divide. (2011) http://www.mariowire.com/2011/11/11/the-latino-digital-divide/
- ...Can anyone recommend readings about the digital divide in Oakland?
