Exploring St. Louis’s successful initiatives to bridge the digital gap and achieve national recognition
This program recognizes the City’s efforts to close the digital divide through efforts like our free community WiFi and digital learning labs.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has named the City of St. Louis a 2024 Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer [www.digitalinclusion.org]. This national program recognizes the City’s efforts to close the digital divide through efforts like our free community WiFi and digital learning labs.
“For St. Louis to thrive, we must make it possible for all St. Louisans to be connected to digital resources that are becoming increasingly necessary across our society, whether you’re a student, a parent, or a senior citizen,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. “I am proud of the efforts of the City and the St. Louis Development Corporation to connect St. Louisans to free WiFi and digital literacy resources.”
Closing the digital divide in our community is a cornerstone of the St. Louis Digital Inclusion Action Plan, under the Economic Justice Action Plan, which was created by Mayor Jones and is being implemented by the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC). Providing Digital Equity is a core initiative of SLDC’s Economic Empowerment pillar.
“Investing in digital equity programs like community WiFi enables residents, businesses, and community organizations to participate in the 21st-century economy,” said SLDC President and CEO Neal Richardson.“
The City of St. Louis joins 59 other municipal, county, and regional governments paving the way for digitally inclusive communities across the US to be named 2024 Digital Trailblazers by NDIA. The City of St. Louis specifically was named one of 34 Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazers, the highest honor awarded by NDIA. Visionary Trailblazers are communities that have deeply integrated digital inclusion throughout their government. They are leading the way in digital inclusion innovation, according to NDIA.
In an increasingly connected society, digital inclusion, such as access to affordable high-speed internet, devices, and digital skills training, is essential not only to participate in today’s world, but also to find greater opportunities to thrive using tools to navigate the internet confidently and independently.
Trailblazers provide models for other local governments to aspire to as communities build digital inclusion ecosystems. The City of St. Louis achieved Trailblazer status by prioritizing digital inclusion for residents of their communities through:
Creating the St. Louis Digital Inclusion Action Plan in partnership with SLDC.
Launching free community WiFi in seven parks and counting, as well as along the Dr. Martin Luther King Drive corridor.
Launching Learning Labs and Digital Navigators at four City recreation centers, providing more St. Louisans with access to computers, printing, and technical support.
Driving participation in the #ConnectSTL local coalition and engaging the community around digital inclusion needs.
Additionally, digital literacy classes will kick off this year to equip residents with the skills they need to navigate and thrive in the digital world.
NDIA’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazers has set the national standard for excellent digital inclusion work since 2016. 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.
About National Digital Inclusion Alliance: NDIA advances digital equity by supporting community programs and equipping policymakers to act. Working collaboratively with more than 1,900 digital inclusion practitioners, NDIA advocates for equitable broadband access, tech devices, digital skills training, and tech support. For more information, visit digitalinclusion.org
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