Building Connections: How Cherokee Nation’s Digital Navigator is Bringing Digital Skills to Every Corner of the Reservation

For Cherokee citizens living on and off the reservation, staying connected is more than just having access to the internet. It’s about staying close to their Tribe and culture and feeling part of the digital world. The Cherokee Nation is making strides toward improving broadband access on their reservation, which spans an incredible 7,000 square miles in rural northeastern Oklahoma. The challenge is real—there are still 6,000 Cherokee households without internet or computers at home, according to estimates from Cherokee Nation. That’s where the Cherokee Nation’s digital navigator program, part of the National Digital Navigator Corps (NDNC), steps in. Partnering with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, AMERIND Critical Infrastructure and supported by Google.org, this program addresses the community’s most significant need—helping Cherokee citizens, especially elders and Cherokee language speakers, access critical services like telehealth or expand educational resources for school-age children.