Comcast’s Broderick Johnson Is ‘Ahead Of The Game’ Digitizing Atlanta Students

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In The Business World Of Comcast And It’s Leaders

For years the lack of resources have plagued many underfunded, underdeveloped, and underprivileged neighborhoods from having access to the outlets needed to be successful.

One company, however, has seen an opportunity to change the optics and bridge the gap.

Although not new to the movement, Comcast is making a deeper effort to help close the gap in digital equity.

The company’s efforts have spanned over a 10-year period in its pledge of $1 billion to the advancement of digital equity. On December 16,2022 Comcast brought its efforts to Atlanta by sponsoring Digital Equity in Atlanta Leveraging Networks to Bridge the Digital Divide- with Inspiredu, a nonprofit focused on driving digital inclusion and literacy.

The sponsorship is a part of Project UP which pushes digital equity through programs and community partnerships that connect people to the internet and open up the doors for the next generation of innovators.

Among those who are spear heading this campaign is EVP of Digital Equity and EVP of Public Policy Records Broderick Johnson.

He showed his support for the community of Atlanta after providing all 500 students of Kipp Vision with laptops so that they can stay ahead of the game.

360’s Guest Contributor, April Buckley-Moore, had the  pleasure of speaking with the EVP about comcast’s movement and how it will impact the people of Atlanta:

April: This event turned out to be super amazing at the Kipp Vision School. What are your thoughts right now?

Johnson: My thoughts are that we touched the hearts of these children and their families today, and made them feel special, for kids who often don’t feel so special, and we can’t leave them behind. Just the simple act of giving them a laptop and talking about how much we care about them feels my heart.

April: Let’s talk about digital equity because I understand that you guys (Comcast) hosted the digital equity Summit in San Francisco this past October. The very first one. So, can you tell us a little bit about the monumental event and some of the key takeaways that audiences all over America need to know about this event.

Johnson: Yes. So, what they need to know about this event in San Francisco that were all in this together. That community groups working together with companies like Comcast because we have tremendous resources, can figure out how to get people to sign up for the internet and give them the devices they need and train them. But we all have to do it collectively. None of us should think about doing it alone.

April: When are we talking about digital equity and the digital equity band and why it’s so important to comcast is there any defining moment that lit a fire under comcast to say we have to participate in this?

Johnson: So, I joined Comcast 16 months ago and when I joined in the role of EVP for digital equity it was clear that it was a commitment of the company going back to the founding of the company and that the person who started Comcast decades and decades ago was really committed to making sur to bringing all kinds of things to communities across the country. Whether it was cable or broadband and it’s in the DNA of the company and there are many moments like today that bear that out.

April: The goal is to connect as many people to the internet as possible across America through something called lift zones. Can you explain to the people what lift zones are?

Johnson: Lift zones are community-based centers that can be libraries, schools, rec centers and what they do is they provide free Wi-Fi connection to people who come to the lift zones. We have 1250 lift zones that we already started at the beginning of the pandemic through our internet essentials program which is providing home-based broadband to families, and we have connected over 10 million individuals over the course of ten years. Now we are going to do even more because now the federal government is providing people with a voucher that allows them to get a $30 internet connection and that’s what we can do as a company as well.

April: That’s Awesome. So, you also have many partners as well that have participated in this, including a nonprofit organization Westside Works which is currently right here in Atlanta. How does the partnership help the people of Atlanta gain access to the internet?

Johnson: Well, because one of the things that we have learned over time is that you can people the internet for free, you can give people low-cost internet, but a lot of people are distrustful. Whether it’s business, whether its government, they are like “I don’t know if I want to do that”. So, what an organization like westside can do, because they are a trusted in the community is help go out and inform people about what’s available to help get internet access. To help them with their devices, to help them with skills training including work force development. Those partnerships are critical because they’re based in the community. They’re on the ground and that makes all the difference in the world.

The EVP concluded that his current opportunity will impact communities and families across Atlanta. Economic status has no bounds nor does race. Johnson wants people to know how “committed” the Comcast family is to the objective at hand.

360 is truly excited to see what Comcast’s next moves are in tackling the major issues that leave so many without the resources to level the playing field in life. Check out more pics of the holiday-filled event below: