Empowering Atlanta and Beyond To Reach Unlimited Possibilities - Seite 2

Attendees to the summit also heard from local community organizations as well. Representatives from Atlanta-based nonprofits TechBridge, Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Westside Works, and Advocates for Kids all shared impactful stories about their efforts to increase digital adoption in the community one family at a time.

Sarah Winograd-Babayueski, Program Manager at Advocates for Children, shared an especially powerful story about a mother of two her organization is helping to get back on her feet. Hard times forced this mom and her kids to live in their car and in temporary motel housing. Despite all those harsh challenges, the family's high school-aged daughter still somehow had the fortitude to complete her ACTs so she could apply for college. Sarah, and Advocates for Children, are currently working on finding permanent housing for the mom and her two children. On behalf of Comcast, I donated a free laptop to this family, and we also pledged to help them apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program once they're established in a home.

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Speaking of free laptops, my trip to Atlanta wouldn't have been complete without a special holiday surprise! At KIPP Vision Primary and Academy School, we announced that all 500 students from grades three to seven were receiving free laptops courtesy of Comcast. Before the pandemic started, the students at KIPP Vision were ranked at the top of their district for academic achievement. However, since schools were shut down and the students were all sent home during the pandemic, many fell behind because they lacked the tools and technology necessary for remote learning. And, the school itself subsequently fell in its academic rankings. But now, with their new laptops, all those students can get online at home to do their homework and make up for some of the learning loss that they experienced.

At KIPP Vision, I also had the opportunity to meet Muhammad Yungai, a mural artist and parent of two KIPP alumni. He was so inspired by the learning environment KIPP Public Schools has created, that he decided to "give back" by designing striking murals in KIPP schools across the Atlanta area. His images help foster a culture of pride, a sense of belonging, and a dash of style. For example, in one of the hallways we toured, Muhammed had painted book spines to inspire children to grow up with a love of reading. He also painted portraits of students throughout the building so they could see themselves as the special children they are.