Philadelphia Strives For Digital Equality
Internet access is critical component in infrastructure planning
August 23, 2011
Philadelphia plans to open 48 computer centers in homeless shelters, recreation centers and libraries in order to give more people access to the Internet.
Seven-year-old Lonnette Wiley frowns in concentration as she maneuvers her mouse to zigzag a white arrow across her computer screen. With one finger, she carefully types the name of one of her favorite websites.
She likes to email her dad, talk to friends on Facebook and is learning to do research online.
“Sometimes my teacher will ask me questions," she says, "and then I will search them on Google.”
But last year, the second grader struggled to do Internet homework. The only computer she could use was at a local library, which usually closed two hours after school ended. Lonnette is still learning where all the letters are on the keyboard, so she never had enough time to finish.
Lonnette currently lives with her mother at the People’s Emergency Center in Philadelphia. It serves as a transitional residence for homeless single women and their children. The dozens of families it serves had no in-house computer access until last week, when the city opened a computer lab in the center.
Living in the digital dark ages made it difficult for children to do homework and for moms, like Florence Delbridge, to learn computer skills or find a job.
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