Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC Hosts Launch for Groundbreaking Reports on Digital Inequities Facing Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities
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Benny Lai benny@napca.orgJennifer Zaldivar-Clark jennifer_zaldivar-clark@comcast.comAlexandra Alde alex@apiavotemi.orgLiza Javier lizaj@acrs.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — September 19, 2024 — In a pivotal effort to address digital disparities that uniquely affect Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) is proud to announce two key research reports. These comprehensive studies illuminate the challenges and barriers the communities face in accessing and utilizing digital resources effectively and are available to read here and here.
The launch event for these reports, "Empowerment Through Access: Elevating AANHPI Communities in the Digital Age," was held on Wednesday, September 18th at NCTA – The Internet & Television Association’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. This significant gathering was more than an event; it was a crucial convergence of national and local advocacy and corporate partners with the goal of fostering substantial discussions about bridging the technological divide in underserved AANHPI communities around the nation. As the reports found, 46% of AANHPIs lack computer and technical skills, while 53% said that affordability and the cost of internet services were a barrier.
"When we first started this project three and a half years ago, we knew that there was a digital divide among Asian Americans, but the studies were very limited,” said Advancing Justice – AAJC’s President & Executive Director John C. Yang in his introductory remarks. “Digital empowerment is a human right, and that’s what we’re trying to illustrate in these reports. They show what our call to action for all of us collectively, whether it is government, corporate sector, or nonprofit, need to do to make sure our communities are included, seen and given dignity and what they need to prosper.”
Speaking at the event was Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) and Angela Thi Bennett of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Each speaker shared insights and forward-thinking strategies to bolster digital inclusion efforts, highlighting ongoing initiatives and potential policy advancements that could significantly benefit AANHPI communities across the nation.
"Internet access, to me, is like the electricity and clean water of our time. It should not be a luxury or privilege. It should be a right. Whether they're students who need to complete homework or patients who rely on telehealth or remote workers, all Americans now rely on consistent internet access, and they also oftentimes need help navigating the internet,” said Congresswoman Meng. “As the only Asian American member of Congress from New York, it's important that the work that we're doing here in Washington on broadband access and digital literacy meets the unique needs of these communities.”
“In this digital economy, trusted community leaders are at the heart of any successful digital inclusion initiative. These leaders understand the nuances of language and culture, and they are key to ensuring that broadband initiatives and digital literacy programs reach those who need them most,” said Ms. Bennett. “As we move forward, it’s clear that digital access is not a luxury, it’s a necessity for economic opportunity, educational success, and civic participation.”
Following introductory remarks from the distinguished guests, the stage was set for a series of impactful remarks from key sponsors and supporters of the report Laura Berrocal, Vice President of Policy & External Affairs at Charter Communications, along with Juan Otero, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Comcast Corporation. Each shared their perspectives on the necessity of working with advocates to advance digital equity and the collective actions required to foster an inclusive digital landscape.
“As Charter continues to invest in and grow our network into more unserved, including rural, areas of the country, understanding connectivity needs and gaps is critical. We were pleased to underwrite AAJC’s Digital Divide research and contribute to efforts that advance our shared digital inclusion and connectivity goals,” said Berrocal.
Otero added, “We have to reimagine social constructs such as the idea that the AANHPI community is somehow monolithic, and think about culturally sensitive, culturally competent solutions. I thank AAJC for allowing Comcast to be a part of that. We will continue to partner to get the best localized solutions and make a transformative impact. This report, which highlights many of the challenges and opportunities that we have to uplift the entire community, is a key step in doing that.”
Attendees were then able to hear from a panel of community leaders who shared their direct experiences, nuanced challenges, and viewpoints on the real ways digital inequity affects the AANHPI communities they work with. They also discussed the ways that they were able to design in-language, culturally competent solutions to meet their constituents where they are at.
"One of the ways that we've noticed a digital divide is in differences amongst AANHPI subgroups, and those that are more affluent versus those that are more recent immigrants or live in communities with less equitable access to resources,” said Kurtis Fernandez, Field Director and Community Organizer at Asian & Pacific Islander Vote - Michigan. “We had to prioritize which communities that we want to focus on for these digital literacy programs. As a voter registration and engagement organization, we saw success with classes that paired digital literacy with civic engagement skills such as how to find your senator online, how to find their coffee hours or their town hall hours, how to apply online for absentee ballot or find your polling place – things that a lot of us take for granted.”
"Technology can bring up people's anxiety, especially if you have limited experience with it. If you're nervous, your English language comprehension goes down and you're not in a position to be learning,” said Alexandra Olins, Director of Employment & Citizenship at Asian Counseling & Referral Service, which provides health and human services to the Asian American immigrant community in the Pacific Northwest. “We use cutting edge translation technologies to get the material across in a way that is effective. Once those comprehension needs are met, it’s amazing to see that students can pick up on it so quickly and use this technology to further their lives and careers.”
The community leaders also shared how funding and support are imperative to continuously bring digital literacy programs to their communities.
“Every day these folks were denied, and when you give them access to email, the ability to use video calls to talk to their kids and relatives, it opens doors,” said Clayton Fong, President & CEO of the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA). “Funding is what it falls down to – most of the elders we work with are below the poverty line. At that rate, you’re choosing between medication and food. Internet and cable TV are a distant, distant third. But now internet is a lifeline service, so we need to figure out how to make broadband access sustainable.”
Internet access and broadband accessibility are indispensable components of modern American life. As communities continue to rely on internet connection and other evolving technologies, we need to ensure that no one is left behind.
Photos of the event are available here courtesy of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC.
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