Northspan hosted a NE MN Digital Connection meeting to help feed results into the State Digital Equity plan. They were kind enough to share their notes and slides…
Overview
In early 2023 the MN State Office of Broadband Development (OBD) asked local areas to form Digital Connection Committees (DCC), with the intent to gather data on digital equity and inclusion in communities across the state. Nine of these committees formed in Northeast Minnesota representing four of the seven counties in our region. The information gathered by these committees will be used in the development of a statewide digital equity plan to reduce gaps in access, device ownership, and digital skills.
Northspan’s Welcoming Community program is regionally focused and hoped to assist in facilitating partnerships, sharing information, and gleaning regional learnings with the Digital Connection Committees (DCC) in Northeast Minnesota. Collaborating and identifying themes allows us to make a stronger case for our region. By identifying themes that we see regionally we can work together towards common goals and gain additional support for programming that will benefit a broad area.
Welcome & Introductions
Introductions:
Each participant was asked to introduce themselves and answer the following questions:
- Name
- Organization or another aspect of your identity you would like to share? (i.e. family, faith, hobby etc.)
- ‘Where is the most unique/interesting place you have used the internet?’
Ten Digital Connection Committees are working with communities within our seven-county region: Aitkin County Government, Biwabik Township, City of Duluth Digital Inclusion Initiative,
Hibbing Public Library, Koochiching County, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Northspan, Quad City Public Libraries, Town of White/Aurora, Wilderness Health (Lake & Cook County).
Those present represented 7 of the 10 Digital Connection Committee’s in NE MN and included: Laura Koeneman Hibbing Public Library Jaci Nagle Koochiching County Sally Fineday Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Amber Lewis Northspan Jodi Grebinoski Quad City Public Libraries Jodi Knaus Town of White Chance Lasher Wilderness Health