Cook County Recognized as One of the Nation’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazers

Cara Yi

Fri, 01/17/2025 - 12:00

Cook County Honored as Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer for Second Consecutive Year

(COOK COUNTY, IL) – The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has once again recognized Cook County as a 2024 Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer, the highest distinction in its annual program. This honor celebrates Cook County’s continued leadership and innovation in closing the digital divide and advancing equity for all residents through the implementation of its Digital Equity Action Plan.

“We are proud to once again be recognized by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance as a Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “This honor is a testament to our commitment to advancing digital equity by building a robust ecosystem rooted in accessibility, safety and collaboration. Cook County remains focused on delivering sustainable, community-driven solutions to close the digital divide and ensure every resident has the tools and opportunities to succeed.”

Cook County joins a record 60 communities recognized as Digital Inclusion Trailblazers by NDIA in 2024. These local governments are paving the way for digitally inclusive communities across the nation by prioritizing accessibility, infrastructure and digital confidence-building initiatives for residents. Cook County’s achievement underscores its commitment to ensuring all residents have access to affordable high-speed internet, devices and the skills needed to navigate today’s digital world confidently.

“We are deeply honored that Cook County has been recognized as a Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer for the second consecutive year by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance,” said Kyla Williams Tate, Director of Digital Equity. “This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to bridging the digital divide and ensuring that all residents have equitable access to technology and digital resources. Through the implementation of our Digital Equity Action Plan, we’ve made significant strides, but we know there is much more to be done. Together, we will continue driving transformative change and empowering our communities to thrive in the digital age.”

“In the past decade, we’ve seen local governments step into the important role of building digital inclusion ecosystems, where organizations that provide services can connect and thrive,” said Angela Siefer, NDIA Executive Director. “NDIA’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazers celebrates these critical efforts to bring digital opportunities to all residents.”

Cook County’s status as a Visionary Trailblazer highlights initiatives, such as:

Cook County allocates resources to digital inclusion through two FTE staff, including the onboarding of Mauricio Jimenez as the Inaugural Digital Equity Coordinator in May 2024. The County drives policy and practice initiatives in collaboration with its Council of Digital Equity (CODE) and the Digital Equity Action Committee (DEAC).
In partnership with City Bureau, Cook County launched and announced the inaugural recipients of the Digital Equity IMPACT Small Grants Program, a groundbreaking initiative designed to promote digital inclusion through storytelling and community engagement. Fifteen organizations in Cook County received grants of either $7,500 or $15,000, for a total of $187,500.
Cook County hosted 52 events during Digital Inclusion Week 2024 in partnership with community organizations, libraries and institutions, further supporting the Cook County Board of Commissioner’s 2023 resolution to acknowledge and celebrate Digital Inclusion Week in perpetuity, and the County’s deep commitment to advancing digital equity.
Over 35,000 pounds of equipment from Cook County Government entities were donated to PCs for People for refurbishment and provision back to the community. Additionally, Cook County, in partnership with Compudopt, conducted several device distribution events and distributed over 960 laptops and 210 high speed internet devices to households. Both support an IMPACT recommendation in the County's Digital Equity Action Plan to increase “High-Quality Device Access.

NDIA’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazers has set the national standard for excellent digital inclusion work since 2016. Each applicant’s materials are verified for accuracy, assessed for community impact, and posted in an interactive map and searchable database on NDIA’s website. By sharing materials with open sourcing, NDIA provides community advocates and local governments ways to continue learning, connect with trailblazing peers, and plan their own digital inclusion solutions.

For more information about Cook County’s digital equity initiatives, visit www.cookcountyil.gov/service/digital-equity.