Women’s Access to Technology and Services: After Math of Katrina

Women’s Access to Technology and Services: After Math of Katrina Presented by Shireen Mitchell Executive Officer, Digital Sisters

Women Headed Households in Poverty

Nation Wide (US) = 37.6%

New Orleans City = 41.1%

New Orleans = 39.5%

Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula = 28.8%

Beaumont- Port Arthur =34.7%

Technology Literacy

Is the ability:

to apply for jobs, write resumes

to complete homework assignments and research for class projects.

to teach a classroom of students to search for colleges.

to apply for social services. (ie: FEMA, TANF)‏

to pay parking tickets and bills.

to write a letter, report or file a complaint.

to communicate with gov’t officials.

to fill out online forms.

Women in Poverty

Less likely to have computers or Internet access.

More likely to have a high rate of technology illiteracies.

Less likely to search and discover services.

Less likely to build these skills in their children.

Less likely to apply for services online.

Less likely to go technology centers for support.

Computers in the Household

Community Technology Centers Community technology centers (CTCs) are centers or programs that provide access to information and communications technologies and the training necessary to use them to meet the educational, health, civic and social needs of community residents. The federal government has estimated that nearly 30,000 community technology centers exist across the United States in urban and rural areas, based in or partnering with community- and faith-based learning centers, after-school centers, libraries and museums, community colleges, affordable housing facilities, and other entities.

During Katrina’s Emergency