Let’s talk about digital inequity
By Bogdan Banica
Before we dive into digital inequity, we must first discuss what digital equity is. Digital equity and inclusion refer to people having access to an internet connection, the hardware needed to use the internet, and the skills needed to navigate the online world. Now, knowing what digital equity is, we can touch on digital inequity. According to digitalinclusion.org, more than 33% of unemployed folks in Washington lack the foundational digital skills required for 75% of jobs. The vast majority of these folks live in rural areas and have had limited or no access to the internet their entire lives, as have their parents. This pattern of generational digital illiteracy is quite difficult to break out of without outside help. Interesting enough, Washington state is considered the 7th most well-connected state, being topped only by Nevada, Hawaii, Utah, New Hampshire, Georgia, and California (“Best States to Access the Internet | US News Best States”). Since Washington state is considered one of the most well-connected states in the country, why do these digital inequities still exist?
In order to gain a better understanding of what is being done in Washington to address inequities and help promote digital equity, I interviewed a digital equity practitioner. I interviewed with Yani Cisneros of the Yakima County Development Association (YCDA). During the interview, Yani talked about what her company mainly helps with. She and the folks at YCDA help business owners to get them up and running online and help them understand how to be independent. She says that many permits and government forms are done electronically nowadays, and it’s important for them to be able to keep up with and do them. She states that in this regard, she has had several success stories.
The most memorable one was when “someone [I’ve been helping for about a year], when he first started he had no idea how to turn on a computer. Just the other day he called me [asking about a translation clarification on a government form], so I told him what it meant in Spanish. When the call ended I thought ‘Oh, my gosh! He doesn't even come into the office to do this form together now, because now he has the confidence to do this himself!’ [That was great to see] - it's their business, but the way I see it, it also affects their home, because this business owner has kids who are going to school, and so then he being able now to take that and and show their kids and help them connect is something that we just see as a big domino effect. Once we get something rolling, potentially, he can all start getting his family involved in all of this. And so I think the the biggest wins are are the growth of the individuals that that we help, and understanding that it is going to take some time, but once they have that confidence in themselves, the world is is the limit for them, because now they're keeping up to date with all their licensing and permits, and all of that stuff has to now be done electronically.” Through this interview, I learned that the key part about digital equity that is often overlooked is not necessarily the broadband infrastructure - which we still have work to do here in Washington state - but also ensuring that folks are digitally literate.
According to Yani, about 38% of the folks in her area are Spanish speakers and she says this is probably an underestimated figure. “I would, moving forward, have information and materials available for [people] in their multiple languages, so that when they are navigating the Internet, they feel safe,” says Yani. She further elaborates by saying “what I mean by that is the component of that is also browsing the internet safely, having the right malware protection in place and what not, in antiviruses, and then a component of that, of course, is cyber security.” The biggest key to success in all of this, Yani says, is patience and hiring more digital equity practitioners. As a follow up question for her, I posed the question of “in these roles, do you think we need people that are deeply ingrained within the cultures of the people they help, or is it as simple as hiring a translator?” Yani, clearly having heard such a proposition before, responded with “No, and the reason for that is because the first component, I think, before we even get to the language is building trust with these community members. I do think it's very important to find someone who understands that culture, find someone who understands their language, so that they can better communicate and build that relationship with them.” Inclusion is an essential part to promote digital equity because the support needed is based on the people's voices and experiences.
To conclude my interview with Yani, I asked her about what organizations and people she knows that have been doing valuable work in the DE space recently that she’d like to give a shout-out to. She mentioned the Yakima Valley Community Foundation, stating that they noticed that the most impacted industry over COVID was the daycare industry. They then decided to do something about it by giving the daycare industry and the city of Grandview computers. She also mentioned Pacific Power, who are making an effort to translate their website into Spanish and have hired local native Spanish speakers for the job.
While there’s still work yet to be done towards closing the digital divide in the state of Washington, there are increasingly large efforts led by thoughtful practitioners and companies to make the dream of complete digital equity in the state a reality. Feel free to learn more by having a browse around our website!
Work Cited
“Best States to Access the Internet | US News Best States.” USNews.com. Available at: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/infrastructure/internet-access. Accessed 30 November 2022.
