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Co-Ops Bridge The Digital Divide In Rural N.M.

Marisa Demarco

April 05, 2018 |

KUNM |

Radio |

3-5 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Taos, New Mexico

In rural New Mexico, a co-op that has traditionally provided electricity is also providing a new service - internet access. The "digital divide" has been identified as a key hurdle in overcoming poverty; the co-op also provides jobs and opportunities for long-time residents of Taos County, New Mexico.

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Locally Owned Networks Choose Net Neutrality

Marisa Demarco

April 05, 2018 |

KUNM |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Taos, New Mexico

Cooperatives owned by the people they serve give communities control over local telecommunications infrastructure. The member-owned Kit Carson Electric Cooperative provides access to broadband Internet in a remote region of northern New Mexico not served by the large telecommunications companies. In addition to leveling the playing field for small, underserved localities, networks owned by coops allow users to retain decision-making power over their telecommunications infrastructure in the absence of net neutrality protections.

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Let's Talk Solutions To New Mexico's Digital Divide

Sarah Gustavus Lim

April 04, 2018 |

KUNM |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, New Mexico

Grants from the federal government can help fund infrastructure projects where large telecommunications companies see no incentive. Multiple initiatives across New Mexico are stepping in to bring reliable internet connectivity to the residents of remote and underserved communities. From electric utility cooperatives to tribal organizations, locals are finding ways to fund and install their own physical broadband infrastructure projects.

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When They Couldn't Afford Internet Service, They Built Their Own

J. Gabriel Ware

March 26, 2018 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

Access to the internet is an important tool to addressing inequity at the scale of the community and the individual. Detriot’s Equitable Internet Initiative is a coalition of media, tech, and community-based organizations working to bridge the digital divide in underserved neighborhoods.

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Meet the Digital Stewards of the Equitable Internet Initiative

Dorothy Hernandez

March 01, 2018 |

Hour Detroit |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

The Equitable Internet Initiative (EII) is transforming community organizers into “digital stewards” who are literally building out internet connection in their communities. In Detroit, where 40% of residents don’t have internet access, this service through the EII is invaluable. The program is also equipping youth of color with relevant technology skills and creating a stronger sense of place for the three Detroit neighborhoods it serves.

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How Internet Co-ops Can Protect Us From Net Neutrality Rollbacks

Sammi-Jo Lee

November 22, 2017 |

Yes! Magazine |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Tipton, Missouri

Today, 23 million rural Americans can’t access broadband speed internet. As deregulation of net neutrality threatens to slow down internet speed even further, local internet co-ops are bringing higher-speed access to rural towns, Native American reservations, and even urban areas that do not currently have quality internet. Today, small internet service providers, spurred by local communities, are providing a real safeguard to net neutrality rollbacks.

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Online preschool: Does it work?

Jackie Mader

November 03, 2017 |

PBS NewsHour |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Jackson, Mississippi

In Mississippi, where only four percent of four-year olds are covered by state-funded preschool, free online curricula offer an enticing opportunity. UPSTART, one of these programs, provides complementary training for parents and access to a computer that might not otherwise be available. Critics warn of the effects of increased screen time and decreased social interaction, but advocates still see a few hours on the computer as a better alternative to no kindergarten readiness preparation at all.

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Why Cities Shouldn't Bend Over Backwards for Corporations

Rick Paulas

October 18, 2017 |

Pacific Standard |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Kansas

Flirting with a corporation can end badly. In exchange for city-wide wireless broadband, Kansas City gave Google near-free rein including fast permitting, free office space, low fees, and taxpayer funds. A few years later, Google restructured to become Alphabet and started cancelling hundreds of hook-ups.

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The Compass, Making it Work: Navigating Kenya's Streets with Technology

Angela Saini

October 15, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Kenya, Nairobi

Entrepreneurs and startups in Kenya and India are finding success creating products that meet the needs of poorer citizens in those countries. This episode includes a story about a mobile phone app that tackles the difficulty of finding locations in Nairobi using GPS coordinates and a photo, a startup near Bengaluru, India that uses human ATMs to help rural residents access cash via mobile phones, and a Kenyan company building devices that create free public wifi.

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Uber, but for Grandma

Kate Francis

September 27, 2017 |

Politico |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Washington, District of Columbia

The way cities are built in the United States makes getting around without driving a car difficult. This means that, for an increasingly aging population, mobility can be a significant issue, leading to challenges such as missed medical appointments and loneliness that can actually decrease lifespan. But in the age of the sharing economy, ride services such as Lyft and Uber reach out to the demographic that arguably needs them most, partnering with medical centers and hospice providers to get smartphone technology - or more "old school" alternatives such as hotlines - into the hands of senior citizens.

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