How Effective Engagement with Tribal Nations Can Shape the Success of the BEAD Program

As a Marjorie and Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow, I have been reviewing state digital equity plans, 5-Year Action Plans, Initial Proposals, and Final Proposals with the goal of understanding how states are working with Tribes on addressing broadband needs. A wise Oneida advisor of mine once shared that in order to properly engage with Indigenous communities, you must practice the three Rs: respect, relationship, and reciprocity. When it comes to the work on Tribal broadband in the U.S., these three essential practices can mean the success or failure of the landmark investments made in recent years to ensure that Tribal communities, some of the most underconnected areas in our nation, finally achieve true digital equity. Effective engagement with Tribes has been a key issue in many previous broadband programs and, if done earnestly, can make all the difference. 

[Sharayah Lane is a Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow. A member of the Lummi Nation, she is a nationally recognized leader in the push toward establishing tribal broadband for Indigenous communities throughout the country.]