1 Economy
by Michael HoffmanMonday, June 26th, 2006
This week I am going to join the folks at 1 Economy Corporation to talk about diabetes.
1 Economy is an innovative nonprofit dedicated to bringing the benefits of broadband to low-income Americans. Their point – and it’s an important one – is that broadband is not a luxury. This is not like HBO or a giant flat screen high-def no-foam skim latte. Broadband is simply a way to access information that can help you get a job, learn about your rights and responsibilities, and otherwise join the economy of the 21rst Century. Can you imagine hiring someone who doesn’t use email or surf the web? I can’t.
In just a few years they have done a lot at 1 Economy. Their content site for low-income Americans, The Beehive, has been a hit. They have changed public policy in 40 states to require new low-income housing to be broadband enabled. And now they are launching something called the Public Internet Channel, a way to aggregate government and community information on the web in a local, regional and national way. Because of their skills and innovative programs, their work has attracted the support of a who’s who of politicians, corporations, and foundations. I am very excited about working with them and contributing our unique skill set to their mission.
