July 7, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode of “The UMB Pulse,” Kenya Asli, JD ’08, director of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Broadband and Digital Equity, shares how she blended her Maryland Carey Law degree with her social work degree to help close the digital divide in Baltimore.
Asli discusses the city’s broadband strategy, initiatives to provide public Wi-Fi and digital resources, partnerships with local internet service providers, and the role of makerspaces in fostering creativity and innovation.
00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Kenya Asli
01:47 Kenya's Educational Journey and Career Path
07:27 Advice for New Graduates
11:43 Role and Goals of the Office of Broadband and Digital Equity
15:46 Challenges and Solutions in Baltimore's Internet Access
20:37 Public WiFi and Consumer Protection
22:22 Addressing the Equity Issue in Baltimore's Internet Service
23:43 Expanding Fiber Infrastructure for New ISPs
24:34 The Importance of Internet Access in Modern Life
25:38 UMB's Partnership with Waves for Free Internet
26:18 Challenges and Innovations in Providing Reliable Internet
29:12 Public Wifi and Device Accessibility in Baltimore
32:42 Empowering Seniors with Technology
36:22 Bringing Technology to the Community with Mobile Units
39:16 The Rise of Makerspaces in Baltimore
42:49 Personal Preferences and Final Thoughts
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
So welcome back to the UMB Pulse!Today, we're here talking all things
tech and equity with one of UMB'sown Maryland Carey Law alums, a
shaker and a mover who's pushingBaltimore City into the future.
Today's guest is absolutely oneof those people, Kenya Asli.
Uh, she's bridging the digitaldivide right here in Baltimore City.
(00:21):
She's the director, uh, of the Mayor'sOffice of Broadband and Digital
Equity, which means it's all abouthigh speed internet public access, and
Kenya is the one steering that ship.
I think what's great about her story,like so many of the guests that we've
had recently, Charles, is that shestarted out at Morgan State University.
(00:42):
She studied social work.
She went on to graduate schoolhere at UMB and wound up with a law
degree and as we'll hear her explain.
Her path has kind of taken her somewherewhere she didn't exactly think that, you
know, she wasn't planning to be whereshe is today, but she's doing a bang up
job working for the city, making change.
And you know, I tell my kids allthe time, like they're young adults,
(01:05):
and I'm like, where you are todayin your job is not necessarily where
you're going to be in 10 or 15 years.
And we've had a few guests recentlywho've had that same kind of trajectory.
Right.
So it sounds like her career went fromdial up to DSLs, to now she's kicking
into high gear with that gigabit fiber.
So let's dive in and hit theinternet superhigh with Kenya Asli
(01:33):
You are listening to the heartbeatof the University of Maryland,
Baltimore, the UMB Pulse.
Kenya, I'd like to just thank you forjoining us today, one of our very own
Maryland Carey Law alum, here to spreadthe, the word about the good works
(01:56):
that you do here in Baltimore City.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm excited to be here.
We appreciate it.
And, um, to, to jump right in with whatI just alluded to, you are a graduate
from UMB and you also have a, um, anundergrad from Morgan in, um, social work.
So I'm very, yes, very curious.
(02:17):
Like did you originally, was thatyour original intended path of study?
Did you know where you were going with it?
I kind of imagine, yeah, when yougot that, that degree, maybe this
job that you're in now didn'teven really exist, so tell us.
No, it didn't.
After completing my undergrad from MorganState University in social work, I knew
(02:38):
that I wanted to go a step further.
Uh, Morgan gave me a greatfoundation in working with
neighborhoods and communities, but.
I knew that there was something bigger.
There were folks like BarbaraMikulski who had, uh, really
influenced a lot of my decision.
I had a great boss at the time, his nameis Michael Sarbanes, who said, Kenya
you really ought to consider law school?
(02:59):
And so I did.
And my time at the University ofMaryland, Carey Law was awesome because
I was able to marry what I learnedabout the conditions in Baltimore City
with what I was learning in law school.
