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

Slide 1: Women’s Access to Technology and Services: After Math of Katrina Presented by Shireen Mitchell Executive Officer, Digital Sisters

Slide 2: 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% D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 3: 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. D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 4: 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. D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 5: Computers in the Household 70 60 50 40 Marrie d 30 Fe male - H 20 10 0 Compute rs Inte rne t Use D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 6: 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. D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 7: During Katrina’s Emergency  CTCs where set up in emergency shelters  Thousands registered themselves in online survivor directories  Searched these directories for news of friends and loved ones  Signed up for government assistance and filled out FEMA applications  Kept informed of news and assistance and rebuilding efforts.  Listservs, websites and cell phones  Other attempted setups with solar powered connections. D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 8: Centers Supporting the Emergency Shelters  Astrodome TX – 200 to 1000 survivors a day (110 computers)  TX Brown center – registered 3000 survivors in the FEMA database ( 55 computers)  Baton Rouge – 15 -20 survivors per day (12 computers)  OH – 300 survivors (15 computers)  People find records - 620,000 records D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 9: Long Term Effects Labor jobs becoming difficult to fill but jobs in health care, information technology other nontraditional work field due to lack of training Housing needs – Neighborhood Networks and housing funds Government Service Needs D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 10: Supported Needs  Deployment of Wireless technology for services  Job training and job searches  Housing steep costs  Accessing government services (eGov)  Meeting FEMA deadlines D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 11: Budget Cuts Streamlining eGov services. Cutting staff for online access. Decrease in program support for CTC’s, Digital Opportunities and TOP programs. Devastating to families that don’t have access at home D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 12: Closing Remarks  Women are directly more impacted by cuts in technology programs.  Problems for those that don’t see technology as a resource for services.  Cuts to open door services and public issue  Some women can’t find their families from this disaster (problems with use or database access) D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g

Slide 13: Shireen Mitchell Digital Sisters/Sistas Inc. PO Box 76528 Washington, DC 20013 202-722-6881 director@digital-sistas.org D ig it a l S i s t e r s / S is t a s In c . w w w . d ig it a l- s is t a s . o r g