Designing for All: Bridging the Digital Divide

COVID is revealing many uncomfortable truths to the world. In the area of education and access to technology, the impact of the digital divide on the haves and have-nots has never been more clear. As schools shut down and education comes to a halt, students that were already behind their privileged peers are faced with yet another obstacle. Many students, adults in the workforce, across the globe do not have access to computers and internet access that is needed to keep up in this race to the top. On the other hand, sections of society that were already connected are adopting newer technologies faster and are connecting even more.

The social and economic gap is growing between the privileged and the marginalized: especially the poor, rural, elderly, and handicapped portions of the population who do not have, or have limited access to computers or the internet.

How might our current global crisis create the impetus for businesses, nonprofits, community-based organizations, government, and academia to develop innovative solutions to bridge these digital divides, and in so doing, reduce the also growing wealth gap? Is it possible that designing for inclusivity can create a win-win for businesses and for people? Join us in a conversation with the Walton Family Foundation and Cox Communications to understand how trust-based philanthropy and designing for all can work together to bridge the socio-economic gap created by the digital divide.

Join us on October 8th at 10:00 am PDT/1:00 pm EDT

This event features: Ebonee Younger, Product Manager, Cox Communications. Caryl Stern, E.D., Walton Family Foundation. Moderated by Mohan Sivaloganathan, Net Impact Board Member and CEO, Our Turn