Events

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Indigenous communities are among the most underserved with internet access throughout North America. The Indigenous Connectivity Summit brings together Indigenous community members, leaders, network operators, researchers and policymakers with a common goal: to connect Indigenous communities to fast, affordable and sustainable internet. The 2022 Summit in Winnipeg was the 6th annual summit and the first hosted by the newly formed Indigenous Connectivity Institute, marking the transition to a truly Indigenous-led event. Attendees came together in person for the first time since 2019 for community-driven presentations and panels, and to work together to craft policy recommendations to guide advocacy efforts for the coming year.

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Read the report.

Speakers:

• Jochai Ben-Avie (Connect Humanity)
• Ben Matranga (Connectivity Capital)
• Jane Coffin (Connect Humanity)
• Bruce Patterson (EntryPoint Networks)
• Carlos Rey-Moreno (Association for Progressive Communications)
• Shaun Pather (Zenzeleni)
• Anoop Nagendra (Connectivity Capital)
• Chris Conder MBE (B4RN)
• Juan Peirano (Internet Society

We are pleased to invite you to the launch of the “Financing mechanisms for locally-owned internet infrastructure” report, a new study that documents and analyzes the operating models and financing mechanisms that can enable community connectivity providers to expand internet access and build digital equity.   Across the world, a growing number of community networks, municipal networks and social enterprises are successfully connecting those who have historically been unserved or underserved, especially in the areas where traditional for-profit companies choose not to invest. While these community connectivity providers are building solutions to the persistent digital divide, almost all of them struggle to access capital.   This publication provides an overview of various network models while giving a deep look at how they can be financed sustainably to provide reliable, affordable internet to more communities. The online launch will bring together experts and network builders to discuss the report and strategies that can fund community-centred internet networks. It will also be an opportunity to learn more about successful case studies and discuss recommendations for policymakers, funders and network builders. The “Financing mechanisms for locally-owned internet infrastructure” report comes from a partnership between Association for Progressive Communications, Connect Humanity, Connectivity Capital, and the Internet Society.

So, you want to build a community network? Financing mechanisms for community-owned internet infrastructure

Connecting the next 3.6 billion requires changing old network deployment models, and policy/regulatory and financing frameworks. How will we help your community create change and digital equity? We’ll bring you a panel of community network experts and experienced impact investors who are working on a new study that aims to catalyze communities to change local circumstances and increase digital equity and inclusion through adaptable and sustainable community network deployment and creative financing models. We’ll include data from existing community networks deployments, data on creative ways to finance these non-traditional networks, and hands-on financial modeling to help you and your communities through a financial modeling workshop focused on non-traditional ownership- operator models, highlighting opportunities and risks for those interested in investing at the community level.

This new study deliberately brings in community network data at the micro and macro levels, and examines innovations in financing community-owned network infrastructure, including identification of financing and sustainability strategies from other sectors for cross-sectoral and holistic community infrastructure development. We will aim to maximize participant interaction through Q&A during the panel, paired with the hands-on financial modeling workshop. During the session we will have colleagues capture unanswered questions and we will plan to answer those questions on a landing-page that we will stand up after RightsCon. We also will plan to hold “after RightsCon Follow-on listening sessions” to help augment the study and include learnings from the community. Come join us!

Speakers

Jane Coffin, Chief Community Officer, Connect Humanity

Anoop Nagendra, Principal, Connectivity Capital

Juan Peirano, Senior Policy Advisor, Internet Society (ISOC)

Josefine Miliza, African Regional Coordinator, Association for Progressive Communications

Atlantic Council 360/Open Summit | Investing in a secure, democratic digital future for all

The pandemic has highlighted the dire consequences for the three billion people who have no access to the internet and are increasingly unable to work, learn, engage in civic life, or access healthcare online. How the world responds will have major implications for international development, national security, and human rights. Will internet have-nots be left to fall further behind just by staying where they are? Will democratic nations make the investments in digital equity needed to expand access to health and education, political participation, and economic opportunity? Or will this space be ceded to digital authoritarians who are already investing billions in infrastructure, hardware, and software giving them unparalleled power to limit, control, and surveil people’s online lives. Join global leaders to explore what’s needed to secure global digital equity in a way that holds up democratic values and human rights.

Speakers

Mark Gitenstein, Ambassador of the United States to the European Union, US Mission to the EU Catalina Escobar, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Makaia Malavika Jayaram, Executive Director, Digital Asia Hub Jochai Ben-Avie, Co-Founder and Chief Executive, Connect Humanity (Moderator)

With persistent digital redlining in historically disenfranchised communities as society digitalizes, internet access is a racial justice issue. This panel features Jeanine Abrams McLean, Vice President of Fair Count; Matthew Rantanen, Director of Technology at the Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association; Brenda Victoria Castillo, President & CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition; and Raymond Pun, Librarian/VP for Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA) addressing critical questions related to bringing digital equity to communities of color.