Will you be in the Bay Area February 15th?

On February 15, 2008 Oakland is hosting its first Digital Inclusion Summit (a.k.a. ODIS) at the Laney College Theater. ODIS will bring together community members, policy makers, industry professionals, educators, and nonprofit agencies working across the digital inclusion and government sectors to discuss policy direction, strategies, new partnership opportunities, and how best to utilize emerging technologies to provide affordable technology and internet access throughout Oakland. Particular attention will be given to neighborhoods and areas with minimal coverage and low-income communities. A direct implementation of Mayor Dellums Citizen Task Force on Universal Access to Technology and the Internet, the summit will also feature the launching of Digital Inclusion Oakland – a network of service providers and resource centers with a broad range of technical and educational offerings. ODIS aims to thoughtfully develop policies that comprehensively address issues of ownership, hardware, content, and training in a community-focused environment.

The key objectives of ODIS are to raise awareness, especially among policy makers, of the issues surrounding digital inclusion in Oakland, assess the effects of the digital divide in Oakland, identify appropriate strategies to tackle the digital divide, showcase Oakland digital inclusion projects and technologies, network with the various players in digital inclusion, such as service providers and community organizations, and begin to develop digital inclusion policies for underserved and low-income communities in Oakland.

More info available at the digi-I blog.