On this episode of Digital Inclusion Exchange, we're continuing our new series called #SpreadtheTech, co-hosted by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and Digital Charlotte.    This series is brought to you through a sponsorship with Verizon to help digital inclusion practitioners adjust to the new challenges brought on by COVID-19.   During this episode, Angela Siefer, Executive Director of National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Bruce Clark, Executive Director of Digital Charlotte, and Andrew Au, Director of Operations of Digital Charlotte speak with Adam Echelman, Executive Director of Libraries Without Borders and Angelika Kluna, the Sr Electronics Program Manager of Goodwill Industries of San Antonio.   During this interview, the hosts discuss with Adam and Angelika how Libraries Without Borders has adjusted and risen to the challenges brought on by COVID-19 on the national scale and how partnerships with local organizations like Goodwill Industries of San Antonio support those changes.    It is our intention that this conversation will help other similar groups learn from these two organizations and replicate some of the strategies they use.   If you want to learn more about the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, visit digitalinclusion.org.   Follow us on social media at... Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte   Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!   Episode edited and produced by: Andy Goh, Maria Jimenez, Andrew Au, Caitlin Schwartz

On this episode of Digital Inclusion Exchange, we're introducing a new series called #SpreadtheTech, co-hosted by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and Digital Charlotte.    This series is brought to you through a sponsorship with Verizon to help digital inclusion practitioners adjust to the new challenges brought on by COVID-19.   During this episode, Angela Siefer, Executive Director of National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Bruce Clark, Executive Director of Digital Charlotte, and Andrew Au, Director of Operations of Digital Charlotte speak with Amy Huffman, the Research and Policy Specialist for the Broadband Infrastructure Office in North Carolina.   During this interview, Angela and Bruce discuss with Amy how North Carolina has adjusted and risen to the challenges brought on by COVID-19.    It is our intention that this conversation will help other states replicate some of the strategies North Carolina uses.   If you want to learn more about the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, visit digitalinclusion.org.   Follow us on social media at... Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte   Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!   Episode edited and produced by: Andy Goh, Maria Jimenez, Andrew Au, Caitlin Schwartz

On this episode of Digital Inclusion Exchange, Bruce and Andrew are joined by Angela Siefer. Siefer, an experienced digital inclusion advocate and worker, currently serves as the Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA).

The group focuses their discussion on what the NDIA's role in the digital inclusion landscape is, before they move on to share their personal "why digital inclusion?" stories. Along the way, they explain the concept of the "three-legged stool" and Bruce gets fired up about the importance of social capital as the fourth leg to that stool.

• 0:45 - The origins of NDIA - National Digital Inclusion Alliance
• 8:23 - Siefer's personal passion for digital inclusion work
• 10:10 - The importance of social capital and networks to digital inclusion
• 12:21 - Who does NDIA serve and what do they do?
• 18:05 - What is the "three-legged stool"?
• 22:30 - The impact of NDIA (from awareness to listservs to Amazon's Alexa!)
• 32:15 - Big partnership announcement between Digital Charlotte and NDIA!
• 36:08 - More background on Siefer's passion and "why" for digital inclusion work
• 37:52 - Andrew and Bruce share their "why"

If you want to learn more about the work Angela Siefer and the NDIA do, visit digitalinclusion.org.

Follow us on social media at...

• Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT
• Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte
• LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte

Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!

Episode edited and produced by: Maria Jimenez, Juliana Amos, Will Martin & Christine Brillon

Bruce, Andrew, and Maria are joined by guest Pat Millen, the Executive Director of E2D, an organization that obtains, refurbishes, and distributes devices in the Charlotte area to help eliminate the digital divide.

The team dives deep on the impact of E2D in Charlotte, engaging in a wide-ranging discussion from E2D's origin story to their new partnership with CMS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the episode, Millen provides a valuable perspective on the challenges of getting devices to the families that need them the most and gives various ways that we can all help close the digital divide by engaging with E2D.

• 3:02 - What is E2D? From origin story to current operations
• 13:01 - How E2D obtains, refurbishes, and distributes devices
• 31:38 - The life-changing impact of a computer and digital literacy skills
• 39:40 - E2D's current partnership with CMS to get hotspots to families that need them
• 46:29 - Digital inclusion work with non-English speakers
• 1:01:00 - How can organizations and people engage with E2D?

