ConnectSTL
Let’s #ConnectSTL Together
The City of St. Louis and St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) are taking bold steps to close the digital divide and achieve digital equity in St. Louis — but we can’t do it alone. To encourage collaboration and cooperation with technology-driven businesses and community stakeholders, in 2023, we formed a Digital Equity & Inclusion Coalition called ConnectSTL.
ConnectSTL Purpose
To establish a digitally inclusive community where every resident enjoys equal access to opportunities, resources, and the transformative power of technology. As a coalition, our aim is to focus on unity and collaboration and together we strive to dismantle digital barriers, cultivate robust collaborations, and narrow the digital divide. We seek to establish a sustainable model that encourages participation, inclusivity, and continuous improvement.
ConnectSTL Promise
To ensure every St. Louisan has the digital opportunities and resources to succeed, the ConnectSTL coalition will emphasize a collaborative approach based on the Collective Impact model. We aim to foster regional collaboration while still encouraging individual participation. By working on a shared agenda to expand digital access, we serve as a catalyst for meaningful change.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) named the City of St. Louis as a 2024 Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer.
Visionary Trailblazers are communities that have deeply integrated digital inclusion throughout their government.
Digital equity is the desired state in which all individuals have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in society and the economy.
Bridging the Digital Divide
SLDC has dedicated $5 million of its ARPA allocation toward Digital Equity in the City of St. Louis. This investment builds on our existing strategies focused on equity, economic development and economic justice. Investing in digital literacy and technology training programs to enable participation in the 21st-century economy and helping to bridge the digital divide is a core initiative of the Economic Empowerment pillar of the Economic Justice Action Plan.
To guide these efforts, we spent the better part of 2023 creating the St. Louis Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which outlines strategic priorities and actions that the city can undertake to improve equitable access to high-speed internet and digital skills needed to succeed in today’s modern society.
The vision for the Digital Inclusion Action Plan is to remove the barriers to internet access so that every resident in St. Louis has the opportunity to learn, work and thrive.
The Digital Inclusion Action Plan focuses on three goals to achieve its vision:
Empower City government, business and community stakeholders to collaborate in closing the digital divide.
Improve equitable access to affordable high-speed internet and connected devices.
Enable residents to experience the long-term benefits of technology.
Learning Labs
The City of St. Louis has created and established technology labs at four selected Recreation Centers aiming to provide residents with equitable access to computers, internet connectivity, digital literacy training, and potential one-on-one assistance from digital navigators. The goal is to remove the barriers to internet access and digital literacy so that every resident in St. Louis has the opportunity to learn, work and thrive.
The Learning Labs is a collaboration between the St. Louis Development Corporation and the City of St. Louis including coordination between the Parks and Recreation Department, Information Technology Service Agency and the Board of Public Service. Simon Huang, CTO, oversees the Digital Inclusion Projects with Sheila Rabbitt as Project Manager for the Learning Labs/Community WiFi and Tanjii Cole as Digital Equity Manager for SLDC.
NPower is staffing the in person Community Help Desk and providing Digital Navigators at all 4 Learning Labs located at Tandy, Wohl, 12th & Park and Marquette Recreation Centers. Beverly George is the NPower Community Help Desk Manager and Ben Kesler is the Executive Director of NPower Missouri.
Contact:
Simon Huang
Chief Technology Officer
huangs@stlouis-mo.gov • 314.622.3757
Sheila Rabbitt
Broadband Analyst
rabbitts@stlouis-mo.gov • 314.657.3786
Tanjii Cole
Digital Equity Manager
coletan@stlouis-mo.gov • 424.313.4177