Speakers, including Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, U.S. Representatives Robert Aderholt (AL-04) and Terri Sewell (AL-07), and former U.S. Senator Doug Jones, addressed the impact, limitations, and divides caused by Alabama’s current broadband network. Daily panels discussed how strengthening the state’s broadband infrastructure could create new opportunities for economic development, medical care, student learning, and other aspects of an Alabamian’s daily life. The PARCA Forum also highlighted the efforts of several Alabama communities to show what strategies are working across the state.
“The COVID pandemic exposed numerous gaps in Alabama’s broadband infrastructure, seriously impacting virtual learning and work from home opportunities across the state,” said Ryan Hankins, executive director of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama. “Broadband expansion has become a hot topic in Montgomery and Washington with numerous pieces of legislation under consideration to increase access to more people. However, expanding broadband is not as easy as it seems. The PARCA Forum, Alabama Online: Failure to Connect, seeks to understand what is slowing down equitable expansion and whether the push for more broadband will matter after the pandemic ends.”
Longleaf Strategies led media outreach for and helped produce the PARCA Annual Forum.