Orange County Needn’t Be a House Digitally Divided

Recently, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Orange County held a forum with a panel of four local elected officials. Each lawmaker had the opportunity to address various local issues such as the county’s housing shortage, education, insurance for businesses and the impact of construction on the Garden Grove Freeway.

Conspicuously missing was the subject of the “digital divide,” an issue of particular interest to many in the growing Latino community.

When a member of the audience finally raised the issue, all four panelists agreed on the importance of bridging the gap by providing schools with computers. When pressed to explain their plan of action or strategies, their responses were overshadowed by one comment. One elected official said that the Internet was “just the latest buzzword.”

The Webster II New College Dictionary defines “buzzword” as “an important-sounding technical word or phrase used primarily to impress laypeople.” If the Internet is just the latest buzzword, it is no wonder they didn’t give the digital divide any consideration, thinking perhaps the predominately Latino audience didn’t care.

One can’t help wondering whether the phrase “digital divide” is just another buzzword created to impress us, the laypeople. Or is a lack of knowledge the reason people make such comments?

One may ask: What exactly is the digital divide? The Clinton administration had a Web site that defined it as those who “have” and those who “have no” access to the Internet and to computers. As someone once said to me, “People aren’t poor because they lack access to the Internet. They lack access because they’re poor.”

For this reason alone, we need to make sure that the Internet and computer access is made available to all, regardless of color or economic background.

An initiative called the InfoPeople Project recognizes the significant technology gap that exists in California. Its efforts to provide 46% of the public libraries in California with Internet and computer access are well-documented.

However, Internet and computer access at public libraries is not enough. What about those who have no access to computer training? The digital divide isn’t just about computer and technology access; it has to do with education as well. As former President Bill Clinton said, “Opportunity for all requires something else today--having access to a computer and knowing how to use it.”

So what plans of action are we taking? The Digital California Project was specifically created for our schools. It is a multimillion-dollar initiative funded by the state of California to make high-performance network capability available to every county and school district for use by kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers and students.

Clinton revealed early last year a comprehensive proposal to help bridge the digital divide in our communities. He said, “We must make access to computers and the Internet as universal as the telephone is today--in our schools, libraries, communities and homes.” I agree.

Part of the proposal called for an increase in federal funding to community technology centers. Through the centers, we have the ability to create an environment for computer training for those who are socially or economically disadvantaged.

One can see the value of a technology-center program and its quest to bridge the technology gap. In comparison with Los Angeles County, Orange County still is lacking. Los Angeles County has 11 programs compared with only two for Orange County. These federally funded technology-center programs in Orange County are at the Edudyne Foundation and in the Santa Ana Unified School District.

Recognizing the serious need for more technology-center programs in Orange County, LatinoLibrary.com is in the process of establishing a center for the Latino community in Orange County.

Our mission is to provide “digital opportunities” for Latinos by providing technology access, training and support. Working together with California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, LatinoLibrary.com also will establish additional technology centers throughout California.

Our hope is to involve all the Hispanic chambers of commerce in the state. In doing so, we hope to contribute to the overall quality of life for the Latino community. This way, people have access to information technology for the simple demands of life--to write a resume, purchase online, do some research, send an e-mail or look up street directions.

We hope our elected officials will recognize soon the need to participate and discuss the issue of the digital divide in their future agendas.