|
|
Invest in MMTC and Help Expand
Our
Work in Media, Telecom & Tech!
|
MMTC Supports D.C. Circuit Court's
Net Neutrality Decision and Lifeline Remand
|
On October 1st, the D.C. Circuit Court released its net neutrality decision
affirming the
FCC's repeal of public utility regulation of the internet, and remanding regarding potential deregulatory impacts on the Lifeline program.
The decision supports MMTC's position that the internet is already open, while leaving additional flexibility for state laws
.
Further, MMTC is pleased with the Court's remand to the FCC to clarify how FCC regulation of the Lifeline Program is impacted as a result of the net neutrality regulations.
We stand firm in our belief that Congressional legislation is necessary to bring certainty and end the debate once and for all."
Read the D.C. Circuit Court decision here.
MMTC published several posts on social media that support the D.C. Circuit Court's decision:
|
Internet Hall of Fame Inducts
MMTC Board of Advisors Member, Former Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and NTIA Administrator Larry Irving
|
In September. MMTC Board of Advisors member Larry Irving, the former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, became
the first African American inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame. Irving currently serves as the president and CEO of the Irving Group, a consulting firm providing strategic advice and assistance to international telecommunications and information technology companies, foundations and non-profit organizations.
Watch a video of Irving's remarks here.
Read more about his accomplishments here.
|
NUL/MMTC Case Study Celebrates Success of Urban Apprenticeship Jobs Program Initiative under Department of Labor
|
In September 2019, MMTC and the National Urban League published a case study examining NUL's strategies and successes for diversifying America's workforce through Registered Apprenticeship, pre-apprenticeship, and workforce development programs.
The National Urban League, through its Urban Apprenticeship Jobs Program (UAJP) and in partnership with MMTC and 12 regional Urban League Affiliates, is providing underrepresented groups - primarily people of color - with Registered Apprenticeship and workforce development training, with the goal of diversifying Registered Apprenticeship (RA) programs and addressing the nation's workforce needs pursuant to a contract with the U.S. Department of Labor.
The case study includes:
-
A report on the importance of diversity and inclusion in Registered Apprenticeship.
-
5 program highlights examining some of the most successful workforce development programs at its various Affiliates.
-
8 S
uccess Stories highlighting the changes our work has made to individual lives.
-
A best practices toolkit detailing NUL's approach in the development and support of RA programs, and how the initiative's success can be replicated.
The full case study is available
here.
|
Register for MMTC's October 31st
Access to Opportunity Conference!
|
MMTC invites you to attend our inaugural
Access to Opportunity Conference on Thursday, October 31st, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Hogan Lovells Conference Center, 555 13th Street NW, Washington DC.
Our theme, "Access to Opportunity," reflects MMTC's pivotal role as a convenor and a connector that educates and trains diverse communities on law and policy, and access to capital, jobs, and other opportunities available to them in an increasingly digital economy.
At this conference, experts from government, industry, and NGOs discuss the top policy issues before the FCC, FTC, congress, and the courts on topics such as big data and antitrust; legacy media vs new media and over-the-top platforms; broadcast retransmission consent; the future of work, apprenticeships, and bridging the skills gap; piracy of copyrighted works; consumer online privacy, and the impact of facial recognition and other algorithmic technology opportunities, and biases, on communities of color.
Confirmed and invited speakers to date include: FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips, Members of Congress, the Congressional Black, Hispanic, and Asian Caucuses and their staffs, and a host of luminaries, industry experts, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs.
|
October 24th:
J
oin MMTC and Charter Communications for
Multicultural Content Creators Forum
at the DC Office of DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music & Entertainment
|
Register for the free event
here
.
|
MMTC CEO Maurita Coley Moderates
Congressional Multicultural Media Caucus Event:
'Pay TV and
Minority-Owned Media - Challenges and Opportunities in Today's Marketplace'
|
On September 25th,
MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley
moderated the
Congressional Multicultural Media Caucus'
panel discussion on "Pay TV and Minority-Owned Media: Challenges and Opportunities in Today's Marketplace" at
the Canon House Office Building in Washington, DC. The panelists included
Augusto Valdez
, Kids Central;
Jeffrey Blum
, Dish;
James Brown
, REVOLT; and
Roger Seiken
, WOW Communications.
Condista and Kids Central organized the event.
Go
here
to see the event photos.
|
MMTC President Emeritus David Honig and Board Member Steve Roberts Speak at National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters Conference
|
On October 2nd, David Honig, MMTC President Emeritus, participated in the National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters' (NABOB)
43rd Annual Fall Broadcast Management Conference and 19th Power of Urban Radio Forum. Honig served as a panelist for the Washington Update: What
Broadcasters
Need to Know panel.
