Black Queer-Led Research Group Secures $3M Internet For All Funding

The Biden-Harris administration has awarded Black queer-led research collaborative Black Brilliance Research (BBR) a $3 million grant to promote digital equity and inclusion.

The organization was awarded a grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Internet for All commitment to improving access to affordable, reliable, and high-speed internet.

Black Brilliance Research (BBR) is a Black queer-led research collaborative dedicated to changing the material conditions of the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

This grant will feature the work of teams in Tacoma and Pierce County in Washington, in partnership with the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT) for the Connect Across Tacoma project. 

As a Connect Across Tacoma project partner, BBR distributes laptops to in-need students and members of the Tacoma community. BBR also provides students and community members with internet subscriptions and provides Digital Stewards to train digital literacy in the community.

Chris Webb, the BBR Digital Equity Team lead and a faculty member in the STEM+B Department of Seattle Central College, heads up the Digital Stewards training program and internships. 

“We believe that access to the internet is a basic human right and that everyone should have the opportunity to participate fully in the digital economy,” said Webb in a statement.

“This grant will help us to expand our reach and empower us to continue our work training community members to create their own digital and economic futures.”

The BBR grew out of the Black Lives Matter protests in response to the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. The Seattle City Council, in response to BIPOC activists and leaders, set aside funds, including diverting some money away from the police department, to fund a Black-led community research project.

The project involved over 100 community researchers from various lived experiences working in different communities.

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Now, the BBR hopes to equip their communities with the internet, through community-led research and partnerships, such as with the Seattle Community Network.

“We are honored to receive this grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program and to be recognized for our work promoting digital equity and inclusion,” said Shaun Glaze, Lead Researcher and Director of BBR.

“This funding will allow us to continue our efforts to bridge the digital divide and empower underserved communities with the tools and resources they need to thrive in the digital age.”