The COVID-19 pandemic has shown not only the importance of technology in our everyday work and education but also the unequal access to said technology. This is what we refer to as the Digital Divide. A Stanford University study defines the Digital Divide as, " the growing gap between the underprivileged members of society, especially the poor, rural, elderly, and handicapped portion of the population who do not have access to computers or the internet; and the wealthy, middle-class, and young Americans living in urban and suburban areas who have access."[1]

The SPEC Tech Empowerment Program is the Sustainable Progress and Equality Collective's attempt to begin closing the Digital Divide. The program is designed to provide not only the technology to engage in a remote role but the mentorship and skill development to succeed as participants complete the program. Program participants will receive a laptop courtesy of SPEC and its supporters, one-on-one mentorship with a mentor in their desired field, and real-world experience working on projects relevant to their career goals.

[1] The Digital Divide. Accessed October 12, 2021. https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs181/projects/digital-divide/start.html#:~:text=The%20idea%20of%20the%20%22digital,living%20in%20urban%20and%20suburban.