In this episode, Olivia is joined by Autumn Evans, the deputy director of digital inclusion and equity and Connect 313 operations director for the city of Detroit. As a follow up from our two part interview with Joshua Edmonds last summer, Autumn updates on how digital inclusion work is progressing in Detroit.
Digital inclusion work is progressing in Detroit, and citizen-centered projects, and an understanding of their experience has been a major component of the city's success to date. Towards their goal of providing sustainable broadband access to residents via an automatic open access fiber network, Autumn and her team are finding creative ways to talk to residents and get their buy-in.
Featured government: City of Detroit, MI
Episode guests: Autumn Evans, Deputy Director of Digital Inclusion/Equity and Connect 313 Operations Director for the City of Detroit, MI.
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Lindsay: (00:05)
Welcome to the Govlaunch podcast. Govlaunch is the Wiki for local government innovation and on this podcast, we're sharing the stories of local government innovators and their efforts to build smarter governments. I'm Lindsay Pica-Alfano, co-founder of Govlaunch and your host.
Today, Olivia is joined by Autumn Evans who's deputy director of digital inclusion and equity and Connect 313 operations director for the city of Detroit. As a follow up from our two part interview with Joshua Edmonds last summer, Olivia checks in on how digital inclusion work is progressing in Detroit. Citizen-centered projects, and an understanding of their experience has been a major component of Detroit's success. I'll turn now to Olivia to learn more about how this city is continuing to move the dial on digital inclusion.
Olivia: (00:56)
Hi, I'm Olivia from Govlaunch. I'm here with Autumn Evans from the city of Detroit in the US. Autumn, tell us a little about yourself.
Autumn: (01:04)
Good morning. Uh, my name is Autumn Evans, deputy director of digital inclusion for the city of Detroit and operations director for connect 313, which is the city's ecosystem-wide approach to bridging the digital divide. A little bit about me. I was born and raised here in the city, live here with my husband and three children in the same neighborhood I grew up in. My kids go to public schools here. So consider myself extremely dedicated to the success of the city and choose to be part of the solution. A little bit about my work here at the city. The office of digital inclusion and equity was created in 2019, and it is the only external-facing office in the department of innovation and technology. The city of Detroit is experiencing a very real digital divide. We have over 30% of our residents who are completely disconnected from the internet, uh, which is reflective of the city's poverty rate. We're so grateful to have a mayor that understands what happens when people are offered opportunities, so connection to the internet and, you know, the opportunities that live there really allows us to move the needle on creating a better quality of life for our residents.
Olivia: (02:09)
That's quite inspiring that you're from the city that you are currently supporting. Did you always have an interest in local government or is this something that happened later on in life? Can you tell me about what drew you to local government as a career option?
Autumn: (02:22)
So my goal was to stay in nonprofit. I loved how innovative you can be and, you know, fast pace and you can be creative and your solutions, very entrepreneurial and in its approach to tackling social issues. So that was my first love. Um, I worked for a local nonprofit on anti poverty projects and I was a fund developer. So, you know, talking to funders, selling the story, selling the mission, getting the buy in there that's my, my bread and butter. So city government was not initially on my radar. However, Joshua Edmonds is a wonderful boss who's very charismatic. And so he was able to woo me out of nonprofit sector into city government and to show me that city government can be a solution. We can solve big problems and really have a great impact on our residents.
Olivia: (03:10)
Absolutely. I'm sure what you just shared will really resonate with our audience. And speaking of Joshua Edmonds, your charismatic boss, we interviewed him in July 2021 for episodes 45 and 46 of the podcast. So it'd be great since it's been a year since then. Can you give us an update Autumn on how things are going in Detroit's information and innovation space today?
Autumn: (03:32)
Absolutely. So last time you talked to Joshua, we were in the infancy of running Connect313, we probably just had our nomination and election. So really testing out a community governance model to bridging the digital divide. And so since then, we've been able to get over 700 residents and community partners to be a part of Connect313, which is really great. We were able to successfully run a hyperlocal campaign to get residents, um, uh, involved with the emergency broadband benefit. Detroit came out with over 84,000 households in the road by the end of December. So in July, we were pretty much, to the grind of getting the word out, partnering with different nonprofits and community organizations, working on, uh marketing campaigns. We did a commercial, really just engaging our partners in order to do that.
Olivia: (04:20)
So connect313 is very exciting. Would you be able to share with our listeners that might have missed episodes 45 and 46 of the podcast, what three connect 313 is how it started and just give a brief overview on this exciting project?
