by Kay Curry
Northwest Asia Weekly
On September 13, 2022, Comcast Washington and Evergreen Goodwill (EG) hosted an executive meet-and-greet and breakfast for organizations around the Puget Sound that are participating in Comcast’s Lift Zone experiment Room plans to build networks and share how they are using technology to enable digital assets.
Participating organizations, some from further afield, such as the Easter Seals in Bremerton and the Boys and Girls Club in Lynnwood, had the opportunity to share how they used their labs.
“We remodeled our multipurpose room on the ground floor…focused on bringing digital assets to seniors who have been chronically isolated during the pandemic through our Bamboo Club program,” shared Michael Byun, Asia Executive Director. Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS). “We are now able to provide an immersive situation for people who were there in person and for those who still feel uncomfortable.”
What is an elevator area? It is a hosting space for the Enhanced Internet, where community members can use computers in a safe environment. In 2020, Comcast announced its intention to offer more than 1,000 elevator zones nationwide. At the Carl Maxey Centers in Western Washington and Spokane, however, Lift Zones look different because they are labs for advanced technology with multiple uses, such as facilitating presentations using an app that turns your phone into a microphone.
“We don’t just want to give you Wi-Fi, we want to give you upgraded technology…to make sure you have all the tools you need…support your community, support your programs, make sure everyone has access to education [that they need]. It looks different from organization to organization,” explained Kiwa Nidas, who heads Comcast Washington’s external affairs.
Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Comcast and Michael Byun, Executive Director, ACRS. (Photo by Kay Curry)
Comcast executives flew in from Philadelphia and Denver to use these Lift Zone labs to meet and greet local nonprofits. Dalila Wilson-Scott, Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity Officer and President, Comcast NBC Universal Foundation, spoke out during the webinar before addressing the broad audience.
“This Lift Zone lab concept that we have here is unique in the region. These are more customizable, more functional, designed around who comes to the center…these are more co-designed with partners of.”
In 2020, everyone’s concern is providing students with a safe online course space during the pandemic. Once this urgent need was alleviated, organizations saw an opportunity to expand the application of the lift area. Everyone agrees that none of this would be possible without a pre-existing relationship between a place like ACRS and their customer base.
“You can bring all the technology in the world, but if you don’t have good people [say], ‘I know what you need when you come in. I can guide you. ‘…you have to get people to bring them in and make them feel welcome, ‘what can I do here? And show them the skill set.
We get better results when we co-design it more deeply with our programming partners,” Wilson-Scott said.
“In our case, when we think about digital literacy and access, we’re talking about equity for our migrants and refugees, who face different challenges depending on where they are in their lives and their backgrounds [re:] Get the technology,” Byun continued.
During the pandemic, it has become clear that some communities have been left behind. Wilson-Scott, whose mother is Vietnamese, confirmed the claim.
“[My mom] She would rather be with Vietnamese all day than with other people. Before COVID-19, she wasn’t so excited about going online…[now], she went to a center near her…it was important to her that anyone there was particularly familiar with Southeast Asian culture, which was different. “
Wilson-Scott spoke with Byun about the importance of representing the organizations they serve. “People confuse AAPI…you can look at representation in tech…you see high numbers for the Asian population, but when you break down by income and location in Asia it’s a whole different story…a lot of Asians are getting Organizations that receive service led by other communities. That’s one [part] The digital equity work we’re trying to improve… at the end of the day, it’s all about trust. If people don’t trust the place, the people, they won’t sign up and they won’t participate in a program. “
Huan Do, Senior Director of Finance, Contracts and Project Strategy at Evergreen Goodwill. (Photo by Kay Curry)
Breakfast was held in the space EG uses for its Lift Zone lab. EG’s Senior Director of Finance, Contracts and Project Strategy, Huan Do, moderated and talked about how EG is using its labs to help clients and employees.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are the lens through which all of our strategic goals, organizationally…everything we do, every strategic decision we make [diversity and inclusion] Lenses… digital assets are an example. The idea of the labs (including EG’s) is that not only the hosting organization can use it, but other organizations in the community that don’t have the facilities available can also participate. “You’ll see other community organizations come here, build relationships, build network. That’s the space we really want,” Do said.
Diem T. Ly, Director of Community Impact at Comcast Washington – External Affairs. (Photo by Kay Curry)
These organizations then have access to Lift Zone labs during business hours, which also vary by location. For example, Friends of Youth Development Director Becky Slade from eastern King County came to explore the possibility of using the Lift Zone lab as an overnight facility. In all cases, staff have easy access to these laboratories, which is one of the advantages compared to public libraries.
“Typically, for many of our clients, the best way to access is … face-to-face for help, not through an application form,” explains Byun. “As the space opens up, we’re seeing more and more people who really want to reconnect. Even if they’re still doing a lot of things at home, if you can talk to someone, you can end up doing more in a tighter time frame. Work more,” Wilson-Scott said.
Byun noted that as the pandemic eases, “there is something in the air…a sense of hope and direction that seems to be emerging. I don’t think we’ve given up on the lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic and racial reckoning,” he admitted. Dao, but “We are now ready to continue to take those lessons and figure out how to build a better community, a better society… There is a higher frequency of touchpoints, caring about people, checking in, deliberately creating spaces, and also creating Informal spaces, they go hand in hand, and you have to do both to reconnect with people…I’m glad to see that through our connection, that person feels better too.”
Kay can reach info@nwasianweekly.com.
