When I was young in the Bronx, if I wanted to use a computer to do homework, look something up online, or improve my nascent tech skills, I had to stay at school late or find a local community center or library that had computers.
Growing up with fewer resources did not just create challenges, it shaped how I learned to navigate the world around me. I was a kid of what we now call the “digital divide,” meaning the gap between kids who grow up exposed to technology and with easy access to the internet, and the kids who grow up without it.
That was more than 25 years ago. But now, the challenge is even greater. The world is more digital. Even the entry-level jobs that provide the first step toward economic stability and upward mobility now depend on navigating online platforms and digital tools.
These challenges are most severe in the Bronx, the nation’s most underserved congressional district. A recent study that the Bronx Community Foundation sponsored in partnership with the Center for an Urban Future found that one-in-three households in The Bronx, nearly 185,000 have no computer, nearly 20% rely on just a smartphone, and nearly a quarter of residents have no internet.
A borough so deeply caught in the divide, without consistent access to the internet, devices, or even the tools to foster digital literacy challenges, is a borough that is in danger of being permanently left behind.
Closing the gap demands a holistic approach to these challenges. No citywide conversation about income inequality can be complete without addressing the digital divide and solutions to overcome it.
The New York City public school system’s 1.1 million kids return to school this week, and more than 10% will be in the divide. Policymakers, including New York’s next mayor, whomever they may be, must work with community groups, the tech sector and the officials and committees responsible for an ever-tighter city budget, to getting every kid their own devices and broadband by the time they enter high school, and must staff and fund digital literacy courses for every kid that needs it.
Community-based organizations, libraries, and schools work hard to fill the gaps, but they are stretched thin and under-resourced. Take the New York Public Library’s TechConnect program: it provides free digital literacy training, yet enrollment in the Bronx lags behind other boroughs because of limited capacity, language barriers, and insufficient community outreach.
Officials should act on the study’s recommendations and immediately launch a borough-wide campaign to enroll Bronx households in affordable $15-per-month broadband plans under New York’s Affordable Broadband Act.
At the same time, the city must expand community-based broadband models, scaling up the Neighborhood Internet initiative and investing in community-managed mesh networks, so that every household has reliable, affordable access.
Access is the key: officials can unite with the private sector to establish a Bronx Laptop Lending Library, including a “Recycle-a-Laptop” program to refurbish and distribute devices through schools, libraries, and community organizations; programs should extend school device lending programs through the summer to prevent learning loss and keep students connected throughout the year.
Educational institutions must also play a central role. City leaders should expand CUNY’s Computing Integrated Teacher Education (CITE) initiative to ensure every K-12 classroom has educators equipped to integrate computing skills into core instruction. They should also extend the CUNY 2X Tech program to Bronx Community College and Hostos Community College, creating clear, local pathways that connect students directly to high-demand tech careers.
Finally, it’s imperative that New York City use its leverage and call on Washington to reverse the expiration of the Federal Affordable Connectivity Program. This has left thousands of families without financial support for internet service, exacerbating the digital divide.
Access to the internet must be recognized as a basic right, as vital as housing, transportation, education, or running water. The future of New York depends on ensuring that every child, from the earliest years, has the tools to learn, connect, and thrive.
When every household is connected, and every student is empowered with digital skills, the city will unlock its full potential, a future where opportunity is not determined by ZIP code, but by the boundless talent of its people.
Lewis is the board chair of the Bronx Community Foundation.
