Broadening Digital Opportunity for Our Communities
Historic levels of broadband funding contained within the bipartisan infrastructure law could support millions of AAPI families.
By Thu Nguyen
IN EARLY NOVEMBER, we celebrated the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This historic framework has the potential to support and broaden opportunities for millions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) families through targeted broadband investments that work towards connecting people across the country.
Data reveals that the digital divide and broadband access are still relevant barriers for many members of the AAPI community: a survey from National Telecommunications and Information Administration shows that Asian Americans were 4% less likely to have access to the Internet than white Americans were. Now, as our communities continue to grow, it is important that we use broadband expansion to address a wide range of challenges that we face, most notably in education and workforce development.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act looks to address this through $65 billion worth of investments in broadband, including:
- $5 billion for a Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program that will provide grants to increase connectivity to underserved and high-cost areas;
- $2 billion for Digital Equity Grants, requiring states to develop plans for “digital inclusion” that ensures equitable access to affordable, reliable, and high-speed broadband internet
As it pertains to education, the infrastructure law helps address the so-called “homework gap” which prevents millions of students — particularly poor, minority, and rural students — getting online at home to complete vital parts of their education. Without access to the internet, there is a great chance of students falling behind in their learning. Through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program and Digital Equity Grants, as well as other programs, money can be allocated to ensure broadband access for students across the country, greater digital resources in schools and libraries such as laptops and tablets, and other key provisions that make getting online easier.
Additionally, barriers to workforce development and access to high paying jobs remain a prominent concern for many AAPIs. Unemployment rates among Asian Americans increased by more than 450% during the public health crisis. Without access to broadband, finding and retaining jobs become significantly harder: 52% of Americans believe that those without broadband service at home are at a “major disadvantage” when it comes to finding out about job opportunities or gaining new career skills.
Furthermore, digital literacy remains critical when finding and retaining work, but an alarming one-third of American workers lack these vital skills, including members of the AAPI community. With money allocated through the infrastructure law to provide training for adult populations to use internet-capable devices to apply for jobs, we can get closer to ensuring greater workforce stability for our communities.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is not a cure all for barriers to the social, political, and economic well-being of AAPIs, but it does provide much needed funding to take steps to achieving this goal. Technology, the internet and digital resources are not the future; they are the present. Without providing all AAPIs with access to these tools, this community will be at risk of falling behind in their education, their career growth and their general quality of life. Let us keep our foot on the gas and ensure the successful rollout of these historic programs.
Thu Nguyen is the Executive Director of OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates.
