WATPA: FW: The Digital Divide Network and Mailing List

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From: Norman J. Jacknis (njacknis@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Thu Dec 16 1999 - 22:44:54 EST


The following comes courtesy of the Benton
Foundation (http://www.benton.org)] a Washington, DC nonprofit
that works among the public, corporate, and nonprofit sectors
to address critical questions for democracy in the information age.]

Benton Announces The Digital Divide Network & New Mailing List

Digital Divide Network, Programmed by Benton Foundation and
National Urban League, Offers Collaborative Hub for Information
and Strategies; Network Includes One-Stop Resources and
Information for Communities Seeking Local Solutions

The Benton Foundation along with the National Urban League
and companies from the Internet, computing,
telecommunications, and software industries launched the
Digital Divide Network (http://www.digitaldividenetwork.org).
The partners will coordinate information, strategies &
efforts targeting solutions to the Digital Divide.

The Digital Divide Network (DDN) will serve as a catalyst for
developing new, innovative strategies to close the growing
technology gap between rich and poor Americans. With a desire
to reduce duplicated efforts and to learn from other efforts,
the Digital Divide Network will emphasize collaborative and
outcome-oriented projects with an eye toward establishing the
right metrics for evaluation.

Operating online as a collaborative and open hub for industry,
nonprofits, policymakers and community leaders engaged in
Digital Divide problem solving, the Digital Divide Network
will feature:

A comprehensive clearinghouse on completed and ongoing efforts to
expand access by underserved communities to the Internet and
information technology, including initiatives focused on providing:

- hardware, software, wiring and connectivity;
- education and training relating to technological literacy;
- public education about the centrality of the Internet for
  individuals' and communities' future economic, political and
  social success;
- content and curricula specifically tailored to the needs and
  uses of underserved communities

Special features on research and initiatives aimed at communities
particularly affected by the Digital Divide, including: African
Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, people with disabilities,
rural communities, urban poor communities, underserved children

Ongoing synthesis and analysis of the results of initiatives
and successes and failures with a focus on highlighting: best
practices; areas of building consensus and gaps requiring
further study; the development, tracking and reporting of key
metrics for success in the effort to bridge the divide

A detailed national map of public access points across the
country and a state-by-state breakdown of ongoing
Digital Divide efforts

A compendium of resources available for communities to address
their digital divide issues, including: public and private
grant programs and in-kind resources, including hardware,
software, training, volunteers and other technical assistance

Regularly updated news and highlights on digital divide
announcements, programs and research

Community-based features enabling cross-industry calendaring,
networking, information-sharing and real-time and asynchronous
dialogues

--------------------------------------------------------------

Benton Foundation Launches Mailing List to Promote
Discussion on Collaborative Solutions to the Digital Divide

As part of its effort to build open, cross-industry discussion
on ways to affect the digital divide, the Benton Foundation's
Communications Policy & Practice program announces a new email
list, DIGITALDIVIDE. As an important part of the newly created
Digital Divide Network, DIGITAL DIVIDE will provide a forum for
community activists, educators, researchers, commercial and
nonprofit enterprises, volunteers, students, and concerned
citizens the ability to discuss the diverse issues around the
Digital Divide.

In order to subscribe to DIGITALDIVIDE, send an email message to

digitaldivide-request@list.benton.org

In the body of the message, include the following line:

subscribe digitaldivide [your name]

with nothing else contained in the message. Be sure to replace
"yourname" with your name.

Because DIGITALDIVIDE is a new list, the Benton Foundation will
allow potential members several days to subscribe before opening
the list for conversation. Discussion will begin on Tuesday,
December 14. At that point you will be able to post messages to
the list by sending an emails to (digitaldivide@list.benton.org).

For more information, contact Andy Carvin at andy@benton.org.
----------------------------------------------------------------
DDN Contact Information

Benton Foundation: Tony Wilhelm (202)454-5606 or cell (703) 298-9755
National Urban League: B. Keith Fulton (212)558-5394
America Online, Inc.: David Eisner (703)265-2256 or cell (703)850-3009
AT&T: Rochelle Cohen (202)457-3933 or pager 888-602-5489
Bell Atlantic: Susan Butta (202)336-7883
BellSouth: John Schneidawind (202)463-4183
Gateway: Donald McClellan (202)737-2000
Intel: Rosalind Hudnell (916)356-6205
iVillage: Morra Aarons (212) 206-3198
Microsoft: Erin Cox (503)443-7000
SBC Communications: Matt Miller (202)326-8844


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