On June 15, Julia Stasch, chair of the Mayor's Advisory Council on Closing the Digital Divide unveiled the advisory report under the title: The City that NetWorks: Transforming Society and Economy Through Digital Excellence.

Mr. Hardik Bhatt, Chicago's Chief Information Officer was the featured speaker at the February 28th luncheon of the Economic Development Council. In his speech "Towards Digital Excellence in Chicago: Crossing the Digital Divide with Wi-Fi and Other Programs" Mr. Bhatt spoke of four pillars of Digital Excellence for Chicago:

• Education
• Economic Development
• Digital Inclusion
• Government Services/Public Safety.

His statement - a call to Digital Excellence - reflects Chicago's penchant for big visions, and is to be applauded.

We, Chicago, are at a crossroads.

We have decided to deploy a citywide wireless network in our aspirations as a world class global city. We are preparing to transform ourselves for leadership in the new Millennium.

Make no mistake about this wireless initiative: this is about jobs. Economic development is integrally tied to the quality of life and the character of the city we want.

Where does the Chicago Campaign for a Community Benefits Agreement stand?

According to the Feb 26th Tech Venue of the Chicago Sun-Times

http://www.suntimes.com/technology/272612,CST-FIN-TECH26.article

Hardik Bhatt, CIO of Chicago will be speaking at the Economic Development Council luncheon February 28, 2007 ... "Towards Digital Excellence in Chicago: Crossing the Digital Divide with Wi-Fi and Other Programs."

http://www.edcchicago.org/

500 CTCs In Chicago - Public Technology Spaces

Editor's Note: Reprinted from Digital Access Update - Englewood Edition. July 2006 Issue. Copyright 2006 Pierre A. Clark and Digital Access Update. All Rights Reserved.

Teacher Antonia Stone created the first public access computer lab, Playing To Win, in Harlem in 1984, and at the same time launched the community technology center movement and the notion of CTCs as bridges across what was then recognized as an ever-expanding “digital divide”.

com·mu·ni·ty [ka myoonatee] (plural com·mu·ni·ties)
noun
1. people in area: a group of people who live in the same area, or the area in which they live a close-knit urban community
2. people with common background: a group of people with a common background or with shared interests within society the financial community
3. nations with common history: a group of nations with a common history or comm on economic or political interests the international community
4. society: the public or society in general a useful member of the community

1. Is the Digital Divide an issue for you or your organization here in Chicago?

It’s central to our mission – but we frame it from a positive angle: the Chicago we want is a thriving global city –each and every community area… and digital literacy, access and equity is the norm. That’s our mission. We’re very serious about surmounting the DD in it’s many facets… literacy without access would be meaningless and vice versa. Equity is about social justice and quality of life for everyone. That’s what has to be achieved to overcome the divide.

Community technologist and citizen journalist Michael Maranda of CTCNet Chicago/Chicago Digital Access Alliance conducted a series of interviews with ordinary Chicago citizens about how these citizens use digital tools and view digital access in Chicago. They shared some interesting and sometimes surprising views on a variety of digital access topics.

Among the interview subjects are:

Pierre Clark, FaithTech Network/Chicago Digital Access Alliance

Pierre Clark's YouTube Interview