Bowser Administration Recognized as National Digital Inclusion Trailblazer for Eighth Consecutive Year

(Washington, DC) - For the eighth year in a row, Washington, DC has been recognized by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) as a Digital Inclusion Trailblazer. Digital Inclusion Trailblazers demonstrate a dedication to bringing digital opportunities to residents and provide outstanding models for digitally inclusive communities. This achievement reflects the Bowser Administration's unwavering commitment to ensuring every DC resident has access to digital opportunity.

"There are many ways, over the past decade, that we have focused on building a more connected DC - sometimes those are infrastructure connections and sometimes they are digital connections," said Mayor Bowser. "We've added training programs for our residents, we've enhanced our broadband infrastructure, we've been proactive about adapting new technologies in ways that work best for our community, and right now, we are very focused on how we use new technology to get more residents connected to great opportunities."

Under Mayor Bowser's leadership, the District has consistently championed a vision of digital inclusion that extends far beyond internet access-recognizing that true inclusion means creating pathways from connectivity to careers and shaping the permanent infrastructure that will continue to serve generations of residents across all eight wards. And since receiving its first NDIA Trailblazer designation in 2018-the same year DC achieved universal gigabit connectivity in all public schools-the District has demonstrated a sustained commitment to ensuring technology serves all residents, in every ward, without exception.

"This eighth consecutive recognition represents a fundamental transformation in how we approach digital inclusion," said Chief Technology Officer Stephen N. Miller. "Under Mayor Bowser and the Bowser Administration's leadership over the past decade, we've evolved from providing internet access to building infrastructure, developing the District's workforce, and creating economic pathways that ensure digital opportunity for every resident."

Key digital inclusion accomplishments since 2015 include:

• Digital Literacy Training: 386% increase in resident digital literacy training participation annually-reaching an average of 300-1,459 residents per year.
• Devices Distributed: 27,000 devices distributed through coordinated partnerships.
• School Connectivity: 100% of DC Public Schools have been upgraded from 100M to 2G or higher.
• Federal Investment: $100.6 million secured through the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program (BEAD) infrastructure grant.
• Infrastructure Ownership: Deployed over 800 public Wi-Fi hotspots to increase internet access for residents and visitors.
• AI Governance: Issued a Mayor's Order requiring all AI deployments to show careful consideration of safety and equity impacts, including risks of physical harm, rights deprivation, and inequity-a values-first approach that helped the District earn an inaugural AI 50 Award in 2025.

NDIA's Digital Inclusion Trailblazer recognition is awarded to municipalities demonstrating sustained excellence across multiple dimensions of digital inclusion, including institutional commitment, direct community service, strategic planning, partnership ecosystem development, and measurable impact. For more information on NDIA's 2025 Digital Inclusion Trailblazers, visit digitalinclusion.org/digital-inclusion-trailblazers-2025.

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