So I felt like I gave myselfa custom designed education
(03:22):
because we we're property law.
I questions about tenant landlordsand knowing, because I was already
working with folks that were, uh,facing some challenges in that area.
So I was able to apply what I was actuallydoing full- time because I went to
school full time and I worked full-time.
So I was able to apply what I was doingevery day in Baltimore City neighborhoods
(03:45):
to my education at UMB, and it worked.
It was great.
And so, so what did you think youwere eventually going to do with it?
So, you know how we have these.
These ideas, these thoughts, these plans.
Life rarely ever goes that way.
(04:06):
So once I started thinking, onceI started in law school, I really
got interested in family law.
I was turning completelyaway from the community work.
It was great, I'd done it, but I gotvery, very interested in family law.
So after law school I workedwith, um, a local attorney.
(04:28):
She is.
Tatarsha Harris, she is a family attorneyand said, listen, I'm not, and I'm,
I don't, and I'm, I'm not sure if I'mready to fully commit, but can I at
least work with you for a little bit?
Can I clerk with you for a littlebit so I get some experience?
And I did.
And it was great.
It was, it was a lot ofwork and I still felt torn.
(04:51):
There were issues that were, that that,that were very important to me that
I was not working on in family law.
So I went back to the community work.
I actually started working for BaltimoreCity Department of uh, Public Works.
Then I went over to the Mayor'sOffice of Criminal Justice.
From there, um, I started workingfor the Baltimore City Office
(05:15):
of Information and Technology.
I had no idea that I would end up there,but I will say this, I will say this.
I had a friend, I had a friend who was,and she was actually a student over at
the School of Social Work, Universityof Maryland School of Social Work, and
she says, Kenya, I want you to tell me.
(05:36):
If there is a class that you lawyerstake that tell you you can do anything,
and just as I say, you know what, if Iever take that class, I'll let you know.
Sure enough, there was a seminar.
All of the, uh, graduating lawstudents were called into the
ceremonial courtroom and one of theirprofessors, Brenda Bratton Blum,
(05:59):
I am calling names Professor Blum.
She gave us this speech, and oneof the things that she said is,
you can do anything, she said,you have the skills, you have the
experience, you have the relationships.
You have the depth of knowledge thatwill allow you to do just about anything.
(06:21):
And sure enough, the skills that I learnedfrom UMB, the relationships I developed
at UMB, the ability to apply all of that.
To technology, to workforce development,to, to law, to any, any area that, uh,
that I decided to, to, to work in it.
(06:43):
It's worked.
I've actually had, uh, my formerCIO say, Kenya, you are unique.
She, he said, I can drop you into anyarea, any topic, and you will apply
your skillset and you always deliver.
So that's what I got from theUniversity of Maryland School of Law.
Carey Law.
I, it would, it's beenan amazing experience.
(07:07):
That fantastic.
That sounds wonderful.
Like, um, it, it's good to bea Jack or Jill of all trades.
I, I really think of, of, ofhaving that broad education.
That's where, you know, liberalarts education is great for, and
it's, it's even better when youget that exposure in a professional
and a, and a graduate school too.
So.
With all that said, based on yourjourney, we have some fresh graduates
(07:31):
from Maryland Carey Law this year.
So what advice would you give themas they're trying to figure out
their journey now that they, youknow, have that degree in hand?
Okay.
If you already know what you wannado, there are folks, I had some, uh,
classmates who, they were, as a matterof fact, Nancy, I had a classmate
(07:52):
who was already a surgeon, so I went,I went to the, to the night school.
It's a little different feeling.
So, um, I had a, she was actually thehead of, of surgery for a local hospital,
but she was, she was in law school.
So if you already know where you wannafocus, you know, you have a passion for
(08:13):
health, you know you have a passion forcybersecurity, you know what, what your
passions are, then you're probably set.
But if you like me, andthere are a few of us.
Like me, if you have a very clear skillsetthat UMB helps you to develop, you get to
(08:34):
choose where you work and how you work.
So my, my advice to you is tofigure out where your passions
are and apply your skillset there.
