OPINION | We Need More Internet Connectivity and Digital Skills Training for Seattle's Growing Latino Population

by Estela Ortega

We started in an empty building. The former Beacon Hill School was abandoned and run-down in 1972, when I joined 70 other people, united in our purpose to make a stand for our community in a peaceful occupation.

Inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., we shared a vision to turn the historic school into a "beloved community," free from poverty, hunger, and homelessness. And at age 22, I found my lifelong calling to serve our Latino community and other overlooked and underserved residents of King County.

That once-empty building is now home to El Centro de la Raza (The Center for People of all Races), a thriving hub for the growing Latino population — and everyone else — in South County. We serve more than 20,000 people each year with dozens of programs, including housing, education, small business development, financial empowerment, and so much more. We believe that with the right skills, support, and resources, everyone can do something great.

Across everything we do, we see one widespread and persistent barrier that might come as a surprise in high-tech Seattle: a lack of digital skills and connection to the internet at home.

Community connection now happens as much online as it does in person — even more so since the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital literacy and internet connectivity are essential for everything from finding a job and doing homework to talking with a doctor and finding social services. With help from Comcast and other partners, El Centro is doing our part to help bridge the digital divide. But we need to do much more to ensure that no one gets left behind.

The need is clear: More than 90% of today's jobs require a digital skill, according to the National Skills Coalition. Yet more than half of Latino workers in the U.S. have limited or no digital skills, and they are among the least likely to have broadband internet in their homes.

Seattle is no exception. Latinos are the fastest-growing ethnic group in King County, after Asians. About 285,000 Latinos live in King County (about 11% of the total population), and 56% of them live in South County, the main area we serve.

Internet adoption and access to technology resources remain low among income-constrained residents despite most Seattle households reporting to have internet service where they live according to the City's Internet for All Report. The study also showed that the city's poor and non-white residents were significantly less likely to have home internet.

That's why we are expanding our digital skills classes for adults and kids with help from Comcast, the Hispanic Federation, and other supporters. We offer digital training through programs like our:

• Business Opportunity Center, where entrepreneurs can get help with starting and managing small businesses, including creating an online presence.
• Roberto Maestas After School Program, which includes fun digital activities like creating a podcast and a digital work of art about Chicanos in the Pacific Northwest.
• Digital Navigators, a series of online classes for Spanish-speaking adults on computer basics and more advanced topics such as digital job-seeking tools.

Comcast also provides free internet service in our historic building, so our community can sit in the plaza, or inside the building, and tap into Wi-Fi. Whenever we give out free laptops, they go quickly, showing the high demand. Laptops benefit kids who don't own their own because they need to have them in the summer — and during other school closures — to continue their learning. If they don't have one, they fall behind, as we saw during the pandemic.

We've come a long way, but our work isn't done yet. It's time for action!

We are urgently calling upon Washington's Congressional Delegation to act swiftly in renewing ongoing federal funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). This vital program is a lifeline for our most vulnerable families across rural, tribal, suburban, and urban communities

in Washington, enabling them to access affordable internet services and acquire essential devices. The ACP goes beyond mere connectivity; it's about facilitating access to education, employment opportunities, job training, elder care, family connections, faith programs, health care, farming resources, and civic participation. Its impact on our communities cannot be overstated.

We urge you to join us in spearheading the ongoing funding for the Legislative Bill S.3565 that supports the Affordable Connectivity Program Extension Act of 2024. You can find your legislative representative online. Let's come together in our dedication to closing the digital gap and guaranteeing fair access to take action now by reaching out to your elected officials and advocating for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Contact information for Washington's Congressional Delegation is online at El Centro de la Raza's website.

Let's work together to fill our virtual hallways with more online opportunities for our beloved community.

The South Seattle Emerald is committed to holding space for a variety of viewpoints within our community, with the understanding that differing perspectives do not negate mutual respect amongst community members.

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the contributors on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of the Emerald or official policies of the Emerald.

Estela Ortega is the founder and executive director of El Centro de la Raza, a community gathering place in Seattle's Beacon Hill neighborhood that provides education, housing, job support, and social services for Latinos and other People of Color.

📸 Featured Image: Photo via Arlette Lopez/Shutterstock.com