In April, our team takes the stage at multiple conferences to share research, field insights, and practical strategies for advancing digital equity. From academic research on healthy aging to hands-on approaches to digital navigation, these sessions reflect the depth and breadth of our work, and the growing importance of ensuring everyone can fully participate in today’s digital world.
We’ll kick things off at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, April 8-12 in Los Angeles. The world’s largest gathering of education researchers, AERA highlights cutting-edge studies shaping the future of learning. This year, digitalLIFT is proud to be represented through research led by Hyewon Park, a Digital Equity Researcher and former digitalLIFT digital literacy instructor.
Her session, Sustainable Digital Literacy Education for Older Adults and Healthy Aging, will explore how digital skills influence the well-being of older adults, particularly those historically underrepresented in digital access efforts. Drawing on the Home Connect digital literacy program, the research demonstrates a strong link between digital literacy and improved health management, stronger interpersonal relationships, and increased social engagement over time. The findings reinforce what we see every day in our work: digital literacy is not just about technology—it’s about quality of life. The study also emphasizes the importance of designing programs that meet older adults where they are, adapting to their evolving needs, preferences, and lived experiences.
A few days later, we’ll join leaders from across the country at Connected America, April 14-15 in Dallas, Texas. This national convention brings together stakeholders from telecommunications, government, and the nonprofit sector to explore how infrastructure, policy, and community-based strategies can work together to expand broadband access and opportunity.
Skye Downing, Deputy Director at digitalLIFT, will return as a speaker for her fourth consecutive year. On day one, Skye will join the Connected America Podcast Stage to record an episode of Beyond the Cable, a Broadband Communities podcast, where she’ll share insights from the digital inclusion field, particularly how we move beyond basic connectivity toward meaningful engagement.
On day two, Skye will lead a fireside chat titled “When Equity is Redlined: How Do We Redefine Opportunity?” alongside Heather Gate, Executive Vice President of Digital Inclusion at Connected Nation. This conversation will take place at 2pm CT on the Connected Society Stage and will examine the current moment in broadband expansion. While historic investments are being made, significant barriers to adoption remain, and this session will focus on how we address them.
The discussion will highlight the need to move beyond infrastructure alone, addressing critical factors like digital skills, device access, affordability, and trusted, community-based support. It will also underscore the importance of investing in and strengthening the existing digital inclusion ecosystem, as well as the role of cross-sector collaboration in maximizing the impact of initiatives like BEAD, particularly when it comes to non-deployment investments. As always, digitalLIFT is committed to ensuring that conversations about access are paired with strategies that turn access into real, lasting opportunity.
Lastly, digitalLIFT will present at the Inform Texas Conference, April 13-16 in Amarillo, Texas. In a session titled From Learning to Leading: How Digital Navigators Expand Access, Founding Executive Director Kami Griffiths will share how digitalLIFT has developed and scaled a Digital Navigator training program designed to empower community members to support others in navigating digital tools and systems.
As technology becomes increasingly essential for accessing everything from healthcare to employment opportunities, many individuals are still left without the guidance they need. This session will walk through digitalLIFT’s approach to training Digital Navigators, including curriculum design, assessment strategies, technology tools, and community partnerships. Attendees will gain insight into program outcomes such as increased adoption, improved digital literacy, and strengthened trust between communities and service providers.
Participants will also leave with practical strategies for implementing similar programs in their own communities, including how to define the Digital Navigator role, measure impact, and build sustainable models that respond to local needs.
Across all three conferences, a common thread emerges: digital equity is not a single solution, but a connected ecosystem of research, practice, and partnership. Whether we’re exploring how digital skills support healthy aging, engaging national leaders in broadband policy, or equipping local changemakers with the tools to guide others, digitalLIFT is proud to be part of the movement to ensure no one is left behind in an increasingly digital world.
If you’ll be attending any of these events, we’d love to connect.
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