Long before the COVID-19 pandemic, communities across the nation experienced the digital divide. In March 2021, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, along with Comcast, co-hosted a Digital Convening that brought together eighteen AANHPI serving organizations to discuss what the digital divide looks like in their respective communities.

While the pandemic heightened awareness of the digital divide and the staggering number of households unable to benefit from digital services and opportunities, Asian American, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities throughout the country have been fighting to achieve digital equity and inclusion for years.

Section 702 and related surveillance authorities have been misused to spy on Americans, including but not limited to protesters, journalists, campaign donors, and members of Congress. The consequences of such misuse have had a profound impact on our Asian American community, resulting in wrongful targeting, unjust surveillance, and devastating tolls on careers, livelihoods, and reputations.

Our rapidly shifting digital age is presently and will continue to impact our communities’ ability to thrive economically, socially, and politically. That is why the appointments in the telecommunications and technology sectors are more critical than ever. We were thrilled to see the United States Senate confirm Anna Gomez to serve as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) because of her experience in this sector and her commitment to diversity and inclusion.

On behalf of The Asian American Tech Table (Tech Table) we write to request robust additional funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Nearly 20 million households across the country rely on ACP for high quality, reliable, and affordable broadband access. The median cost of internet service is $74.99 per month, an unsustainable amount for the 89.7 million people living 200% below the poverty line in the United States. ACP offers these households a discount of up to $30 per month, or $75 per month on tribal lands, to help alleviate these costs.

The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned about the risks that artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated decision-making systems pose to the well-being and rights of the American people. We welcome the intense attention that Congress is placing on these issues, and the inclusion of some key civil society representatives in the first Senate AI Insight Forum that took place on September 13th.

NHMC and the undersigned organizations strongly believe in the protection and promotion of diversity in all facets of the United States in order to sustain a competitive ecosystem for historically and intentionally marginalized communities to thrive. When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, addressing the dire need for diversity in companies, product development, and competition is no exception.