Autumn: (04:35)
Absolutely. So connect 313 is an operation. We don't consider it a project because, um, a lot of our interventions are operations based. It is a community organizing strategy where we place residents in the driver's seat of telling the city how to bridge the digital divide. Right. So we source solutions and proposals from the community, whether it's they wanna see wifi in their parks, they wanna support a specific demographic. Um, one, one, um, that comes to mind is, uh, youth of, with parents who are incarcerated, making sure that they have devices, um, in order to talk to their parents, especially during the height of the pandemic. So connect 313. We have a community governance model where, um, anyone who lives, works or learns in the city can be a part of this collective. They can nominate themselves to serve on a role, um, and then really push, push the needle there as far as connect 313.
Olivia: (05:29)
So digital inclusion is top of mind for most cities at connect 313 is really exciting work and thinking about where access to reliable internet service is increasingly we know that it's a necessity and it's a right. Tell us about how your work is moving the dial.
Autumn: (05:43)
So right now with the APA funding coming, and then the jobs act funding, that's going to be deployed. We are really focused on this access issue with broadband. We're looking to deploy an automatic open access fiber network. That is the focus of our office as well as the CIO of the city and also the mayor. We're, we're really happy to say that we have buy-in from the mayor city council, and a lot of our,, just different or partner organizations, in order to provide a sustainable solution,to really solve this access issue once. I think that this public funding is once in a lifetime and we would really hate to leave out of this pandemic or post pandemic season, you know, doing the same things that we did, prior to the pandemic.
Autumn: (06:27)
So having an open access network where it is city funded, as far as infrastructure, when that city, ran will allow us to facilitate choice and then also we are approaching it from an equity, uh, standpoint and building in areas that were not served by incumbent ISPs or internet service providers. so really focusing on public funding for public consumption and public issues. So that's really the biggest project that we're working on and having connect313, be that social infrastructure to validate these types of initiatives has been such a wonderful play for us.
Olivia: (07:04)
So lots of great work that your team is working on. Just thinking about what's still left to be done. What is the biggest obstacle for your team right now to achieving full digital inclusion?
Autumn: (07:15)
I would say for us as communications and marketing, I think that we have the ability to scale programs. The funding is out there and we have the interest of philanthropy. I think being able to communicate, effectively, across all stakeholders is a big issue for us. A lot of CIO offices don't have dedicated communications and marketing persons, right or resources. So being able to tell the story, and also change mindsets around technology. I think that's really big when you talk about bridging the digital divide being able to reach those who are the most disconnected, you have to be able to,speak their language, whether it be culturally or what their aspirations are, and being able to, get them to adopt or get them to make that investment, get them to try again in a lot of different cases.
Olivia: (08:04)
So when we think about these bold, ambitious projects, operations strategies that you're looking to accomplish in the realm of digital inclusion, there's lots of key players. There's lots of community folks that are quite passionate, that are involved with this project. And when we think about local government just generally, we don't always get it right. Even when our intentions are very good, taking a couple steps back when connect313 and some of these strategies, we're just getting off the ground. What is a lesson learned that you would tell yourself if you could go back in time and some like key learnings that might have been some tough lessons to swallow at the time, but you know, thinking about the audience and our listeners that might be going through similar processes right now, what could be helpful? What are some of the tough lessons that your team learned throughout this process?
Autumn: (08:50)
Absolutely. I think it's important not to insulate the work within city hall. I think it's very important to really do meaningful engagement and shifting the power of where it can be shifted, in order to really move the needle. cause when you talk about the digital divide, you're really talking about a poverty issue, something that's perpetual, right. It's tied to like for Detroit are, um, those who are not considered digitally included 30%. Well, our poverty rate is around 30%. So the digital divide is perpetual. And so, making sure that you set yourself up for success in the long run I know a lot of city budgets, you know, digital inclusion may not be the biggest thing on the market, right? But there are organizations who this is their bread and butter. So finding creative ways to partner with them and elevate their voice and bring, valid, bring, a level of trust, about their work and validity of their projects. I think that's so important. So seeing yourself more as a coordinating body and less of a project based operation really can go a long way.and it really shows, great partnership that public private partnership and, and it attracts net new resources into your ecosystem so that you can do more. And then the funding gets to the people that is needed faster.
Olivia: (10:09)
Yeah. Really wise words. Thinking about some of your comments at the very start when you said that one of your areas of expertise is really around selling a story, selling a narrative and really inspiring people to mobilize under this joint. Cause when we think about all of the different competing priorities, limited resources, limited time that exists in the realm of service delivery of a local government, how have you managed to really inspire the stakeholders and the partners to really one believe that this was an achievable problem that we can solve and, two, really get them on board and brought on and dedicate the right time, resources, energy to ensure that the dial is moved when it comes to digital inclusion in city.
