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Legislators of Color Urge Assault on Digital Divide



from press release

In a joint report on expanding broadband opportunity, titled Toward Access, Adoption and Inclusion: A Call For Digital Equality and Broadband Opportunity, state legislative caucuses representing communities of color today called the broadband status quo "unacceptable" and released a set of policy recommendations for spreading high-speed Internet service to every American.

"We firmly believe that ubiquitous broadband access, adoption and use stand to be great equalizers in our society," the lawmakers said in the report. "For our organizations and, most significantly, for the communities and people we represent, the broadband status quo is unacceptable."

"We seek broadband for all because it creates opportunities, breaks down barriers and promotes access by opening doors in areas of job creation, education, and health care. Broadband can help reduce the inequalities that have historically hampered communities of color, and provide those same communities with better opportunities to build their lives based on their individual merit, ambition, and talents," the report declared.


Digital Divide Threatens Sustainability of Communities of Color

Writing in "Towards Access, Adoption & Inclusion: A Call for Digital Equality and Broadband Opportunity," the groups said that broadband Internet adoption and use must become the norm for all communities. They urged policymakers to make broadband connectivity available, accessible, and affordable for every American; to incentivize broadband adoption; and to foster investment in broadband as a way to stimulate job creation and economic opportunity.

The report was issued jointly by the National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, The National Caucus of Native American State Legislators, and the National Pacific American Caucus of State Legislators. The Hispanic Institute and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies provided substantive data for the report and reiterated the need to collect better data about the digital divide and why people of color are less likely to subscribe to broadband service.

The report noted the persistence of a digital divide that separates people of color and low wage earning groups from more affluent Americans. It said the divide "threatens the future sustainability of our communities and our country."


Click here to download the report

Learn more about The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

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