Chavis Heights Community

For the next 3 years, residents of the Chavis Heights community can enjoy free wireless broadband access. On Saturday, October 17 from 11am-2pm, The City of Raleigh along with AT&T, One Economy and the Raleigh Housing Authority hosted a family fun event for the residents of Chavis Height to celebrate this new project. The purpose of the technology-focused event was to celebrate Chavis Heights’ new free shared wireless network. Also to begin connecting families to the internet, provide computer training opportunities and access to the digital economy. An objective of this initiative is to help overcome barriers that often keep broadband technology out of reach for residents with low incomes. City of Raleigh chief information officer Gail Roper has started this project in other cities and says she is excited about bringing it to the Raleigh area. “One of our main goals is to change the lives of youth within the community through the use of technology,” said Roper,” and properly equip them with enough knowledge to come back into the community and train others,” said Roper. North Carolina State Representative Deborah Ross states that this project is essentially long overdue. “By providing the internet to this community, we have just opened up a whole new world of opportunities that they now can access,” stated Ross. Chavis Heights’ resident Danzi Dun said she is absolutely thrilled to have this new development take place in her community. “I will use the free Wi-Fi to help make my life easier by accessing medical information and other information that I need to know that I couldn’t get to,” said Dun. Resident Donnice Taylor said she is impressed with the direction that Chavis Heights is headed. “This is just great but I feel as if it will be better once the Wi-Fi is more accessible,” said Taylor. “It will become more valuable once everyone within the community has the main resources needed to connect to the Wi-Fi,” said Taylor. Special guest in attendance included Mayor Charles Meeker and President of AT&T North Carolina Cynthia Marshall who both delivered words to the community. “No one should be without it. It is a necessity, not a luxury,” said Marshall when speaking about the broadband access. Heritage Park, a local neighborhood will get connected to the Internet through the program later in the year and eventually other areas in Downtown Raleigh will also have access.Shaw University MCO students enrolled in Internship in Communications were on hand to help document this event through video and audio interviews of the residents, guest and participants. Attending this event was one of the many assignment giving to the students through their internship with the City of Raleigh. “This opportunity really opened my eyes to see how the city is giving back to the community and what I as a college student can do to help them in the process,” said Senior Lamarcus Jackson.