Google Fiber has been working with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) to bring free internet connection and digital literacy skills to Austin’s public housing residents. Social work juniors Reginald Smith and Addis Gezaghn joined the program as Google Community Leaders during this past academic year. They helped children and adult residents set up and operate computers they received through HACA’s “Unlocking the Connection” program, responded to privacy and safety concerns, oriented parents on how to monitor their children’s use of computers, and gave feedback to Google and HACA on how to make this digital inclusion program better.
“I’m very passionate about education equality, so it was exciting to work with Google and HACA to bring computers and Internet connection to public housing residents,” Gezaghn says.