If you want to learn more about E2D's work in the Charlotte community or want to engage with them, visit their website at www.e-2-d.org.

Follow us on social media at...

• Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT
• Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte
• LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte

Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!

Episode edited and produced by: Maria Jimenez, Juliana Amos, Will Martin, and Ariana Barnes

For the third episode of Digital Inclusion Exchange, Bruce, Andrew, and Maria are joined by Dr. Zachary White. Dr. White, an Associate Professor of Communication at Queens University of Charlotte, is a health literacy expert and co-author of the book The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver.

The group discusses digital health literacy in the age of a global health crisis, driven by Dr. White's in-depth and passionate input. They address a wide variety of digital health literacy topics, from how to evaluate digital health information to communication strategies for community leaders, before ending with a powerful overall takeaway from Dr. White.

 

• 1:30 - Dr. White's perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic
• 7:30 - What is digital health literacy and why is it important?
• 13:52 - The group discusses the complexity of evaluating digital health information
• 29:35 - Dr. White talks about applying theoretical learning to practical situations
• 33:30 - How can government officials and community leaders communicate effectively with their constituents?
• 38:17 - Stories and takeaways about connectedness during a global health crisis
• 47:00 - Dr. White expands on his powerful health literacy takeaway from the COVID-19 pandemic: "The premise that digital inclusion, digital equity, digital health literacy is somehow a luxury of life has to be put aside forever…"

 

If you are interested in Dr. White's book The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation from Loved One to Caregiver, go to https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Journey-Caring-Transformation-Caregiver/dp to order!

 

Additionally, here is a helpful list of the reliable websites that Dr. White recommends for health information (including Bruce's go-to, Healthline!):

• Mecknc.gov
• Ncdhhs.gov (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services)
• WHO.int (World Health Organization)
• CDC.gov (Centers for Disease Control)
• MayoClinic.org
• Healthline.com

 

Follow us on social media at...

Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT

Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte

LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte

 

Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!

 

Episode edited and produced by: Maria Jimenez, Juliana Amos, Will Martin & Ariana Barnes

As Digital Inclusion Exchange rolls on, Bruce, Andrew, and Maria, a current Knight School student, talk with special guest Rick Thames. Thames, former editor of the Charlotte Observer, is currently an Executive in Residence and Visiting Professor of Journalism at Queens University of Charlotte. 

The group discusses media literacy, with Thames providing valuable insight and advice about communication scholar Renee Hobbs's five core concepts of media literacy: access, analyze/evaluate, create, reflect, and act. The COVID-19 pandemic, which Thames describes as the most impactful and "earth-shattering" event of his life, gives a valuable perspective to this conversation.

• 1:00 - COVID-19 pandemic from Thames's journalistic perspective
• 14:20 - The importance of access to media literacy
• 20:43 - Thames shares best practices for analyzing, evaluating, and sharing news sources
• 28:45 - How technology connects us during quarantine and the digital divide this reveals
• 37:55 - Ways to take action in relation to media literacy
• 42:08 - Thames's advice to students on learning from the COVID-19 situation and planning for the future

 

Check out Politifact.com, which Thames mentions as his go-to source for fact-checking news sources!

 

Follow us on social media at...

Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT

Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte

LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte

 

Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!

Episode edited and produced by: Maria Jimenez, Juliana Amos, Will Martin & Paula Azuaje

Welcome to Digital Inclusion Exchange! Bruce and Andrew introduce their brand new podcast, putting in action an idea that has been tossed around the office for a long while. In this episode, they share their excitement for this new Digital Charlotte initiative and then reveal their "why". Why Digital Charlotte? And, ultimately, why is the work of digital inclusion so important?

• 0:08 - Introduction and overview of the podcast
• 1:33 - Andrew's "why"
• 5:05 - Why digital inclusion equity is challenging but pivotal
• 6:38 - Bruce's "why"
• 8:43 - Wrap-up and excitement for the future

Follow us on social media at...

• Twitter: twitter.com/@digCLT
• Facebook: facebook.com/@DigitalCharlotte
• LinkedIn: linkedin/company/Digital Charlotte

Interested in partnering with us, contacting us, or simply getting more information? Visit DigitalCharlotte.org/contact and reach out!

 

Episode edited and produced by: Maria Jimenez, Juliana Amos, Will Martin, Paula Azuaje, and Christine Brillon