Office Hours: Partnership for a ConnectedMN
Thursday, October 22 | Session notes and recording
Partnership for a ConnectedMN
Partnership for a ConnectedMN is a brand new public-private partnership created in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and the civic rest following the murder of George Floyd to help bring tech devices and internet access to students across the state, especially communities most in need, including students who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color, students from low-income families, and students residing in rural Minnesota. As an initial step, on September 23 the Partnership announced that it had awarded $2.1 million in grants to 23 nonprofits serving the connectivity needs of an estimated 68,000 Minnesota students and their families. During this Office Hours session representatives from the Partnership of ConnectedMN – Best Buy, Blandin Foundation, Comcast, St. Paul and Minnesota Community Foundation, the Minnesota Business Partnership, and Connectivity — will talk about the Partnership’s plans to redress Minnesota’s growing digital divide and solicit ideas and input from participants.
Partnership member representatives participating include:
- Bernadine Joselyn, Director of Public Policy and Engagement, Blandin Foundation
- Tiffany Kong, Program Officer, St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation
- Jenny Kramm, Senior Consultant, Collectivity
- Stacey Nelson-Kumar, Community Impact Director, Comcast
- Andrea Riehl, Senior Manager, Best Buy Social Impact
- Amy Walstien, Education Policy and Workforce Development Director, Minnesota Business Partnership