The City of Detroit announced the opening of eight new “Certified Tech Hubs” to ensure residents have equitable access to high-speed internet and basic digital literacy resources.
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Christine Burkett, the city's director of digital equity and inclusion, made the announcement at a press conference earlier this week, along with Detroit City Council members and Vice Mayor Todd Bettison. The event was held at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Michigan's Dick and Sandy Bourke Campus on Tireman Avenue. This campus was one of the first to receive certification.
To be classified as a “certified tech hub,” a location must provide free Wi-Fi, have devices available for residents, provide basic digital literacy training software, and be considered a secure environment. is needed. Before the certification program was introduced, many of Detroit's technology hubs were not meeting residents' needs, and some were not even open to the public.
“Equitable access to high-speed internet and digital literacy tools can mean the difference between success and failure for our residents, whether they are working on school, finding a job, or taking advantage of workforce training tools. ,” Bettison said in a news release. “It's also important to us to have a place where our seniors can learn how to use the tools they need to keep up with today's world. Coach Burkett is doing a great job playing against the Detroit squad. ”
In addition to the Dick and Sandy Douch Club of Southeastern Michigan Boys and Girls Clubs on Tireman Avenue, other locations that have received certification to date include:
- Adams Buzzell Recreation Center, 10500 Lyndon St.
- Comcast Lift Zone at SAY Detroit Play Center, 19320 Van Dyke Ave.
- Stoudemire Wellness Center, Eastside Community Network, 4401 Conner St.
- Comcast Lift Zone at the Detroit Housing Commission Initiative Center, 1047 E. Canfield St.
- Roberto Clemente Recreation Center, 2631 Bagley St.
- Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere St.
- Detroit Association of Negro Organizations, 12048 Grand River Ave.
For more information about certified tech hub locations and the tools and resources they offer, visit the City of Detroit's Office of Digital Equity and Inclusion's website at detroitmi.gov/digitalequity.
Other headlines for Thursday, February 15, 2024:
- Opal Grove Games is cultivating a community for black gamers in Detroit, according to a report from Outlier Media.
- Hamtramck's Kitab Cafe is opening a second location in the former Avalon Bakery site in Detroit, with a soft opening scheduled for Friday.
- The 8th Annual African American Family Book Expo will be held at the Historic People's Community Church, 8601 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, on Saturday, February 17th from 12:30pm to 5pm.
- One Mike Detroit will host “Legends of Laughter,” a comedy series featuring Chicago comedians Michael Collyer and Melanie Comarcio, on Friday and Saturday, February 16th and 17th.
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