De Puente A Puente: Expanding Broadband Access in Loíza

Located on the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico, Loíza is one of the most culturally rich municipalities on the island. Known as the “Capital of Traditions,” the area gave birth to many African-influenced traditions that are now synonymous with Puerto Rican culture. As home to the largest population of Black residents on the island, Loíza has a rich cultural heritage that is threatened by high unemployment, extreme poverty, and violence. In fact, Loíza’s unemployment rate is triple the national average, and nearly half of all residents live below the poverty line. To deliver De Puente A Puente (From Bridge to Bridge), Libraries Without Borders US (LWB US)—along with project partners Link Puerto Rico (Link PR), the Municipality of Loíza, Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC), Cultura Activa, PAYE (Piñones Aprende Y Emprende), and other local organizations and community leaders—is providing broadband service in three neighborhoods of Loíza. In each of these neighborhoods—Sector La 23 y Las Gardenias, Piñones, and Tocones—LWB US is outfitting community centers with Wi-Fi using 4G and 5G cellular hotspots to connect residents directly to digital tools as well as health and digital literacy training.