Antonia Daniels is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at East Baltimore Development, Inc. (EBDI), where she leads efforts to revitalize an 88-acre portion of East Baltimore, now known as Eager Park. In her role, she manages a wide range of community-focused initiatives, including fundraising, grants management, communications, and project oversight. Antonia’s commitment to addressing community needs has been instrumental in EBDI’s strategic efforts to improve access and opportunity for local residents. Her work, combined with her participation in leadership programs, equips her with the knowledge and skills to drive meaningful change in the Eager Park community.
Click here for more information about the Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate and its self-paced counterpart, Digital Inclusion Training.
Please tell us about your work and your role, particularly as it pertains to digital equity.
I currently serve as Director of Strategic Initiatives at East Baltimore Development, Inc. (EBDI), the nonprofit organization charged with overseeing the $1.8 billion revitalization of an 88-acre portion of East Baltimore adjacent to the Johns Hopkins medical campus, now called Eager Park. At EBDI, I fill many roles related to the strategic planning, implementation and management of organization-wide programs and initiatives, including community initiatives, fundraising, grants management, communications, governance and project management.
Most of our community initiatives fall within what we call our Core Values. A few years ago, digital equity and access emerged as a top priority for the Eager Park community and EBDI leadership. In my role, I lead EBDI’s fundraising and project management efforts related to digital equity and actively seek opportunities—like the Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate program offered by ASU and the Marconi Society—to enhance my knowledge of and contribute to this vital area.
What motivated you to enroll in the program? What challenges were you trying to solve?
When I learned about the Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate program, there were only three days left before the registration deadline expired. Initially, I hesitated because I didn’t feel knowledgeable enough about digital inclusion to make such a commitment—I had a bit of imposter syndrome! However, after discussing it with a mentor and colleague, I realized that I knew more than I gave myself credit for and that this program could significantly enhance my understanding and capabilities.
The community we serve has clearly expressed that affordability, access, and skills training are among their top priorities in the realm of digital inclusion. I am committed to finding innovative solutions to these challenges. Thus, enrolling in the program was the logical next step toward arming myself with the knowledge and skills that would allow me to be a valuable resource to the community.
In what ways has the course equipped you with skills you need to address the challenges of digital inclusion in your community or organization? What capabilities and skills have you learned or sharpened through the course?
This course excels at laying a strong foundation for novices, experts and anyone in the middle. For example, in Module 2, we delved into the basics of network technology, which I found particularly valuable. The strategic placement of this module early in the course allowed me to grasp new terminology that would be crucial in subsequent lessons. This module also helped clear up some confusion and misconceptions I had about service providers, the technology they use, why they use it, and how these choices have contributed to the digital divide in Baltimore. Later, in Module 3, we explored asset mapping and leveraging coalitions and existing resources within our communities.
Together, these modules underscored the importance of understanding the historical context behind the digital divide in any given city. This knowledge is instrumental in identifying key stakeholders and potential partners to work with as we begin to address and reverse the effects of this divide.
Can you share a specific example or two of how the course content has been directly applicable to your work in digital equity or related areas? If you have any metrics you can share with these examples, that is great.
The course has been instrumental in enhancing my approach to creative problem-solving around the digital divide in East Baltimore. It has introduced me to practical shortcuts and temporary solutions that can be applied when conventional, preferred, or more expensive methods aren’t feasible.
For example, with the then-imminent sunset of the Affordable Connectivity Program, the course motivated me to explore alternative opportunities to increase internet affordability for East Baltimore residents. Module 4, which introduced the FCC’s national broadband map, was particularly enlightening, as it confirmed our research findings that, although East Baltimore residents have access and proximity to internet service, many of them still cannot afford to use it. Therefore, the course reinforced the importance of focusing on finding ways that residents can afford to use the infrastructure that already exists, including leveraging current resources to create new, free, or low-cost opportunities for the community.
Applying these insights, we are now exploring partnerships and funding opportunities to provide sustainable, affordable internet access for our residents.
What aspects of the course content did you find most valuable, and why?
At the onset, I joined the program so that it could help me enhance and improve EBDI’s existing efforts toward digital inclusion. My favorite part of the course was engaging with others on the discussion board, which allowed me to compare East Baltimore’s struggles and successes with those in other regions.
However, the most valuable aspect of the discussion boards was realizing that our efforts in East Baltimore could also serve as a resource for others. I enjoyed sharing my knowledge and experiences with fellow digital inclusion advocates in the cohort. For instance, I was able to share EBDI’s white paper on the state of digital access in East Baltimore when it was published last spring, and I was able to discuss the results of a community survey we developed to better understand the barriers to digital access our residents face. These exchanges brought the learning experience beyond the course materials, creating a well-rounded and enriching program that allowed me to both learn from and contribute to the collective knowledge of the group.
How has the course influenced your approach to creating plans and managing infrastructure for digital equity, especially in light of federal and state initiatives?
The course has positively influenced my approach to planning and implementing our digital equity efforts by providing a clearer understanding of how to align our local initiatives with federal and state programs. I’ve gained a better appreciation for the importance of staying informed about policies and programs, such as Maryland’s Digital Equity Plan and the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, to ensure our strategies in East Baltimore are both timely and effective. The course also highlighted the benefits of developing adaptable plans that can make the most of available federal and state resources. It stressed the value of working together, not just within our community but also with local, state, and federal partners, to strengthen our efforts.
Overall, the course has encouraged me to focus on how our digital equity efforts can gradually evolve, ensuring they remain relevant and sustainable as new opportunities and challenges arise.
Click here for more information about the Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate and its self-paced counterpart, Digital Inclusion Training.