Steve Roberts, a member of MMTC's Board of Directors and CEO of Roberts Broadcasting,
participated in the CEOs Discuss the Future of Broadcasting panel. He spoke about the F
CC
tax certificate and other FCC incentives to increase minority and women-owned
broadcasting
properties.
Check out photo highlights from the conference that feature FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks, NABOB President Jim Winston, MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley, MMTC Board member Steve Roberts, and others.
|
MMTC Chief of Staff Dorrissa Griffin
Moderates STEM4US! Panel at
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's
Annual Legislative Conference
|
|
During the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legislative Conference, MMTC Chief of Staff Dorrissa Griffin moderated the Energy & Telecom Leaders Conversation panel during the STEM4US! 2019 STEM & Cybersecurity Festival on September 13th. Griffin's co-panelists were Sanford Williams, Director, Federal Communications Commission's Office of Communications Business Opportunities; Pamela Isom, Deputy Chief Information Officer for Architecture, Engineering, Technology and Innovation, U.S. Department of Energy; and Conrad Samuels, SPHR - Manager, Talent Acquisition, Pepco Holdings, Inc.
|
 |
|
MMTC also participated in TECH2020 TECHWORK!, an annual networking event that connects professionals with over 30 of the world's leading tech companies, on September 13th. During the event, Black employees from the nation's tech companies and organizations, served as table coaches and discussed their experiences with attendees on how to break into the industry as a person of color. Griffin served as a table coach. MMTC had a resource table and distributed copies of its new Jumpstart Your Tech Career Guide and Jumpstart Your Tech Business Guide during the event.
Watch the video of opening remarks delivered by Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Congressman G.K. Butterfield, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Black Caucus' Diversity Task Force,
here.
Check out the photo slideshow
here.
|
MMTC's August Digital Equity Roundtable
Provides An FCC & Hill Update on Tech and Telecom: Developments Impacting
Communities of Color
|
 |
M
MTC gave its partner organizations an FCC and Hill update on tech and telecom developments impacting communities of color during the Digital Equity Roundtable on August 8th at Davis, Wright, Tremaine. The topics addressed included
the FCC's August Open Meeting votes on broadband mapping and funding deployment with USF, caller ID spoofing, and the latest legislative developments from Congress for FCC's tax certificate program and a STELAR primer.
MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley's welcoming remarks kicked off the STELAR primer discussion with
Alexander Hoehn
-
Saric from
the
U.S. House of Representatives
Committee on Energy. Other speakers included
Timothy Graham from the Office of U.S. Congressman G. K. Butterfield,
Shermaze Ingram from the
National Association of Broadcasters,
Eric Einhorn from the Office of U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, and
MMTC Vice President of Telecommunications and Spectrum Policy Dr. Rikin Thakker,
Director of Communications and Research Marcella Gadson, and Chief of Staff.
|
|
MMTC's Dr. Rikin Thakker Delivers
Workforce Development Presentation at
FCC's September Broadband Deployment Advisory
Committee Meeting
|
 On September 19th, Dr. Rikin Thakker, Vice President of Telecommunications and Spectrum Policy, participated in the FCC's Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) meeting. Currently, Dr. Thakker serves as the Vice Chair of the "Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Job Skills and Training Opportunities" Working Group of the BDAC.
During the meeting, he and the working group Chair Leticia Latino shared a presentation with the BDAC members highlighting the work completed by the working group. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr provided the opening remarks highlighting the importance of Workforce Development for 5G Readiness.
Learn more about the BDAC and watch the video of the meeting
here
(start at 1.30 mark to see FCC
Commissioner Brendan Carr's speech and 1.35 to see
Dr. Thakker's remarks).
|
|
MMTC, Board Chair Ron Johnson, and BVP Rikin Thakker, Congratulate FCC Commissioner
Brendan Carr on Receiving the
Wireless Infrastructure Association's
Wireless Workforce Champion Award
|
|
MMTC Board Chair Ronald Johnson and Vice President Dr. Rikin Thakker joined the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA) in congratulating FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr on receiving the Workforce Champion Award during the second annual WIA Awards on October 1st.
Read WIA's event summary here.
|
|
MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley Attends NAMIC Conference During Diversity Week
|
|
MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley attended the 33rd Annual National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications Conference on September 17th and 18th during Diversity Week.
Read the 2019 NAMIC-WICT Diversity Survey Executive Summary here.
|
|
MMTC was featured in the following articles.
|
On
October 3rd, David Honig, MMTC President Emeritus, spoke
at the "Demystifying Free Speech" Symposium hosted by the University of Maryland, College Park's Office o
f Diversity and Inclusion.
At the symposium, Honig addressed the topic of "Free Speech and Hate Speech" and
discussed, through case precedent, the limitations on free speech in the campus setting and in the post-graduate world.
|
Danielle A. Davis, Of Counsel at MMTC, recently accepted a position as the
Tech and
Telecom Fellow
at the National Council of Negro Women, Inc.
