CDE Featured on Savvy Citizen Podcast

Bruce Clark, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Equity (CDE), recently joined Gaston County leaders on the Savvy Citizen Podcast to discuss Connect Gaston, a growing effort focused on broadband access, affordability, and digital skills across the county.

During the episode, Bruce joined host Adam Gaub and Justin Amos of Gaston County to explore the difference between having internet infrastructure available and actually using and sustaining internet service. While many households have access, the cost of devices and digital confidence remain real barriers for residents.

That’s where CDE Digital Navigators come in.

Through phone-based and in-person support, CDE’s Digital Navigators help community members sign up for affordable internet, find low or no-cost devices, and build the digital skills needed for work, school, healthcare, and everyday life. In Gaston County, residents can reach a digital navigator by calling 2-1-1 and requesting support.

Connect Gaston builds on CDE’s successful digital navigation work in Mecklenburg County while strengthening existing community efforts already underway in Gaston County. The initiative is supported by a $1 million grant from the North Carolina Office of Digital Opportunity and will run through the end of 2026.

Listen to the full episode of the Savvy Citizen Podcast to learn more about how CDE and Gaston County are working together to expand digital access and opportunity.