Disclosure :: Cox Communications sponsored this post. That said, the team at New Orleans Mom believes that the topic of digital equity is extremely relevant in modern day parenting. Imagine a day-to-day life without access to internet. It’s hard to do, right? Yet, that is the reality for many students across the country and in rural areas. Access to affordable, high-speed internet is a critical component for students and communities achieving their potential.
Digital Equity :: What It Is And Why All Parents Should Care
In full transparency, prior to this week, digital equity is not a term that I have spent much time thinking about. In fact, I am not sure I had heard the term until recently, so if you are not up to speed on this topic (pun intended), I am here to share why this is so important. Access to internet affects not only the individuals who have it, but also everyone around them including the community at large.
I will admit that I take for granted the quick access I have to pretty reliable internet in my home, as well as the resources of my laptop, iPhone, and iPad. In fact, I usually don’t think about internet access at all, until I don’t have it! It’s those times when Wi-Fi stops working that of course I “desperately” need it. And it’s in those moments that I realize, for better or for worse, I use the internet a lot. Our society has rapidly moved towards one where most everything is online. Whether it’s the news, or school applications, or job applications, these days it’s probably online and requires access to internet.
Put simply, digital equity is the reliable access to high-speed internet for all. This means a world in which all citizens have access to the internet as a tool for upward mobility, job opportunities, education and more.
Access to high-speed internet …
- improves 87% of lower-income households’ ability to apply for colleges/vocational schools
- is twice as likely to greatly improve the education of children in lower-income families
- increases out-of-office working capabilities (I.e. work from home opportunities)
Affordable internet is more critical than ever. Access to affordable internet has proven successful in increasing grades, academic engagement, and future outcomes for children!
High-Speed Internet: An Important Tool for Homeschooling
By way of my own background, as a mom and home educator, having resources at my fingertips is an integral part of both my personal life and our family’s homeschool life. Whether it’s placing a grocery order, accessing doctors’ appointments, making a dinner reservation, or checking my bank account, there are so many ways that the internet makes my life easier. The first time I really started using the internet for my kids’ benefit was definitely during Covid. I clearly remember my girls taking a ballet class via Zoom! And who can forget watching live animals on social media and more during the pandemic? It was a relief to have an activity to keep them occupied, even for thirty minutes. It was also during that time that we would do art tutorials on YouTube and, of course, endless FaceTime calls with grandparents. Just the other day, my seven year old was playing cards with my mom over FaceTime–what a gift!
In all seriousness, though, can you imagine what schooling your little one would have looked like in 2020 without reliable high-speed internet? Or access to a device? And I do not mean maintaining your sanity; I mean … you literally may not have been connected to your child’s school. Most of the pandemic solutions assumed your family had high-speed internet, a printer, a device with video and more.
>>>>>Download a FREE copy of Malcolm Mitchell’s book ‘A World Within Reach’ HERE.<<<<<
Cox Communications Puts the World Within Reach
Attending the Digital Equity event with Cox Communications with Digital Equity 
Ambassador and NFL Super Bowl Champion, Malcolm Mitchell, was eye opening for me. It prompted me to think about the concepts of digital equity, digital literacy, and digital safety, as well as how those things impact my everyday life. As a homeschool family, we use a literature based curriculum and read stacks on stacks of books. A highlight of the event was when Malcolm Mitchell himself, founder of Share the Magic Foundation, said that he “read his way to the future.” He discussed embracing reading at the age of 19, which opened doorways for him not only as an amazing football player but professional. One of my favorite things is when we discover something in a book during homeschooling, desire to learn more about it, and quickly turn to my laptop to find a video on youtube or head to the library website to find even more books on the topic. As an example, last year my kids learned the Star Spangled Banner: we had a blast researching its origins, memorizing the lyrics, and watching You Tube videos of famous singers performing it at football games (our favorite was Whitney Houston, obviously). It’s amazing what we have access to! Quite simply, with high-speed internet we have the world at our fingertips.
When I think about how much our family benefits from accessible digital resources, it definitely makes me desire that for all families. That’s where Cox and Malcom Mitchell’s new book, A World Within Reach, comes in. Both Cox and Malcolm are passionate about making sure families can get what they need, especially when it comes to education and reaching kids in remote or underserved areas. In Louisiana, this is especially important during hurricane season. As one example, Cox played a large role in making sure kids were able to continue with their education online after Hurricane Ida.
At the event, Malcolm Mitchell shared about his new children’s book, A World Within Reach, which celebrates the connectivity of the digital world and the fact that these resources give kids opportunities to grow and dream. In the story, a little boy who loves to read
experiences the adventures of the digital world for the first time. One of my favorite parts about the book is that Mylo, the main character, doesn’t explore this world on his own: he is aided by a Librarian and then afterwards he shares what he’s learned with his mom. To me this emphasized the importance of adults coming alongside kids when navigating the digital world. Families with digital access have better opportunities to work from home when needed, participate in online learning, and apply to college. Cox’s mission, in partnership with Malcom Mitchell, is to “bridge the digital divide and provide families and individuals with the resources they need to thrive in today’s digital world.”
As our family begins our homeschool year, I’m certainly thankful to easily be able to use things like Audible for audiobooks, Nicole the Math Lady for math tutoring, and Art Hub for Kids for art tutorials. Not to mention the countless ways we use the New Orleans Library including reserving books, listening to music, and getting culture passes to our favorite spots around town.
I am cheering Cox and Malcom Mitchell on with their goal to inspire young readers to use the internet safely and effectively. Visit Cox.com for a free digital copy of Malcom Mitchell’s books as well as to find out about the many ways that Cox is making digital access affordable for families.
One of the most heartwarming moments of the event came when eight high achieving students at Clancy were gifted brand new Chromebooks. Talk about putting a child’s bright future within reach!
