LA Digital Equity Action League (LA DEAL), the LAEDC-backed regional initiative to eliminate the digital divide for good in LA County, is hosting a series of public meetings on the key issues that will lead to much wider internet access for all Angelenos.  Please visit the LA DEAL website to learn about meetings coming up:

• Monday, May 17: Closing the Digital Divide
• Wednesday, May 26: Infrastructure Deployment Task Force
• Wednesday, May 26: Affordability Task Force
• Tuesday, June 1: Digital Literacy Task Force
• Tuesday, June 1: Devices Task Force

 
LAEDC and UNITE-LA, along with more than 100 partners in the region have formed the LA Digital Equity Action League (LA-DEAL), an initiative to eliminate the digital divide for good in LA County.  The LA-DEAL team will be convening a wide-reaching coalition of stakeholders to implement an actionable roadmap to overcome specific barriers such as infrastructure, internet affordability, digital literacy, devices, and public policy to achieve universal broadband access and adoption across LA County.
Affects Nearly 20% of LA County Residents
Nearly 20% of LA County residents are either unconnected (11%) or under-connected (8%), meaning they have slow or unreliable internet service.  This digital divide must be eliminated as a matter or equity in our modern economy because internet is used to enable remote schooling, remote work, access to telehealth and access to other opportunities.
The recent LAEDC Pathways for Economic Resiliency report found that this digital divide is concentrated in economically disadvantaged communities of Los Angeles County – mainly in District 1, 2, and 5. LAEDC believes that addressing equitable access to internet will be a key factor in supporting an equitable and inclusive recovery effort for the region. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how essential reliable internet is for everyday life.