Building Broadband Better at Netroots Nation Conference

This year’s Netroots Nation conference in Chicago featured a panel discussion with CWA Broadband Brigade leads Kwami Barnes (CWA Local 4603) and Jeremiah Clever (CWA Local 7603) entitled “Broadband Funding Is on the Way. Is Your State Prepared?”

The panel discussion also included Chip Spann, a Federal Program Officer for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and Jill Gottfred Sohoni, Digital Equity Director for the City of Chicago and founder of Circle Root Collaborative (an organization that focuses on solving pressing challenges faced by communities).

The panelists discussed what states should be doing to guarantee good, sustainable jobs for their residents when using federal funds to expand broadband access. They also talked through some real opportunities for community groups to receive funding, and why it is so important for everyone to be involved. In addition, the CWAers on the panel highlighted the work CWA members are doing by collaborating with state broadband offices to build broadband better and met with legislators who were attending the conference.

Following the panel discussion, Clever sat down for an interview with Rick Smith from The Rick Smith Show. Listen to their conversation here (beginning at the 1:14:00 mark).

CWA hosted a panel discussion at the 2023 Netroots Nation Conference entitled “Broadband Funding Is on the Way. Is Your State Prepared?” The panel was moderated by Misty Robertson (left), CWA National Broadband Lead and included panelists (left to right): Jill Gottfred Sohoni, Digital Equity Director for the City of Chicago and founder of Circle Root Collaborative; Chip Spann, a Federal Program Officer for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration; and CWA Broadband Brigade leads Kwami Barnes (CWA Local 4603) and Jeremiah Clever (CWA Local 7603).