ConnectingUS

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Phashad Williams is taking the first steps toward putting a new spin on his grandfather’s legacy. Williams’ grandfather Harold Cottrell was the first Black line supervisor for an electric company in Oklahoma and was also one of the first Black Journeyman in the state.

Gabriel Tahy lives in the middle of Navajo Nation – surrounded by mesas and close to the family members who help him learn more about Navajo culture and traditions. But living on the reservation has meant sacrificing connectivity to the Internet. When you’re on the Rez, a lot of things become less convenient – one of the things is cell phone reception and 5G service,” said Tahy, 33, who lives on Navajo Nation land near the border between Arizona and New Mexico. “But it’s home.”

Deanna Burnette never gave much thought to the quality of her Internet service. Then she moved to a new house in the middle of the pandemic with startlingly slow service.

The Internet for All initiative is more than just a connection program – it’s a jobs program. To connect everyone to affordable and reliable high-speed Internet service, we’re going to need thousands of new workers, from trenchers, technicians, and equipment operators, to electricians, engineers, and network architects. These will be good paying jobs – and they should be accessible to everyone, including women and people of color. 

At first, Tonya Felsinger felt apprehensive about the prospect of becoming a fiber technician. But once she learned it’s a male-dominated field, her nerves gave way to determination.