Autumn: (10:53)
I think that for me personally, having ties to the city, I can always draw from my own personal experience and then also my family members. So in 2020, we,deployed over 8,000 devices to seniors, in order to connect them to telehealth resources and being able to sit with my 85 year old grandfather and get him acclimated to a tablet and, you know, showing him how he can see his doctor online. And then also learning about some of his personal pain points right around, you know, not understanding how to turn it on or where's the volume button. I think having that lived experience definitely enables me to communicate in a way that shows, Hey, this, this, this is a real life thing and these are issues that can be solved. And I think for any industry, especially now, we see how everything is moving digital. So when you, for instance, are unbanked, you're missing out on so many different opportunities, um, as a resident and then as a company, when you are missing out on, you know, so much revenue or business generating products being sold to a whole other demographic, it really shows that this is a ecosystem wide problem. And so really being able to pinpoint within each industry or partner, how bridging the digital divide and, and dedicating resources there, and having a more connected community means, you know, a better bottom line for you, I think is very important to be able to articulate that nuance when you're talking to different types of partners.
Olivia: (12:23)
Yeah. Really helpful and great that you're able to think about the multiplier effect, the work that you're doing. Cause that's a really great strategy to get different folks involved. And the, what's in it for them is always a solid approach. So engaging with residents, as you've mentioned, is a big part of your role. How do you manage to engage with residents that are off the grid? Typically we rely a lot actually on online, social media communication to, to get out and, and encourage folks to engage with their local government. So what are some of your creative strategies to, to get to the ground and making sure that you are not leaving anyone behind in the work that you do?
Autumn: (13:00)
In full transparency – I would say that that will always be one of the biggest pain points for us is finding creative ways to, um, talk to our residents and also build their trust, right about the messaging. And what's coming out, whether it be a new technology that's deployed in the community or even soliciting their responses. There can be a lot of community engagement, fatigue, right where, oh, I'm answering this poll, I'm answering this survey, but I'm not seeing a lot of movement there. So when you talk about, how do we do that? We deploy what's called community ambassadors, where they are paid for through connect 313 and they're located in each political district. And their whole job is to translate, you know, initiatives and, and projects and campaigns that are coming out of the city and making sure that residents know about them and that they feel more comfortable.. Word of mouth is always a great marketing tool. And so having people in the community who are themselves are bought into the mission of bridging the digital divide and then bringing along their family members, their, you know, neighbors, their church members, their community groups, making sure that the message is spread there and where there's benefit. I think that's one of the best ways that we've been able to engage those who are disconnected.
Olivia: (14:16)
Fantastic. We've chatted about what's happened since July, what you're working on now, what's next for your team? What's coming down the pipeline?
Autumn: (14:25)
That's a really good question. I think that as we continue to move the needle, we have this Aqua funding that will really support a lot of these efforts, a lot of just different coordination and awareness campaigns that we're building, specifically for English as the second language populations also disability community. So we're really getting nuanced in our campaigns. making sure that every resident is covered and for a lot of PE for a lot of different residents, you know, they may fall into multiple buckets. So being able to make sure that everyone is reached, I'm excited about really digging into these proposals that are coming in from the community. we're using human design thinking to workshop those proposals and making sure that we can scale them, that they're feasible, that there are vendors in this space who can deliver. One specifically was around homelessness and, and you know, making sure that they can stay connected. And they're like, Hey, a lot of homeless people don't have a place to charge their phones. Like, you know, you're right. So looking at a park bench, right? Like what should this park bench need? It should have USB courts. It should have a monitor to display different information, whether it be income supports, it should have plugs. It should be wifi enabled. So that was something that, you know, the community you went through and said, this is what you want. So I was able to go to a trade show and long and behold I saw the bench. I'm like, wow, there it is. That was so exciting for me. I think seeing and participating in the full process of seeing an idea that started as, you know, community voice and seeing, a real solution and being able to bring that full circle. I think that's so important when we talk about creating smart cities is being sure that whatever we do, it's rooted in community community voice. First, at least for me, that's my philosophy when it comes to innovation technology, especially in the government space, dealing with our residents.
