DETROIT – Detroit has announced its first eight certified tech hubs and a new interactive map to help residents access digital literacy resources.
The announcement occurred on Monday (Feb. 12) at the Dick and Sandy Bauch Campus of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan (BGCSM) in the 16500 block of Tireman Avene by Deputy Mayor Todd Bettison, joined by Digital Equity and Inclusion Director Christine Burkette, City Council Members, and community partners.
Burkette took a deep dive into what resources were available for Detroit residents and found that when it came to residents accessing digital resources and tools at neighborhood locations across the city, only some locations could meet their residents’ needs back in 2023.
Some locations listed online as community tech hubs were closed to the public, including more than 100 locations listed as tech hubs in Detroit.
Burkette and the Office of Digital Equity and Inclusion launched the Detroit Certified Tech Hub initiative to ensure residents had equitable access to essential digital literacy resources and tools.
The initiative’s goal is to provide residents with one central location to find the closest certified tech hub near them and learn which digital equity resources each hub provides.
“Equitable access to high-speed internet and digital literacy tools can mean the difference between success and failure for our residents, whether they’re working on schoolwork, finding a job, or navigating workforce training tools,” said Bettison. “Ensuring our seniors have a place to go to learn how to use the tools they need to keep up in today’s world is also important to us. Director Burkette is doing a great job meeting Detroiters where they are.”
To be granted a city of Detroit Certified Tech Hub, locations must provide free Wi-Fi, have devices available for residents’ use, offer essential digital literacy training software, and be considered a safe environment.
Each tech hub is also assessed to determine whether it provides the following digital equity resources and tools so residents know which hub will best fit their needs before they go:
- Device Loaner Program
- IT Workforce Training
- Wheelchair Accessibility
- Tech Support
- ESL Resources
Partners like BGCSM, one of the first locations granted the certification, have met the above criteria.
The locations, tools, and resources offered can be found on the new interactive map on Detroit’s Office of Digital Equity and Inclusion website.
“Our goal is to register a minimum of 30 Certified Tech Hubs citywide to service the 220,000 residents currently at or below poverty here in the City of Detroit,” Burkette said. “Closing the digital divide will require us to work in partnership with community stakeholders. We thank the partners like Comcast and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan, who have already stepped forward to provide these important tools and resources to our residents and are excited for this program to expand into even more neighborhoods across the city.”
Burkette told attendants how she concluded that Detroit needed to certify tech hubs to ensure reliable and safe places for residents to access the internet and skill up.
Comcast Lift Zones across the city comprise three of the first eight certified tech hubs.
“Comcast is proud to partner with the City of Detroit, Human-I-T, and our Lift Zone partners to provide Internet access and support for digital skills training across Detroit,” said Craig D’Agostini, Comcast vice president of government and regulatory affairs. “Comcast has been working to make digital equity a reality in Detroit for over a decade, and Lift Zones are a natural fit for the certified tech hub initiative—spaces designed to combat digital inequities and connect Detroiters to the resources and skills they need to succeed in a digital world.”
“As an organization that services over 21,000 youth, families, and entrepreneurs, it is important that we help them and other community members connect with the resources and training needed to make the most of their educational, professional, and personal development,” said Shawn H. Wilson president and CEO of BGCSM. “As an early partner in bridging the digital divide since our first Lift Zones in 2020 here at our Clubs, we’re thrilled to be one of the first eight Certified Tech Hubs in Detroit.”
Shannon Dulin, the Comcast Director of Community Impact for Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky, showed Detroit resident Gwendolyn Jones how to access some programs she’s looking forward to using at the certified tech hub.
In addition to the BGCSM, the other locations granted this certification are:
- Adams Butzel Recreation Center, 10500 Lyndon Street
- Comcast Lift Zone at SAY Detroit Play Center, 19320 Van Dyke Ave.
- Stoudamire Wellness Center at Eastside Community Network, 4401 Conner Street
- Comcast Lift Zone at the Detroit Housing Commission Envision Center, 1047 E. Canfield Street
- Roberto Clemente Recreation Center, 2631 Bagley Street
- Patton Recreation Center, 2301 Woodmere Street
- Detroit Association of Black Organizations, 12048 Grand River Avenue
Burkette encourages organizations nationwide to apply to become a certified tech hub by clicking here.
Once the application is submitted, you will be contacted by Burkette and her team to confirm that the center’s requirements are met before granting the certification and including the location on the interactive map.