On Bridging the Data Gap

In my pursuit of a web that works for everyone, I am on a mission to equip agencies to make good digital decisions so people in Flint, Michigan (and everywhere) can get the information and resources they need.

And I have to wonder: With such inconsistency between Flint’s income and poverty rates and the rest of the country, are the national statistics about internet access and device usage really representative?

Is the case for making the web accessible on mobile even more compelling in Flint, Michigan?

My search for data is nowhere near over. I have to admit, though, that it’s starting to feel like what I’m looking for may be out of my reach. If that’s the case — if the data I want, at the local level, doesn’t exist — maybe I should find a way to pull it together. If there’s a chance that there is a higher rate of smartphone dependence or lack of internet access here in Flint than elsewhere, it seems that local data could be incredibly powerful in making a case to agencies, nonprofits, and the community at large that we should be trying to bridge the digital gap.

I’ve been imagining a kind of dashboard, where local entities could contribute high-level analytics data to create a collective snapshot of how users are accessing resources and information in the community. There would be challenges, but if I could paint a picture of how this might work, perhaps I could get buy-in. Maybe people would come along.

Did you know the internet has everything? Including people you know, who know other people with the resources you need?

This morning I talked with Erie Meyer and Christopher Whitaker with Code for America, “a network of people making government work for the people, by the people, in the 21st century.”

I learned that Code for America is a nonprofit organization with a volunteer network of more than 50,000 nationally. I heard the words “civic” and “technology” used together. I spilled my guts and my brain and got validation in return. And, maybe most relevantly, I found out that there are groups of people addressing concerns just like mine in cities all over the country.

I have new information to consider, and new connections to make. Does the Brigade model have application in Flint, Michigan? Have other cities gotten hold of their local data, or successfully engaged a community in the way I’m suggesting?

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