NAACP NYS Broadband Letter

The NAACP New York State Conference stands in overwhelming support of the Governor’s plan to increase broadband access throughout the state. The NAACP New York State Conference stands in overwhelming support of the Governor’s plan to increase broadband access throughout the state. As we know with most issues in this country, communities of color are often disproportionately affected. There is a saying within Black circles that “when America catches a cold, Black people get pneumonia.” Unfortunately, this colloquialism rings true to broadband access as well. According to the State Comptroller's report, 13.9% of African Americans in New York don’t have broadband access. The next closest demographic group, Hispanics, are at 11.7%. Both lead White New Yorkers of whom, only 10.4% do not have broadband access. 

Previous to the current sociopolitical climate, the world was already on track to make huge leaps and bounds in technology. But now, with the help of a pandemic, the world is sprinting much quicker to a more digital world. The pandemic continues to disproportionately affect communities of color in terms of the severity of illness and its economic impact and has caused many families to make tough decisions to survive this pandemic. Minimal broadband speeds are not enough to help lift communities of color to a place where they can participate in the coming tech-economy. Sufficient internet speeds and access to quality devices at a reasonable price are key to making sure that communities of color do not miss out on critical opportunities for inter-connectivity, jobs, and education. 

The New York State NAACP is excited to see the swift rollout of the Governor's broadband plan and stands ready to assist in activating the ConnectAll initiative in communities of color across the state. 

Sincerely,

Hazel N. Dukes

President, NAACP New York State Conference

Member, NAACP National Board of Directors

Octavius Moore

Chair of Technology, NAACP New York State Conference