The new season of the Building for Digital Equity (#B4DE) podcast returns this week with another episode focused on the frontline work of digital equity advocates across the nation.

This week’s episode features a conversation with Walter Gabino Rendon, the Chief Program Officer at the STEM Alliance.

Walter shares insights into the organization's efforts to bridge the digital divide in Westchester County, New York, a region often perceived as affluent but with significant underserved needs. They discuss the development and implementation of a CRM platform designed to improve the digital navigator experience, streamline client interactions, and collect vital data.

If you missed the latest podcast (or any of the previous ones), below you can listen to the most recent episode (with new episodes posted every other Thursday). Or you can put this feed into your podcast app to tune in.

And don’t forget to visit our B4DE podcast page to listen to previous episodes, which include featured guests:

Abraham Camez, a passionate digital navigator for Hoopa Valley's Acorn Wireless ISP navigating digital equity in the community.

Shaun Glaze, Research Director, and Chris Webb, Digital Equity Lead, from the Black Brilliance Research Project discuss a unique research approach that drives toward solutions tailored by and for the community.

Pierrette Dagg, the Director of Research for the MERIT Network, discusses the importance of using research to inform community engagement and digital equity strategies.

Paul Goodman, from the Center for Accessible Technology (C4AT), delves into the crucial work of assistive technology solutions, and efforts to ensure web accessibility.

While New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo focuses on improving Internet access in rural areas upstate, Westchester County is finding its own path to next-generation connectivity.

The county's largest cities are partnering with the county association to bring high-speed Internet access to every household, businesses, healthcare facilities, and educational organizations in the next three to five years. 

Four Cities Together

In early October, the Westchester County Association and the cities of Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, White Plains, and Yonkers announced the formation of the Smart Growth Gigabit initiative. The cities entered into the “Smart City ComPACT” to collectively apply for funding, collaborate on innovation districts, and develop joint legislative agendas. 

The cities are considering a Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) project to provide Gigabit (1,000 Megabits per second) connectivity necessary for telemedicine, digital learning, and economic development. Officials estimate the project will cost about $750 million, based on the costs of similar projects in communities with like populations (405,000 people total). The cities could own and build the network themselves or partner with a private provider; they have not yet decided on which model to pursue.

Smart Growth

The Gigabit Initiative is part of Westchester County Association’s Blueprint for Smart Growth plan. The association is assembling a steering committee of members from Westchester’s cities, healthcare, biotech, education, business, and nonprofit sectors. The collaboration has been described as a public private partnership because Westchester County Association is a private entity.