The Digital Equity Initiative

After decades of providing medical care in the South Bronx, we witnessed firsthand how the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impacted our Bronx and Brooklyn communities. While many adapted to a new normal of remote work, virtual classrooms, and online shopping, those without access to digital tools or skills found themselves increasingly isolated. The digital divide— the gap between those with access to technology and those without— has never been more evident. "I spent my first year in the Bronx during medical training in 1993", says Director, Dr. Jakobsen. "So much has changed, but despite all the time gone by, the area still faces challenges." It was earlier this year that things took shape. "Meeting so many people who wanted to be change-makers inspired me. Social worker Hope Williams, for instance, had a clear vision for delivering targeted education at the clinic level, leveraging existing relationships. James Young, another social worker, brought a focus on the differences in digital competency between young people and the elderly, even in the same community". 

Most Americans rely on the internet for educational materials related to health and wellness. However, those without access are left behind, becoming less health literate and more vulnerable. With our combined public health expertise, local healthcare experience, and partnerships with technology advocates, we felt a strong imperative to act. As technology continues to advance rapidly, we cannot and must not allow vulnerable communities to fall further behind.

Digital equity refers to the fair and inclusive access to digital technologies, including the internet, devices, and the skills necessary to effectively use them. It ensures that all individuals and communities, particularly those historically under-served or marginalized, have the resources and opportunities to participate fully in the digital world. It means not only having access to broadband, but the financial means and skills to use it.

At the Digital Equity Initiative, we are committed to bridging the digital divide and empowering communities through digital literacy, something we hold to be central to public health. Through demographic research, policy development, and educational outreach, particularly at the community and clinic level we will strive to drive positive change and promote better health outcomes for all. 

Our Growing Team:

Glenn Jakobsen, DO, FAAPMR, FABDA
Founder and Director, The Digital Equity Initiative
Practicing Physician, Board Certified Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
MPH Candidate, Brown University School of Public Health
Interests: Leveraging AI to reach limited English (LEP) and vulnerable communities, relationship between digital competency and health outcomes.

James Young, LCSW
Columbia University, US Army Veteran
MPH Candidate, Brown University School of Public Health
Interests: Digital literacy and health disparities among veterans and seniors, accessibility to public health services and programs.

Hope Williams, LMSW
Acting Clinical Preceptor, Brown University School of Public Health
24 Years of Experience in Health Literacy in the Bronx, Dept. Social Work, St. Barnabas Outpatient Dialysis Center
Interests: Digital empowerment among those with health challenges, clinic-based interventions, and how digital, health, and general literacy overlap synergisticaly.

Dana-Marie Kai Thomas, MSCMP, PhD, CPM, CSM, ASM
Professor, School of Health Science & Public Policy, Walden University
MPH Candidate, Brown University School of Public Health
Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Preventive Medicine, UAB School of Medicine
Scholar, Minority Health, Equity, and Disparities, University of Alabama, Birmingham
Interests: Urban health equity, impact of built environments on health, heat-islands, equity in infrastructure, fostering grass roots change.

Penney Miyan, MA, MS
Philosophy, Georgetown University
Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine
Ph.D. Candidate, Georgetown University
Emergency Medical Technician, Community Volunteer Emergency Medical Services
Interests: Culturally competent patient-doctor communication, addressing barriers to effective interactions in limited English proficiency populations, and bio-ethical considerations of healthcare inequity.