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OP-ED: Bridging Florida’s Digital Divide for the Next Generation

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Lawmakers in Tallahassee and state capitals elsewhere will be coming under pressure from an assortment of constituencies seeking portions of the federal BEAD funding. But it is imperative that state leaders in Florida and elsewhere to ensure that BEAD funds are deployed in broadband deserts, particularly those where too many HBCUs are located. That would ensure more Americans have a bright economic future and the next generation is prepared to compete in the digital economy.
The post OP-ED: Bridging Florida’s Digital Divide for the Next Generation first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

9 months ago

August 9, 2023

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By Rev. Dr. R. B. Holmes

The nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have a rich and storied history dating back to 1837, when the Cheyney University of Pennsylvania was established as the first HBCU. Today, there are 107 HBCUs — institutions that have graduated 50 percent of Black lawyers, 40 percent of Black engineers, 40 percent of Black Congressmembers – and, of course, the first female Vice President. Yet, they comprise a mere 3 percent of American colleges and universities. Despite their celebrated history and societal contributions, HBCUs have been underfunded for decades, leaving them without the resources that non-HBCUs possess, including crucially important high speed internet infrastructure.

An astounding 82 percent of HBCUs are in so-called broadband deserts, regions that lack fast and reliable internet access. This impacts students’ ability to properly and timely complete assignments, take care of everyday needs, and continue to develop important digital skills. The need for HBCUs to be on equal digital footing has become even more critical as many experts are expecting an influx of students in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision barring the use of race as a factor in college admissions. Morehouse College, for example, anticipates a 50 to 100 percent increase in applications by 2026.

It’s important for Black college students to have a grasp on digital skills even before they set foot on an HBCU campus, but the “digital divide” is likely to have already set them back. Nationwide, only 65 percent of Hispanics and 71 percent of Blacks have internet service of any kind in their homes, compared to 80 percent of whites. The “digital divide” for Black Americans is equally pronounced in urban and rural areas. Urban whites are more than twice as likely to have high speed internet than urban Blacks. In the rural South, the same split is 77 percent to 62 percent.

The need for high-speed internet access will only continue to grow in coming years. Studies already show a correlation between broadband access and household income, and experts suggest that bridging the digital divide will promote social mobility and economic equality. As the economy continues to modernize, the need for digital skills will only increase.

State lawmakers around the country have an opportunity to build that bridge, including in my home state in Florida where an estimated 508,000 Blacks and 641,000 Hispanics lack access to high-speed internet. The federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program will distribute $42.5 billion to states — including a forecasted $2.3 billion for Florida — to promote high-speed internet access through a variety of measures. In addition to improving broadband infrastructure, the funding — which is expected to be distributed in 2024 or 2025 — will be put toward making high-speed internet more affordable and easier to access where the infrastructure already exists.

Lawmakers in Tallahassee and state capitals elsewhere will be coming under pressure from an assortment of constituencies seeking portions of the federal BEAD funding. But it is imperative that state leaders in Florida and elsewhere to ensure that BEAD funds are deployed in broadband deserts, particularly those where too many HBCUs are located. That would ensure more Americans have a bright economic future and the next generation is prepared to compete in the digital economy.

If my home state is any measure, it is vitally important for state leaders to take action at a time when many do not share in some of the nation’s economic success. In Florida, for example, the state is making positive economic progress, but U.S. Census data shows that Black Floridians’ household income in 2022 was 30 percent less than the household income of white Floridians and fell far short of the national average. More than 20 percent of Black Floridians live under the poverty line, compared to just 13 percent of all Floridians and 14 percent of all Americans. Black Floridians are also more likely to be unemployed, with the Black unemployment rate in the state sitting at nearly four percent compared to just 2.6 percent overall.

State leaders have a sudden federal windfall to confront an inequity – the digital divide – that is deepening social and economic challenges like those we see in Florida. They must move now to quickly deliver these resources to the communities that need them most – those that have been excluded too long.

Rev. Dr. R. B. Holmes, Jr., is the pastor of the historic Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, located in the heart of downtown Tallahassee, Florida’s Frenchtown community. He is president of Live Communications and owner/publisher of the Capital Outlook newspaper and WTAL Radio AM. He is also president of the Tallahassee Chapter of the National Action Network and the National Save the Family Now, Movement, Inc., which he also founded.

The post OP-ED: Bridging Florida’s Digital Divide for the Next Generation first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

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