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Chicago Digital Equity Coalition 


In May 2022, the City launched the Chicago Digital Equity Council (DEC), bringing together a cross-sector group of community members most burdened by the digital divide, and organizations committed to eliminating digital inequities, to close Chicago’s digital divide once and for all. From June-October 2022, the DEC hosted 17 community conversations and solution design workshops in the City’s least connected neighborhoods, reaching nearly 400 residents. Through this on-the-ground community engagement exercise, the DEC surfaced nuanced barriers to digital equity, identified work already happening within communities, and co-created community-driven recommendations for Chicago.

The DEC is excited to share the Chicago Digital Equity Plan, which summarizes our approach, findings, and recommendations to achieve digital equity in Chicago.

Now, the City formally launched the Chicago Digital Equity Coalition – an inclusive community for digital equity advocacy, resources, best practice sharing, and implementing the Digital Equity Plan.


 Check out the Digital Equity Plan 10-Month Progress Report.


The Chicago Digital Equity Plan is a community-led plan to achieve digital equity in Chicago, created by the Chicago Digital Equity Council. It was informed by the experiences of nearly 400 Chicagoans during community conversations and solution workshops, representing 44 zip codes across the City.

Interested in joining the Digital Equity Coalition?


Click here to sign up!



What is Digital Equity and Inclusion?

Digital Equity
  • A condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy.
  • Digital Equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services.
Digital Inclusion
  • Refers to the activities necessary to ensure that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to and use of Information and Communication Technologies
  • This includes elements below:

Internet access
Internet

Affordable, quality broadband internet service 

Internet access
Devices

Laptops and computers that meet the needs of users

Internet access
Training and Tech Support

Access to digital literacy training and quality technical support

Internet access
Accessible Content

Content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration

Source: National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA)





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