The Brooklyn Gigabit Center, managed in partnership with LinkNYC, NYC OTI, Boldyn Networks, and Digital Girl, prepares Brooklyn’s youth for careers in tech
30 percent of Brooklyn residents lack in-home broadband subscriptions
Brooklyn, New York — Today, LinkNYC, in partnership with the NYC Office of Technology & Innovation (OTI) and Boldyn Networks, alongside community partner Digital Girl, Inc., commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Brooklyn Gigabit Center. Established in 2023, the Center offers free high-speed internet access — powered by LinkNYC — for the local community, along with tech education workshops for local students and access to tablets, laptops, and workstations.
To mark the anniversary, LinkNYC, in partnership with Digital Girl, Inc., hosted The Women of Color in STEM Symposium. The event featured a diverse range of activities, including a specially curated virtual reality class for middle schoolers, and a panel discussion led by prominent women of color in the tech industry — including alumnae of Digital Girl programming.
Attendees also enjoyed interactive tours of the Brooklyn Gigabit Center and informative sessions on securing paid internships and training opportunities. Participants were given the exclusive opportunity to apply on-site for Google Certificate Scholarships that support students in earning certificates in subjects like data analytics and user experience (UX) design. Completion of these programs can pave the way for employment opportunities at Google — which recognizes these certificates as the equivalent of a four-year degree — and other leading tech companies.
“Over the last year, the Brooklyn Gigabit Center has helped pave the road to exciting careers in tech for dozens of local students,” said Nick Colvin, CEO of LinkNYC. “We’re proud of the strides we’ve made with Digital Girl and remain committed to continuing our mission of building a more equitable and connected city for all New Yorkers.”
“I’m thrilled to celebrate the first anniversary of the Brooklyn Gigabit Center,” said Michelle Gall, Executive Director of Digital Girl. “Our strategic partnership with LinkNYC has been a valuable addition to our mission to drive greater diversity and inclusivity in STEM fields and unlock opportunities for young people in our community to excel in their passions.”
“The Brooklyn Gigabit Center is a shining example of the Adams administration’s efforts to democratize technology access for New Yorkers across generations and communities,” said New York City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser. “Through the center’s free digital tools and programming, students and older adults in the Crown Heights community are elevating their tech skills and enhancing their quality of life. I thank our partners Digital Girl founder Michelle Gall and LinkNYC for their continued efforts to bridge the digital divide in Brooklyn.”
According to a 2023 poll conducted by HarrisX, 30 percent of Brooklyn residents lack in-home broadband subscriptions. This digital divide adversely impacts local youth in particular, as 11 to 13 percent of New York City students in every borough lack adequate access to Wi-Fi outside of school.
Since opening, the Brooklyn Gigabit Center has expanded opportunities for community members through a range of initiatives. Its diverse workshops equip seniors with essential skills to navigate the internet safely amidst a spike of online scams; and local youth have gained regular access to tablets and computers powered by LinkNYC’s high-speed Wi-Fi, along with expert guidance on internet safety and social media usage. Moreover, the Center plays a pivotal role in fostering career advancement through its comprehensive training programs in various fields such as software engineering and computer science.
“The Brooklyn Gigabit Center successfully delivers critical services to the local community,” said Robert Sokota, President of Link Solutions at Boldyn Networks. “Deploying our infrastructure into a project like the Women of Color in STEM Symposium reaffirms the importance of having reliable high-speed internet access in all underserved areas throughout the city.”
Gigabit Centers were established in all five boroughs by LinkNYC, the NYC Office of Technology & Innovation, and Boldyn Networks in partnership with community-based organizations like Digital Girl. At each location, residents can access free high-speed LinkNYC Wi-Fi, digital literacy training, and internet-connected devices.
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About LinkNYC
LinkNYC is the world’s largest and fastest free public Wi-Fi network. Each Link kiosk provides free superfast Wi-Fi, phone calls, device charging, access to social services, and displays content such as real-time weather, transit info, public art, and local information. The city-wide network has more than 15 million Wi-Fi users and has connected more than 30 million free phone calls. All of LinkNYC’s services are completely free to users and taxpayers, provided by CityBridge, a joint venture led by Intersection Media and Boldyn Networks. The second generation offering will deploy thousands of new kiosks, called Link5G, enabled with 5G wireless technology across the city. For more information about LinkNYC or to find a Link near you, visit www.link.nyc.