Congratulations, Danielle!
|
Comcast
Announces Largest
Ever Expansion of Its
Internet Essentials Program
|
In August, Comcast announced that its Internet Essentials, a broadband adoption program, had connected more than eight million people who qualify for low-cost internet service since the program was launched in 2011.
This expansion is the culmination of Comcast's to significantly close the digital divide for low-income Americans. With this expansion, Comcast is opening the door to the Internet's transformative power
to millions of additional households - including people with disabilities, parents with children either too young for school, or whose children are in college, and adults without children who need a connection to learn digital skills, search and apply for new jobs, or research medical benefits.
To be eligible to apply to the program, low-income applicants simply need to show they are participating in one of more than a dozen different government assistance programs including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and Supplemental Security Income. A
full list of these programs can be found on the
Internet Essentials
website here.
Learn more about the Internet Essentials program here.
Photo Credit: Comcast
|
|
Register for the Online Lending Policy Summit
on October 23rd in DC
|
The fourth
annual Online Lending Policy Summit
will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC, on October 23rd. The Summit is presented through the
Online Lending Policy Institute (OLPI)
founded by the
Center for Finance, Law & Policy, at Boston University, Cross River Bank and RocketLoans, with help and assistance from
ProBank Austin
.
Now in its fourth year, the Summit continues to grow and has become the premier destination for regulatory thought leadership and industry best practice in marketplace lending. The Summit will have over 300 attendees at the 2019 event, making it the largest ever that will feature some of the biggest names in marketplace lending and fintech today. The Summit is the highlight event for OLPI and entire industry where we convene policy makers, regulators, industry participants and experts to address the most pressing challenges in fintech and online lending.
Register here and receive a 33% discount off of the regular admission price when you use the MMTIC33 code.
MMTC is serving as a media partner for the Summit.
|
|
MMTC CEO Maurita Coley Speaks at National Association of Latino Elected Officials Conference on October 25th
|
On October 25th, MMTC President and CEO Maurita Coley
will speak on the "
Future of 5G Mobile Technology: Challenges and Implication
s" session
at the
NALEO Educational Fund's Legislative Summit 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
in Las Vegas, Nevada.
NALEO Educational Fund's Legislative Summit will provide state legislators with the enhanced capacity and governance skills they need to become more effective advocates for their constituents as they prepare for their next legislative sessions. Participants who attend this two-day convening will hear from leading experts who will share the latest research and best practices regarding upcoming and pressing policy matters that impact the success of their states and communities.
The NALEO Educational Fund
is the nation's leading non-profit, non-partisan organization that facilitates full Latino participation in the American political process, from citizenship to public service.
|
|
MMTC Vice President Dr. Rikin Thakker
Will Speak at DC5G Conference in November
|
|
The DC5G Conference will be held on November 4th and 5th at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City in Arlington, VA. The
DC5G Conference is where business and leadership merge with technology and strategy. Designed for C-suite and senior executives responsible for keeping their company competitive in today's global economy, delegates will dive into case studies, explore public-private partnership strategies, and hear success stories from use cases on the cutting edge of 5G.
Dr. Rikin Thakker, MMTC Vice President of Telecom and Spectrum Policy, will moderate the "W
ho's Paying for 5G Infrastructure? Alternative Funding Mechanisms" panel on November 4th from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
|
Have you seen
MMTC TV yet? Go
here to watch videos of MMTC's Broadband and Social Justice Summits and Access to Capital and Telecom Policy Conferences.
|
MMTC's August and September Social Media Highlights
Learn more about MMTC's work by visiting our Wakelet Blog:
|
Help Expand MMTC's Work in Media, Telecom & Tech!
With our nonpartisan values of diversity and inclusion, MMTC continues to pursue our work with great determination notwithstanding our modest resources.
We
offer our sincere appreciation for support in helping us deliver our world-class advocacy, convenings, and policy leadership in industries regulated by the Federal Communications Commission.
TO SUPPORT MMTC, YOU CAN DONATE IN TWO WAYS:
- Fellowship: Help the next generation of media and telecom lawyers and policy professionals to advocate on behalf of our nation's multicultural, women, and underserved communities by investing in the new Henry M. Rivera Fellowship. Other fellowships you are invited to support are the Cathy Hughes and Earle K. Moore fellowships.
- General: Make a donation to general support.
MMTC is recognized by the IRS under 26 U.S.C. ยง501(c)(3). All contributions are tax-deductible.
Your support makes it possible for MMTC to serve as an advocate for diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity in the nation's most important industries.
Thank You!
|
|
The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) is a non-partisan, national nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving equal opportunity in the mass media, telecom and broadband industries, and closing the digital divide. MMTC is generally recognized as the nation's leading advocate for multicultural advancement in communications. We strongly believe that the breathtaking changes in communications technology and the new global forms of media partnerships must enhance diversity in the 21st century.
|
|
