SOLVING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
“Charlotte is at an opportune moment to define itself and show it can be
inclusive with economic growth and social mobility. Instead of crafting the path
forward for a particular few, rather being intentional and deliberate about how to
bridge that gap. I see events like City Jam as the harbinger for change.”
-Terik Tidwell,
“City Jam was a good reminder that
there are many constituents in
Charlotte--old, young, different ethnic
backgrounds, different
neighborhoods, different willingness to
adapt to technology--and we’ve got
to design for all of them.”
-Susan McDonough,
Community Member.
At #CityJamCLT, subject matter
experts, citizens, and organizational
representatives gathered for 48 hours
to address digital literacy and
inclusion.
The event centered around four
themes:
- The quantified self
- Basic skills
- Digital communication
- Isolation & loneliness
Director of STEM Innovation,
Johnson C. Smith University
JUDITH:
“This neighborhood has
been my home for over
40yrs, but I don’t like how it
has changed. I feel
powerless.”
At #CityJamCLT, jammers formed teams based on their
desire to come up with a solutions around a theme, and
after 48 hours, each team presented a prototype to a
panel of judges. These prototypes will inform the City of
Charlotte’s Digital Playbook--Charlotte’s road map for
universal digital inclusion.
This weekend event gave residents from throughout
Charlotte the opportunity to identify and collaborate
around solutions, using human-centered design and
design thinking processes.
The event encouraged innovations and, more
importantly, helped create innovators.