Dr. Revati Prasad of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and Christopher Wink of Technical.ly deliver the Keynote address at the Tech Learning Collaborative’s 2025 conference.

 

Zabeehullah Yadgar is an Afghan immigrant who moved to the United States in 2023. He is now in the nine-month Digital Bridge Peer Facilitator program at The Welcoming Center (TWC). 

“In the U.S. everything is digital and you need a lot of help with that. I just helped someone the other day with getting a SEPTA card and getting on the bus,” said Yadgar. 

Since starting in September as a Peer Facilitator, Yadgar spends every Tuesday teaching the digital literacy software, Northstar, to other newcomers. Although Yadgar worked as a software developer in Afghanistan for 15 years before coming to the United States, he admitted that he still needed help connecting digitally. 

Like many Philadelphians, Yadgar struggled with the digital divide — the idea that many people lack basic digital skills, cannot afford internet service, or lack access to up-to-date devices. This may block their employment opportunities or inhibit their ability to receive critical information. 

About 98% of Americans making between $30,000 and $60,000 own a cellphone, but only 89% own a smartphone, compared to 96% of their higher-income counterparts. 

Digital equity initiatives help bridge these gaps by providing free or low-cost internet service, digital devices, and digital literacy training. 

“Many people are looking for a place like The Welcoming Center when they first come to the U.S. I am grateful to them for this platform,” said Yadgar. 

He and his fellow Peer Facilitator, Maria Gonzalez, an immigrant from Mexico whose background is in program management, were the ideal candidates for the Digital Bridge Program. Having been in the same predicament, they wanted to help other newcomers with their digital needs. 

“As far as peer facilitators, a background in tech is nice but we were mainly looking for people skills and an ability to connect,” said Shariq Ali, Digital Skills Program Manager at The Welcoming Center. 

 

According to Dr. Revati Prasad, Executive Director of the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society, The Welcoming Center is an example of a core digital equity organization. Earlier this month, at the Technology Learning Collaborative (TLC)’s Resilience in Action conference, Prasad claimed that there are three kinds of organizations involved in the fight for digital equity: core, complementary, and coalitions. 

TLC is a coalition — an organization that brings core and complementary digital equity organizations together, whether they need help with funding, physical equipment like new computers, or digital literacy classes.

But Prasad also acknowledged that coalitions themselves need funding. Earlier this year, Philadelphia was picked by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to receive $12M for digital equity, which will allow the core, complementary, and coalition organizations to continue their work. 

Asian Americans United (AAU) was one of the complementary organizations that received funding from the city’s Digital Literacy Alliance (DLA) last year. According to Prasad, complementary digital equity organizations are those whose main goal isn’t digital equity but have come to incorporate it into their daily mission due to their community’s needs. 

AAU’s main mission is to unite Asian Americans and fight oppression. But they’ve noticed that there is a divide between the immigrant Asian American communities they serve and digital literacy. 

Vivian Chang, Executive Director of AAU, says this funding is used to teach their youth digital literacy and help them expand these skills to their families and broader communities. 

“You often think youth are digitally literate but when they come to us we have to start with very basic things,” said Chang. 

(L-R) Shariq Ali and Lourdes Monje of The Welcoming Center, Leanne Przybylowski of Philly Community Wireless, and Vivian Chang of Asian Americans United speak on a panel at the Tech Learning Collaborative’s 2025 conference.

 

She also noted that it can be hard for these skills to translate intergenerationally because often parents send these kids to these programs on their own. 

This is where a core organization like the Welcoming Center may also help to bridge that gap. After obtaining a Digital Literacy Alliance grant from the city’s Office of Innovation and Technology last year, they work in person and online to help immigrants learn digital skills for personal or professional development. 

The grant was open to any organization helping the communities that needed digital equity the most. Center in the Park, Asian Americans United ( AAU), Health Federation, Philly Community Wireless ( PCW), Temple University Community Gateway, and the Welcoming Center were the organizations that received this grant. 

The Welcoming Center received $15,000 from the DLA grant and an additional $25,000 from AT&T. 

“Professionally, The Welcoming Center has been life-changing,” said Gonzales. “The job market is very competitive and it was hard finding my voice and having a hard time making employers aware of the skills I have and the language barrier didn’t help. But now I’m getting more interviews and building my confidence back and I want to help others do the same.” 

While its digital literacy software, Northstar, only comes in English and Spanish, The Welcoming Center claims to help people who speak about 14 different languages. 

 

Philly Community Wireless (PWC) is another core organization that helps people connect to the internet. Their mission is to provide wireless internet access to houses, community centers, and even public parks within its North Philadelphia service area. 

According to the Internet Broadband Fact Sheet from the Pew Research Center, over 90% of all age groups claim to use the internet, but only 79% claim to have internet at home.

Their job is to make sure people have access to free WiFi, but there are a few challenges. Their networks are public, so once installed, anyone can join, even if PWC installed on private property. 

The process involves PCW putting a rooftop antenna on the building of the client’s house or office, so they may need to mediate conversations between landlords and tenants about providing internet service. 

“During initial communications, we provide tenants information and resources to help them approach their property owner, such as documentation about our installation process that is publicly available on our website. PCW is also happy to speak with the property owner directly to answer any questions or concerns they may have,” Executive Director Alex Wermer-Colan wrote in an email to Generocity. 

 

The city’s Office of Innovation and Technology has often played the role of coalition, but in recent years, they have begun to act as a core and complementary organization. SPARK Innovation Academy Initiative is an example of one of their core digital equity initiatives. In collaboration with local universities and experts, Philadelphians can learn an assortment of digital skills like data visualization and social media video making.

Power Up Tour is another city initiative that will visit each of the 10 city council districts to help 500 residents in total with their digital needs for work, school, or personal development. 

The city has various resources for people when it comes to digital literacy and access, like the recently launched Connecting Minority Communities program, a collaboration between Community College of Philadelphia, Wilco, and PCs for People to help 300 West Philadelphians get two years of free 5G broadband, digital literacy training, and a free laptop. 

Philadelphians can now use 311, instead of 211, for their digital help needs.  The city’s website even has a free wifi map, digital navigator recommendations, and a digital skills classes finder.

 

 

     

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