And don't just stop there.
I will say while I was in lawschool, my children were very young.
One in daycare and onein elementary school.
(08:55):
I taught my children, if you everwant anything from me, I gave them.
For those of you who have not attendedlaw school, we call it CRACK or IRAC.
It's conclusion, rule analysis,conclusion, or the issue.
The rule.
The analysis.
The conclusion.
So my children now, even whenthey were younger, mom, I
really want to go to this dance.
(09:16):
Okay?
My answer is no.
Now you have to convince meotherwise, and they would use.
They would use that outlineto craft their argument.
So, and they are actually, my daughteris a therapist and my son is in IT.
So, um, it works.
It's, it's that, it's theskills that you get, it's the
relationships that you can develop.
(09:37):
And not only that, because you areattending University of Maryland,
Carey Law in Maryland, right?
So because you're in Maryland, youget to really get your feet not
just wet, but covered, drenched.
What's happening in, in our state.
So when I am communicating,we do a lot of advocacy.
(09:58):
Um, with a general assembly, my abilityto walk into any senator or delegate's
office and communicate the issuesthat we're working on in a very clear
way that I know they'll understand.
I learned how to dothat through law school.
You learn how to advocate, you learn,you figure out how to communicate
(10:18):
with, um, your elected officials.
Very well through thatlaw school experience.
So what I'd say to anyone'sgraduating, focus on your skills.
Be clear about what your skill, whatyour skillset is, and then apply it
to a place that turns you on a placethat, that, that reflects your passions.
(10:39):
For anyone graduating, I wouldrecommend you focus on your skills.
Think about what your, um.
What, what tools you have in yourtool set and then apply it to an issue
that, um, also ignites your passions.
I,I think your, uh, kids learned well,
I'm just imagining them taking out someposter board and be like, mom, here's
(11:01):
a five point analysis of why we haveto go to Hershey Park this summer.
Oh, they would do that summer.
They.
Oh, oh yes.
In the summers I'm atwork, they're at home.
So it, they, they wereready to leave the house.
Like, no, no, no, no, no.
You're gonna write it.
You're gonna read a book, oryou're going to read an article.
I want a summary on the articleand you know the outline format.
(11:23):
Uh, I wanna know what your positionis and apply that outline format.
Tell me what you think.
So, yes, my kids are excellentat debate, by the way.
I bet, I bet they learn from the best.
That's.
So now moving to the presentKenya, um, for your current role.
So what does the Office of Broadbandand Digital Equity do and what's your,
(11:45):
you know, day and day out outlook?
Like?
The Office of Broadband Digital Equity,we are a program of the Baltimore City
Office of Information and Technology.
Um, our charge for the mostpart is to close the digital
divide in Baltimore City.
Now, that sounds huge, but we'vebroken it down into four goals.
(12:08):
We know that the digital divide is closedonce all Baltimore City residents have
access to a computing device, they,and they know how to use that device.
Number two, all BaltimoreCity residents have access to
technical assistance and training.
(12:30):
That's two and three.
And then number four is all BaltimoreCity residents have access to
high speed, reliable internet.
Now, how did a person with a lawdegree get into this conversation?
I'll tell you what happened.
I was the director of strategicinitiatives for for BCIT,
(12:55):
and I was actually hired.
I used to call myself the Olivia Pope for,so anyone who's ever watched Scandal, I
was the Olivia Pope of of BCIT becausemy boss would say, something's broken.
I need you to go over there and fix it.
Now, that is absolutely the roleof an attorney in a lot of ways.
But my job was to fix challenges, fixedproblems, and I was working on any
(13:19):
number of, um, IT related projects fromuh, figuring out all of our contracts,
coming up with some kind of contractsmatrix to, uh, negotiating a better
deal for, uh, software implementation.
Right?
So I was the jack of all trades and thenCOVID hit and my boss said, um, we've
(13:42):
got a ton of computers in, in storage.
How can we help Baltimore City schools?
Because we knew that.