Olivia: (16:24)
Absolutely. And I'm sure our audience would agree with that. Uh, the community is at the heart of everything that we do, even when we think about wild, smart infrastructure innovations and things like that. So that's really exciting. Hopefully that gets deployed soon and we can, we can follow the journey on Twitter and see what's going on in Detroit. Very Exciting! Your passion for bridging the digital divide is evident to say the least, Autumn. What advice would you share to local government practitioners looking to establish their own digital inclusion team and or strategy perhaps even for the very first time?
Autumn: (16:59)
Well, thank you for that. I would say that if you're building your team for the very first time, I would look for local voices already in this space, those who are already passionate about bridging the digital divide or have a very, um, mission based view. I think that doing that will bring a level of personality and relatability to the problem that's needed, right? So we are able to look at the nuance of what this is really looks like on the ground and offer that lived experience that you can't really get from someone who may be coming into your community fresh. I think that empowering them with expertise and knowledge and, you know, opportunities to learn opportunities, to answer questions or ask questions per se, will just make them a more well rounded practitioner and then create collective impact for the work that they're doing.
Autumn: (17:51)
And then also giving them some power or empowering them to have decision making. Right. So I think that when you look at that pipeline of building your team, you really want people who are motivated to stay. I think that digital inclusion is hot right now. It's a very hot topic coming out of the pandemic, but it's something that has been around for a very long time. So making sure that your team knows that, they can move the needle and that they have an impact will we'll, we'll do wonders for your office. And then also, like I said before, not insulating the work within the city, but really leaning on community partners who know the ins and outs of the community, they know where their needs are,, leaning on them and lifting their voice will do wonders for your office., especially when capacity is an issue or there's a knowledge gap between your new staff and the ecosystem that they are being brought into. I think those are a few different CRE not just creative, but practical ways that you can build a very successful office.
Olivia: (18:54)
Thanks for that. Shifting gears a bit. Do you know of any other standout innovation in another local authority we should check out?
Autumn: (19:03)
Yes.So Ammon, Idaho is the city that we are, using as a template for our automated open access fiber network. They have created a system where residents can within minutes change their internet service providers, and still receive the greatest feeds of fiber broadband could, could give. I think that is a great solution to this access issue, especially when the market traditionally has been monopolized by certain providers. and I think that it was, it was a great initiative by the city in order to like drive down costs and really make, um, great internet affordable for all. So Ammon, Idaho - shout out to them. Great work there. I know Baltimore is looking to do something similar and then Brownsville, Texas has, is also adopting an open access fiber network so you see cities of all different sizes using this funding and this moment to make real systemic change. , I think that that's very, commendable. It takes a lot of courage to go against the grain and to really put your neck out and want something better for your city.
Olivia: (20:16)
Absolutely. And it's great to hear that there's some knowledge sharing and collaboration happening among those different municipalities and local governments that are having similar, bold ambitions for their city. So that's great. At Govlaunch, we love to hear about knowledge sharing going on among cities, since that's what we're all about. Lastly, what's something that excites you about the future of civic innovation in Detroit, just generally?
Autumn: (20:39)
So coming of age, in the city of Detroit, you know, through scandal and bankruptcy and, you know, really having to navigate a very bleak, um, present really creates hope for the future. I'm very thankful for our mayor, Mike Dugin, for digging in and really creating change for the city. So once we get this fiber network up and running and fiber to the home, I think that we can really make Detroit the place to be. I think that when you overcome so much, it really gives you a new perspective on the possibilities. So the future of civic innovation, Detroit looks very grassroots, meets grass, tops, meets city meets, you know, everyone coming together for this one goal and, and really ambition, which is to reconstruct and revitalize the city of Detroit. So I'm looking forward to seeing some really innovative options,talked about those park benches, but even further than that, you know, this fiber to the home project it's gonna transform our residents with more opportunities, whether it's to get better jobs or further their education, it's gonna do a lot of good. So, you know, definitely the civic innovation for good is something that is driving me to stay in this space.
Olivia: (21:59)
Super inspiring talking to you today, Autumn, uh, we're looking forward to seeing more cities focus their efforts on bridging the digital divide. Thanks so much for joining us today.
Autumn: (22:07)
Thank you so much for having me. This was so much fun.
Lindsay: (22:15)
I'm Lindsay Pica-Alfano and this podcast was produced by Govaunch, the Wiki for local government innovation. You can subscribe to hear more stories like this, wherever you get your podcasts. If you're a local government innovator, we hope you'll help us on our mission to build the largest free resource for local governments globally. You can join to search and contribute to the wiki at govlaunch.com. Thanks for tuning in. We hope to see you next time on the Govlaunch podcast.