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Closing
the Digital Divide
Rainbow/PUSH
Holds Conference in California
Leading Industry Executives, Entrepreneurs And Venture Capitalists Explore Strategies For Closing The Gap
(East Palo Alto, CA April 27, 2000)- For the past decade, America has been experiencing
an unprecedented economic boom, fueled mostly by the success of the high-tech industry in
the Silicon Valley. But this boom has not been shared by all communities.
Even in East Palo Alto, so close to the center of the boom that it feels the tremors, there is
poverty, struggling business districts and a growing number of adults and children who are
underserved. As each day passes, the gap gets wider. Will industry leaders help close the
gap?
On Tuesday, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., Carly Fiorina, the CEO of Hewlett Packard, John
Chambers of Cisco Systems, Craig Barrett, the CEO of Intel, Robert
Knowling, the CEO of
Covad Communications, Hector Ruiz, the President of Advance Micro Devices, John
Thompson, the CEO of Symantec, Ken Coleman, the CEO of SGI, and a number of other
industry giants will gather in the Silicon Valley for the Digital Connections 2000 Conference.
Click
here to view webcast of
conference
The conference, which will be held at the Hyatt Hotel, 1740 North First St., in San Jose,
marks the first time that leaders of the high-tech industry along with government, civic,
community and education officials will convene to discuss the digital revolution, diversity and
ways to broaden participation and inclusion in the growing industry.
The digital divide is now a household word and the gaps are self-evident, but we have not yet
discovered how to build digital connections and partnerships to transform the digital divide
into digital opportunities for all communities, said Rev. Jackson, founder and president of
the Chicago-based Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and host of the conference. We have yet to
discover the digital connections needed to unleash the talent and human spirit latent in our
communities so that the digital revolution includes all Americans and leaves
no one behind.
Rev. Jackson said the high-tech industry can no longer afford to ignore vulnerable
communities, such as East Palo Alto, a city he calls the broken heart of the Silicon Valley.
It is deprived of access to capital and resources, Rev. Jackson said. Yet, it stands amidst the
tremendous wealth creation and expansion of its Silicon Valley neighbors, where high-tech
companies and venture capitalists are located. For many high-tech companies to ignore it
is a mistake, because East Palo Alto, like many other emerging but underserved communities
across the nation, has money, the market, talent, location and the desire and will to participate
fully in the new economy.
Rev. Jackson offers a strategy that will not only pump new life into communities like East Palo
Alto, but also expand business opportunities for companies.
When we can replace the walls that divide East Palo Alto from the economic engine of the
high-tech industry with bridges and new digital connections, everyone wins, Rev. Jackson
said. Inclusion is the key to economic growth, the means by which the Silicon Valley can
retain its competitive edge in the 21st century.
A number of CEOs agree with Rev. Jackson that it is time for the industry to take the lead in
helping to close the digital gap.
"The Internet Revolution has created unique opportunities and Covad shares the
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's belief that no community should be left behind," said
Knowling, Covad's chairman, president and CEO. As the leader in the broadband industry
and in Silicon Valley, Covad is ready to make sure that all groups have access to the
opportunities enabled by the digital revolution.
This access, said Barrett, the CEO of Intel, begins with technology literacy, which is now a
basic skill and job requirement.
Ensuring that all communities have access to technology and opportunities to participate in
the digital revolution is a critical workforce development issue for Silicon Valley, Barrett
said. Businesses that welcome diversity and promote its capacity to attract the best ideas
and talent have a key advantage in a competitive marketplace. Through this conference, we
hope to share ideas and identify solutions for a collaborative approach to an issue that
impacts all of us.
Smartforce is one of the Silicon Valley companies that has accepted the challenge.
"We are happy to join the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's Silicon Valley Project with a grant of
SmartForce e-Learning scholarships to the 25 families joining the Click-Start program," said
Greg Priest, President and CEO of SmartForce. By partnering with community organizations,
we believe the SmartForce e-Learning Foundation can and will play a significant role in
opening doors to residents of Silicon Valley and other communities across the world."
With this new partnership between corporate, civic, political and community leaders,
Fiorina, president and CEO of Hewlett Packard, hopes the gap can one day be closed.
"In order to create new opportunities and empower individuals to participate in the digital
economy, it takes a long-term, holistic approach that involves families, educators, industry
and civic leaders working together to address the needs of the community," Fiorina said.
"We look forward to working with business and community leaders to bring this very
important issue to the forefront."
The conference is one of the first initiatives of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition's Silicon Valley
Project, which opened earlier this month. The office, directed by Butch Wing, is located at
2160 Euclid Ave. in East Palo Alto.
Wing said the office will work to increase the number of people on the boards of directors, as
chief executive officers and as senior executive staff members at Silicon Valley companies.
For additional information, please contact Jerry Thomas of the Rainbow/PUSH
Coalition's News Affairs & Communications Department at (650) 323-7637.
Click
here for
more information.
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