Digital Durham’s Vision
A Durham where everyone is equally engaged in the digital world.
Many Durham residents lack Internet access
Durham County is situated in North Carolina’s Triangle area, which is world renowned for its technology resources. Unfortunately, not everyone in Durham County benefits from these resources. According to a recent statistic published by Google Fiber, 14.7% of households in Durham have no Internet access. The percentage more than doubles when we look at households making ≤ $35,000, suggesting it is side effect of poverty. In fact, nationwide lack of access to the Internet impacts minority and poor citizens disproportionately.
This is a serious problem
When families are struggling to pay utility bills and put food on the table, why should they be concerned about their access to Facebook and Snapchat? Isn’t the Internet a luxury?
While the Internet provides many diversions, it is becoming a necessity of daily life. Lack of access is a serious problem for many families in our community and it is inhibiting economic development in Durham County.
Try to imagine your own home without Internet. Without an upscale coffee shop in the neighborhood that provides free WIFI, what would you do?
- As a student, you might type your papers on a cracked cell phone because it is the only device with an Internet connection.
- As an adult, you could line up to use the computers at the public library to apply for jobs and access healthcare information.
- Or, you can join the crowd that hovers outside libraries after hours, connecting to the free WiFi from the sidewalk or parking lot.
Let’s get Durham connected!
As former President Obama said in July of 2015, “The Internet is not a luxury, it is a necessity.” We need to prepare our kids and our workers for an increasingly online environment. Digital Durham is working to make it easier for ALL of Durham residents to “get connected”.