The Power of Advocacy: How Nonprofits Are Shaping Broadband Policy In California

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, suddenly all nonprofits became digital equity nonprofits. Whether they focused on education, civic engagement, or healthcare, community-based organizations across the country found themselves pivoting toward tackling the digital divide seemingly overnight. They witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by the youth, families, and communities they serve as everyone quarantined and shifted to a new, virtual, normal. Ever resilient, these leaders and trusted advocates have not only grappled with the nuances of this complex and multifaceted issue, but they also led the charge to shape public policy that will ensure that their communities never again are redlined, excluded, and forgotten.
 

Speakers

SUPERVISOR CINDY CHAVEZ
2nd District, Santa Clara County

ANA TERESA DAHAN
Senior Director of Advocacy, Policy and Community Engagement, Great Public Schools Now

EFRAIN ESCOBEDO
Vice President of Public Policy and Civic Engagement, California Community Foundation

ELMER ROLDAN
Executive Director, Communities in Schools of Los Angeles

GABRIELA SANDOVAL
Director of Race and Equity Policy, The Utility Reform Network (TURN)

ALEXIS VILLANUEVA
Economic Development Director, City Heights Community Development Corporation