January
1) On January 12, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson gave a keynote address at the Center for Social Impact, Development, and Global Engagement (SIDGE) Symposium. The Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Foundation hosted the SIDGE Symposium.
February
1) On February 14, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson participated in the Creating, Sustaining, and Measuring Local Digital Equity Ecosystems panel at NDIA’s Net Inclusion 2024 conference. Watch the replay video here (start at 7:02:30 mark).
2) On February 20, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson joined the Technology and Ubuntu: The Metaverse, Artificial Intelligence and Ethics panel discussion at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc.’s 2024 Clergy and Lay Leadership Conference.
3) On February 27, 2024, MMTC, ALLvanza, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, and LGBT Tech hosted an informative Capitol Hill briefing to champion the inclusion of underserved communities in all matters concerning to the Hill, and to encourage policy makers to actively listen to and incorporate the needs of our communities into their work. The speakers included Nate Beltran (Rep. Veasey), Earl Flood (Rep. Kelly), Saul Hernandez of theGroup, Stuart Styron (Rep. Eshoo), and Nisha Ramachandran of CAPAC.
April
1) On April 10, 2024, MMTC President and CEO Robert Branson participated in the Achieving Internet for All, Addressing Discrimination and Rurality panel at NCTA-Broadband Breakfast.
2) MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson spoke at Next Century Cities’ 2024 Bipartisan Tech conference on April 17, 2024, at the National Association of Counties in Washington, DC.
3) On April 25, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson joined Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition fellow Rev. Danielle Ayers for a conversation on the Fannie Lou’s Classroom podcast that will address how Black communities can leverage technology for a sustainable future. Watch the podcast here.
May
1) MMTC Board Chair and Treasurer Ronald Johnson, Senior Advisor, Wireless Infrastructure Association, and MMTC Policy Counsel Kenley Joseph participated in the Subgrantee s Outreach and Contracting Requirements of Broadband Funding-Challenges and Opportunities for Successful Deployments and Return on Investments session on May 16, 2024, at WIA’s annual Connect(X) conference.
2) On May 29, 2024, MMTC, ALLvanza, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, and LGBT Tech hosted a dynamic discussion on diversity in media and programming at the National Association for Broadcasters. Panelists
included Yi Chen of C35 Films James Winston of NABOB, Felix Sanchez of NHFA, Michael Fernandez of V-ME Media, and Maria Cardona of Dewey Square Group. They discussed the challenges faced by underrepresented groups in the industry, share strategies for increasing inclusivity, and highlight the profound impact of diverse media representation on shaping societal perceptions.
June
1) On June 19, 2024, Black Churches 4 Digital Equity (BC4DE) Coalition hosted the inaugural Juneteenth National Digital Equity Bible Study, a historic event dedicated to promoting digital equity and literacy in the Black community, embodying the spirit of Juneteenth by encouraging inclusion and empowerment in the digital age. Greater Grace Temple of David and Bishop Charles H. Ellis, III, the church pastor, co-hosted the event in Detroit, Michigan. It was live streamed on Facebook and Zoom. Go here to get more information.
July
On July 17, 2024, MMTC held its 6th Annual Former FCC Chairs’ Symposium.
Speakers and moderators included:
- FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, keynote speaker
- Former FCC Chair Richard Wiley
- Former FCC Chair Reed Hundt
- Former FCC Chair Michael Copps
- Former FCC Chair Mignon Clyburn
- Former FCC Chair Ajit Pai
- Former FCC Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, moderator
- Former FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, moderator
- MMTC President Robert Branson, moderator
- MMTC Board Chair and Treasurer Ronald Johnson
They discussed a return to civility at the FCC and in Washington, the impact of the recent Supreme Court opinion on the Chevron doctrine, ACP and Lifeline, ATSC 3.0, bulk billing, universal service/broadband, artificial intelligence, Section 230,
M&A policy, and minority media and telecom ownership. Go here for me information (includes video).
September
1) On September 10, 2024, MMTC, ALLvanza, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, and LGBT Tech held the Election 2024: Implications for the Innovation Ecosystem discussion at the Verizon Technology and Policy Center in Washington, DC. Speakers included: Jonathan Cannon, R Street Institute, Larry Gonzalez, Raben Group, Randolph J. May, The Free State Foundation, Davey McKissack, Glen Echo Group, and Gerard Waldron, Covington (moderator). These policy experts of all stripes discussed the upcoming November election and how it could significantly impact the sustainability and growth of the innovation ecosystem. Watch the replay video here.
2) On September 19, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson gave a presentation on Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition, Black churches, digital equity, and historically Black colleges and universities during the launch event for the Central University of Technology, Free State’s Research Centre on Human-Technology Interactions in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
October
1) On October 4, 2024, Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition fellows joined the Connecting Communities: How Black Church Leaders Are Driving Digital Equity panel discussion at the SHLB Coalition’s AnchorNETS Conference in Crystal City, Virginia. They included Dr. Naomi Jordan Cook of ZOE Ministries, Bishop Charles Ellis of Greater Grace Temple of David, and Pamela Price of The Balm in Gilead.
2) On October 9, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson participated in the Tech for Good: Innovating Solutions to Social Challenges panel at the AnitaB.org’s Grace Hopper Celebration in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
3) On October 10, 2024, MMTC President & CEO Robert Branson joined the Washington Update—What Broadcasters Need to Know panel during the USBC-NABOB Black Media Summit and Power of Urban Radio Forum at the Mayflower Hotel in DC. The panel discussed matters pending before the FCC, Congress, and other federal departments and agencies, that may affect broadcasters.
November
1) On November 1, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson spoke at the FORWARD CONFERENCE: RELIGIONS ENVISIONING CHANGE Conference that was be held at the National Museum of African American History & Culture – Public Programs.
2) On November 12, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson participated in the FAS-CSPO Workshop on Building Community and Federal Capacity for Public Participation in Science at Arizona State University’s DC office.
3) On November 18, 2024, MMTC Vice President Dr. Fallon Wilson gave the opening keynote for the Data 4 Black Lives conference at the Perez Art Museum in Miami, Florida. Dr. Wilson’s keynote address focused on “Our Coverings (e.g. Historic Institutions) Matter to Building Liberated Black Digital Futures.”
4) On November 20, 2024, MMTC, ALLvanza, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates, and LGBT Tech hosted an informative session on the latest developments in the Congressional infrastructure plan and its impact on modernizing telecommunications infrastructure nationwide in Washington, DC. Industry leaders, regulators, and policy experts discussed progress on key initiatives, shared effective deployment strategies, evaluated funding allocations, and addressed current implementation challenges with solutions to keep the plan on course.