Washington, DC Recognized as One of the Nation's Digital Inclusion Trailblazers for the Seventh Consecutive Year

(Washington, DC) - The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) named Washington, DC as a 2024 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer, recognizing the city's efforts to close the digital divide. Washington, DC joins 60 other Digital Inclusion Trailblazers representing municipal, county, and regional governments, paving the way for digitally inclusive communities across the US. This marks the 7th time the District has been recognized in the digital equity space.

"We thank NDIA for acknowledging our commitment to enhancing digital inclusivity for our residents in Washington, DC. We are honored to be recognized as one of NDIA's 2024 Trailblazers. As we move into the new year, we are excited to make an even greater impact on our community, ensuring everyone can live, work, and thrive in the digital age across all eight wards," said Stephen N. Miller, the Chief Technology Officer for Washington, DC. "In an increasingly connected society, digital inclusion-access to affordable high-speed internet, devices, and digital skills training-is essential not only to participate in today's world but also to find greater opportunities to thrive using tools to navigate the internet confidently and independently."

"In the past decade, we've seen local governments step into the important role of building digital inclusion ecosystems, where organizations that provide services can connect and thrive," said Angela Siefer, NDIA's Executive Director. "NDIA's Digital Inclusion Trailblazers celebrates these critical efforts to bring digital opportunities to all residents."

Trailblazers provide models for other local governments to aspire to as communities build digital inclusion ecosystems. Washington, DC achieved Trailblazer status by prioritizing digital inclusion for residents of our communities through:

• Allocating resources to digital inclusion by having full-time equivalent staff dedicated to programming
• Administering community digital inclusion programs directly (Tech 101 Workshops)
• Creating opportunities for meaningful engagement about digital inclusion with community members by regularly engaging with communities impacted by the digital divide, hosted community conversations focused on digital inclusion and hosted a public website dedicated to digital inclusion (Tech Together DC Partnership)
• Publishing a local digital inclusion plan (DC's State Digital Equity Plan)

NDIA's Digital Inclusion Trailblazers have set the national standard for excellent digital inclusion work since 2016. Each applicant's materials are verified for accuracy, assessed for community impact, and posted in an interactive map and searchable database on NDIA's website. By sharing materials with open-sourcing, NDIA provides community advocates and local governments ways to continue learning, connect with trailblazing peers, and plan their own digital inclusion solutions.

For more information on NDIA's 2024 Digital Inclusion Trailblazers, visit digitalinclusion.org/digital-inclusion-trailblazers-2024.

About the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer: The Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) is the central technology organization of the District of Columbia Government. OCTO establishes and oversees technology policies and standards, develops, implements, and maintains the District's technology infrastructure and major enterprise applications, and develops technology solutions to improve services to businesses, residents, and visitors in all areas of the District Government. Our mission is to empower the DC Government through technology by providing valued services, advising agencies, and collaboratively governing IT with digital equity and technology accessibility for all DC residents at the forefront. OCTO aims to attract, cultivate, and retain top civic innovators and work to foster a culture of performance and accountability. For more information, visit octo.dc.gov.

About National Digital Inclusion Alliance: NDIA advances digital equity by supporting community programs and equipping policymakers to act. Working collaboratively with more than 1,900 digital inclusion practitioners, NDIA advocates for equitable broadband access, tech devices, digital skills training, and tech support. For more information, visit digitalinclusion.org.

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