Thursday, May 10, 8:30am – 4:00pm

Pacific Northwest College of Art - 511 NW Broadway

https://www.portlandoregon.gov...

The 2018 Summit is designed to share insights, identify knowledge gaps and to continue our collaborative work to achieve digital equity. Participants will take advantage of inspirational keynotes, panel discussions, and networking breaks to help advance our collective efforts to build a digitally connected, prosperous community.

Panel Descriptions:

Panel 1: Building a Diverse, Local Workforce Pipeline

We know education innovations are needed to prepare our youth for success in the new STEM Economy. Yet we are learning that delivering quality education that supports the next generation workforce is a team effort, which requires full participation of diverse sectors. This panel discussion will explore:

Educational institutions’ (particularly k-12) evolution, albeit slowly, from transmitters of content to builders of ‘creative confidence’; and,

Tech businesses’ internal culture shift to create an inclusive workplace and strategies to ‘lean in’ with educators to inspire and prepare students for tech careers.

Moderator: Thompson Morrison, Innovate Oregon

Speakers: John Furukawa, Uncorked Studios; Nancy Garcia, AWS Elemental; Phong Ho, Instrument

Panel 2: The Power of Digital Inclusion to Decrease Health Disparities

The past decade has seen a growing recognition of the importance of the social determinants of health and their influence on current inequities. As defined by the World Health Organization, social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life. This broader definition of the factors influencing health challenges us to expand our focus beyond individual behavior change as a means to improve health. It also requires us to examine the channels through which program services are delivered. Literacy, numeracy, and more recently health literacy and digital health literacy have been identified as important factors in health outcomes. The most recent International Survey of Adult Skills noted that digital literacy skills are linked not only to employment outcomes, but also to personal and social well-being. In the United States the odds of being in poor health are four times greater for low-skilled adults than those with the highest proficiency. This panel will explore the impacts of digital inequities on health outcomes as well as ways to increase digital literacy and access to technology in populations most likely to be digitally excluded.

Moderator: Julie Reeder, Oregon WIC

Panel 3: When (Policy) Worlds Collide: The Intersectionality of Federal, State, and Local Policies as they relate to Digital Equity and Inclusion

Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have made and continue to make Internet-related policy decisions impacting everyday Oregonians, resulting in disproportionate barriers and inequities for historically underserved and low-income communities, especially those of color. These decisions -- which include but are not limited to the repeal of Open Internet a.k.a "net neutrality" and Internet consumer privacy rules, as well as the more recent proposed dismantling of the Lifeline program -- have already caused and will continue to cause a policy backlash, resulting in swift action at the state and more local-jurisdictional level. What exactly is going on federally? How has Oregon responded? What about smaller public bodies (cities, counties, and the like)? Do these policy responses, proposed or enacted, adequately address concern(s)? What should we expect going forward -- federally and across Oregon?

Moderator: Sam Pastrick, CUB

Speakers: Representative Pam Marsh, District 5 (Ashland) - Oregon House; Mary Beth Henry, Senior Fellow - National Digital Inclusion Alliance (also former OCT Director); Kimberly McCullough, Policy Director - ACLU Oregon; Jonathan Bartholomew, Director of Government Relations - AARP Oregon; and Grace Stratton, Advisor to Senator Ron Wyden.