Alliance for Digital Equality Releases Study Showing Correlation Between Broadband Access and Economic, Health and Educational Benefits
Local Council Formed to Study Impact On Miami Area Miami Mayor Welcomes the ADE MIAMI, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Digital Equality, a non-profit consumer advocacy group formed to increase minority access to broadband internet, released a new study at the Miami launch of a position paper by Dr. Jabari Simama, linking access to broadband internet to better employment, health care and educational opportunities. The well-attended event, officiated by John Marks, Mayor of Tallahassee and ADE Board Member, included community leaders, power brokers and elected officials Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Florida State Representatives Dorothy Bendross-Mindengall, Ronald Brise and Oscar Braynon II.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080209/LOGO )
The study, Affordable Broadband: Empowering Communities Across the Digital Divide, shows that only 40% of black Americans have broadband internet as compared to 48% of white Americans. The program also served to introduce members of a newly formed Miami Digital Empowerment Council (DEC), part of The Alliance's nationwide initiative that advocates for increased broadband access - especially in urban and underserved communities. The Miami DEC is charged with studying the effects of broadband access on Hispanic and African-American communities in South Florida and will be one of many nationwide efforts by The Alliance to bring together community leaders who can provide keen insight and direction to improve digital empowerment opportunities for all citizens. "For those individuals with access to broadband and other cutting-edge technologies, unprecedented opportunity is available," said Julius H. Hollis, Chairman of The Alliance for Digital Equality. "It is the goal of The Alliance to become the voice of underserved communities and to ensure that broadband remains affordable so that the newest online users have continued access and that the last ones on aren't the first ones off." Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, who recently introduced his own technology initiative called Elevate Miami: Rites of Passage, welcomed The Alliance to Miami and commented, "It really scares me, as a father, as a mayor and as a human being that the world around us is transferring information and knowledge at a pace never seen before. Our kids are going to live in an entirely different world than the one we have lived in. They are going to compete against kids in New Delhi, Shanghai, Madrid, Rio, you name it. If we don't give them the tools they are going to be left behind and the economic divide will be greater than it has ever been in history. If we want to stay competitive as a city, as a state, as a country, we have to start to make these investments now." Broadband internet access helps create wealth and opportunity for communities that are wired. The study found that while there remains a substantial gap in broadband usage between the wealthiest Americans and the poorest, a drop in monthly rates has allowed for a greater number of minorities to join the broadband revolution. Among households with annual incomes of less than $30,000 per year, the number of high-speed internet connections has doubled from 15 percent to 30 percent in the past two years. "Broadband affords Americans opportunities to benefit from new technologies and progress in areas such as education and economic development," said Bill Diggs ADE Board Member and President & CEO of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce. "Access to new technologies can open the door for children, students and businesses to be better equipped to meet the demands of rapidly changing environments and capitalize on new opportunities." As part of its mission of "empowering communities across the digital divide," The Alliance will bring together elected officials, consumers and businesses to educate minority communities about the importance, as well as, benefits of broadband usage. This national effort will continue in cities across the country to ensure that all Americans - regardless of their race, ethnicity or income - are empowered to join the digital revolution.
About The Alliance for Digital Equality Founded in 2007, The Alliance for Digital Equality is a non-profit consumer advocacy organization that serves to facilitate and ensure equal access to technology in underserved communities. The Alliance also serves as a bridge between policymakers and minority individuals in order to help the public understand how legislative and regulatory policies regarding new technologies can impact and empower their daily lives. For more information on The Alliance for Digital Equality, visit www.alliancefordigitalequality.org. First Call Analyst: Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080209/LOGO CONTACT: Cynthia Miller, ADE Deputy/Communications Director, Web Site: http://www.alliancefordigitalequality.org/
2008-05-12 20:39:39 0359478 PRNEWSWIRE
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