A report from the Greenlining Institute, June 2020
The Greenlining Institute works toward a future when communities of color can build wealth, live in healthy places filled with economic opportunity, and are ready to meet the challenges posed by climate change. To achieve this vision, Greenlining is committed to building a just economy by acting as an incubator of new policy ideas, a bridge builder between diverse partners, and an advocate to build momentum for transformative change. The Greenlining Institute is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit registered in the US under EIN: 94-3173571.
An Internet connection is critical to economic opportunity. That’s why The Greenlining Institute believes fast, reliable internet access should be a basic right, not a luxury, in today’s increasingly connected society. This has been brought into sharp relief by the novel coronavirus epidemic, forcing schools, colleges and offices to shut down and millions of students and workers to study and work from home. What constitutes an inconvenience for many becomes nearly impossible for those without a home broadband connection — made even worse by the shutting down of libraries and cafes that allowed many without home broadband to get online.
This mini-report explores what life is like for those who lack internet access.
Even in normal times, completing homework, finding a job, working from home, starting a business, making appointments, and accessing government services all require an internet connection. However, too many low-income families don’t have this critical service and are on the wrong side of the “Digital Divide,” a term used to describe the gap between those who have access to computers and the internet and those who do not. Frequently, low-income communities of color sit on the wrong side of this digital divide.