Churches are an unlikely ally in solving the rural internet access puzzle

Mitigating homelessness on Los Angeles' infamous "Skid Row" comprises myriad obstacles. But a collaboration between city officials, a USC architecture class project, and the Skid Row Housing Trust has responded with a multi-pronged solution in "pod-style" housing units. They have composed a cost-effective pre-fab design technology that eases their transportation, on-site construction and visual imposition on a neighborhood, while the pods' zoning classification as "congregant housing" minimizes the risk for local opposition to homeless support services on claims of structural or aesthetic noncompliance.

Across the United States, tribal lands have the lowest access to internet, an issue that restricts opportunity and education in those areas. In New Mexico, several small tribes have partnered to lay fiber-optic cables that connect the libraries, which serve as primary sources of internet connection, to faster, cheaper internet.

The Kenan Trust is philanthropic foundation that supports “social practice art,” in which the arts facilitate change like restoring homes in urban areas and revitalizing immigration services. Their funds have reached the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum of Art, and the Laundromat Project. A recent $6million program supports 21 New York City-based arts organizations that engage with hard to reach communities. Kenan argues that its approach is not “charity” but “justice.”

The city of Philadelphia has been experimenting and iterating on the development of a Juvenile Justice Hub – a program that would transform interactions between the city’s youth and the police. The Hub is in the testing phase, as it is part of a Bloomberg Philanthropies competition for $1 million in grant funding. If received, the city would be able to officially deploy the ideas it has been testing, like training police in trauma and providing more social services for kids who are picked up by police.

Almost a quarter of rural Americans surveyed by NPR had used a telehealth service in the past few years. While new technologies are allowing remote patients to gain new access to healthcare, lack of broadband service and outdated insurance policies are making it hard for more widespread adoption.

Public art adds value to communities that have experienced decline in recent decades. In towns like Mansfield and Marietta, Ohio, public art plays a positive role. Murals created by groups like Mansfield Murals Inc., or by other local artists, enhance public buildings and offer a way for residents to connect and express their history. In Marietta, the Marietta Community Foundation funds the city’s Public Arts Committee.

A wireless network is bringing fast and reliable internet service to students living within two miles of Lincoln High School. A large cell tower on the premises of the school is extending the WiFi to receivers given to students at home. The initiative is vital in keeping students connected to their digital classrooms during the pandemic. Proponents are hoping it will also help address the racial homework gap which is attributed to a lack of reliable internet.

Garrett County students were able to get back in school quickly because the district built trust with its community by providing families with crucial supplies, carefully planning the reopening, and communicating extensively with parents. When remote learning was required because of COVID-19, the district provided families with computers, tablets, central Wi-Fi hotspots, and delivered meals, which built trust and opened lines of communication. When students were brought back into the classroom, parents trusted the district to prioritize safety and their feedback was incorporated and responded to.

Chicago Connected is a $50 million four-year program that has already provided high-speed broadband to over 40,000 households in need, representing around 64,000 Chicago public school students, and plans to expand. On-the-ground community outreach in multiple languages was key to connecting residents to the program quickly, which was needed as school went virtual due to COVID-19. The public schools helped identify eligible low-income students whose parents were then contacted by outreach workers.

Liberty Cleaners co-created a curriculum to train immigrant women workers about tech education, green cleaning, and workers’ rights. As the first women-led workers’ hub in the country, the group is organizing and enabling its members with skills that can ensure they receive the fair wages, opportunities, and respect they deserve but are often denied.