Digital Inclusion, Social Justice & Racial Equity
Digital inequities pose a significant barrier to opportunity and success for millions of students, families, and adults across the country, and has a disproportionate impact on communities of color. Digital exclusion is not a stand-alone issue, but part and parcel of the many inequities that exist in our society today as a result of generations of systematic racism and social injustice.
Tech Goes Home is committed to advancing digital equity by providing digital inclusion programs that open up access to and empower participation in education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and civic engagement. Through our three-pillar program model based on computers, internet connectivity, and training, as well as our advocacy work, Tech Goes Home works to create a more equitable society where all members of our community have access to the digital world and the opportunities it provides.
Academic Achievement
Digital skills and access to internet-connected computers are essential for students to participate in distance learning and access critical support services. Yet, an estimated 16.9 million children across the U.S. lack access to high-speed home internet and 7.3 million children lack access to a home computer. Due to historic and ongoing social injustice and structural racism, students from low-income families and students of color are disproportionately affected by this divide.
At a time when access to virtual learning is more important than ever, Tech Goes Home equips students and their families with the essential digital resources and training that remove barriers to pursuing academic achievement.
Economic Opportunity
Further, digital inclusion is closely linked with economic opportunity. Applying for, advancing in, and accessing higher-paying jobs increasingly requires a range of digital skill sets. In Massachusetts, nearly 80% of jobs require at least fundamental digital skills, and middle-skill jobs requiring digital skills are growing 2.5 times faster than those that don’t. Yet, nearly one third of workers across all industries lack digital skills, with workers of color "overrepresented among those with limited or no digital skills."
Economic justice is critical to achieving racial and social justice, and Tech Goes Home’s programs prepare adults to leverage the internet to pursue career opportunities that require digital skills.
Health Access
Digital inclusion also means greater access to healthcare information and telemedicine, especially now that many appointments with medical professionals and vaccine sign-ups are occurring remotely. However, many individuals – including a disproportionate number of older adults – don’t have access to those resources due to a lack of internet connectivity, computer, and/or digital skills. Nationwide, 41% of people covered by Medicare cannot access telehealth from home.
The pandemic has again laid bare the social determinants of health that have led to increased rates of COVID-19 infection in communities of color across the Commonwealth, and Tech Goes Home is working to mitigate those determinants by increasing access to essential health resources.
Civic Engagement
With the 2020 census conducted largely online, digital access was critical to counting every member of our communities in order to secure equitable funding for schools, housing, and other vital community resources. Many of the populations that have been deemed “hard-to-count” by the U.S. Census Bureau are members of historically marginalized communities that disproportionately face digital exclusion, including immigrant families, residents of dense urban areas, individuals experiencing homelessness, and individuals with disabilities.
Voter registration, town hall participation, and other key civic engagement opportunities are also more accessible to those with digital access. Tech Goes Home works to empower learners with the digital tools and training to engage in their communities and make their voices heard.
Our Solution:
Training, Tools, & Access
In partnership with our network of partner organizations across Eastern Massachusetts, Tech Goes Home empowers the community members we serve to use the internet as a tool for pursuing educational opportunities, finding jobs, accessing healthcare, fulfilling their essential needs from home, and making their voices heard. We welcome you to join us in achieving our goal of ensuring that everyone has the skills, tools, and access to take full advantage of the internet and the opportunities it offers.