Building a Digital Ecosystem in Gila River Through Connection and Trust

“For me, being a Digital Navigator is an opportunity to give back to the community that shaped me,” shares Tyler Smith, Gila River’s Digital Navigator. “I want to help elevate our digital skills and uplift our voices in the pursuit of digital equity.” Born and raised in the Gila River Indian Community, Tyler embodies the mission of the Digital Navigator program. With his deep roots and passion for giving back, he is bridging the gap between infrastructure and accessibility, empowering residents one connection at a time. Technology is becoming an essential tool for preserving traditions and fostering new opportunities in the Gila River Indian Community, home to the Akimel O’otham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) Tribes. Spanning 600 square miles across seven districts in central Arizona, the community faces unique challenges in ensuring everyone can access and benefit from the digital world. While Gila River Telecommunications, Inc. (GRTI) has spent decades building robust broadband infrastructure, Digital Connect, an initiative of GRTI, focuses on improving quality of life and developing future generations of O’odham leaders in technology. Through its participation in NDIA’s National Digital Navigator Corp program, with funding from Google.org, Digital Connect designed its Digital Navigator program to create one-on-one connections with the people it serves.