Baltimore City Schoolstudents were going home.
Many of them did not have devices.
So what could we do?
I figured it out and that turned into,hey, so we have this broadband strategy
that we haven't really done anything with.
(14:05):
Can you make it happen?
And so I did, and we very, very quicklyoperationalized the strategy that had
been sitting on the shelf for quitesome time and a couple years later.
Uh, I am the director ofBroadband digital Equity.
So day in, day out right now I amworking on developing a revenue model
(14:29):
for long-term sustainability of digitalequity in Baltimore city, especially
in this, this political climate.
That's what day in, day out looks like.
I am, I'm actually onmy other screen here.
Analyzing.
Analyzing Baltimore City policy toensure that Baltimore city agencies are
thinking about digital equity as we arecommunicating and working with the public.
(14:54):
I have an amazing team of, uh, of folkswho are, we are, we are, uh, managing
grants for, uh, nonprofit organizations.
And I have a huge infrastructure projectwhere we are actually building out our
middle miles little, the middle mile is.
(15:16):
Is very important infrastructurethat allows new ISPs to attach to our
infrastructure to provide connectivityto residents and businesses.
So, but I had to figure all that out.
Again, the thing about having a lawdegree in it, if you don't know anything
about it, when you start and you have tolearn all of it, it's, it's interesting
(15:39):
to be the lawyer in the IT space.
I bet.
I bet.
What's the number one comment thatyou hear from city residents about
either internet or technology?
Number one comment is there is one,one internet provider in the city
(15:59):
actively operating in the city now.
That's Comcast becausethey are the only one.
The number one comment is we thinkresidents think that if we have
more competition, we'd have, uh,better prices, different packages.
They want variety as opposedto feeling pigeonholed into
(16:20):
working with the one and only.
So.
We've taken up the charge and we actuallyhave, we have a new, at least two new ISPs
coming into Baltimore City, uh, by theend of this year, as a matter of fact.
So I'm excited to, I'm excited about that.
But the number one comment, the one thingthat everybody in Baltimore City wants is
they want more, they want more options.
(16:41):
They want more opportunities.
Comcast is a, is also a cablecompany and a lot of folks are
cutting the cord on cable and they'reswitching to streaming services.
So how do you do that?
So, yeah, the number oneis we need more options.
Makes sense.
Makes sense.
And then in comparison, what's thetop, um, or what's the top, at the
(17:02):
top of mind for businesses when itcomes to internet or digital equity?
For businesses?
It's almost the, the samecomment, but what I'm hearing from
businesses is we want more options.
We want more affordable options.
That's the thing.
We've got even on the,for residents, we've.
We are hearing, uh, residents whoare paying 200 bucks a month for
(17:26):
what they call the triple play andthey don't even own a home phone.
The triple play includesa phone line, right?
But you get, you get sold a packagebecause if you bundle, you save, right?
Yep.
That's, and our businesses are saying,Hey, we some businesses who, larger
corporations, they've already gotit figured out, but for your smaller
(17:46):
businesses, a lot of your storefronts.
So for our small businesses, whatwe're hearing is it's not just
about the options for them, but alsohaving options for their customers,
especially for like your restaurants.
And they want their customers to beable to log on to, to internet and
use that, use the the resource whilethey, they are shopping or dining.
(18:09):
So Baltimore City has launched a, apublic wifi network, primarily at,
uh, rec centers and senior centers.
But we are going to deploy our publicwifi to one of the main streets.
As you all may know, BaltimoreCity has 10 Main Streets districts,
and these main streets districtsare for small businesses.
(18:31):
They have a ton of small businesses.
So we are launching a public wifi alongthe Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street.
It should go live bySeptember of this year.
That's, um.
It's incredible that, that,um, that's being done.
What's the question oftop of mind of tourists?
'cause I'm imagining for myself, likewhat you're saying about free internet.
(18:53):
When I go to big cities, uh, it's like,okay, I, I, my cell signal's not working.
I need to post or needto find where I'm going.
I'm trying to find, to see if there'smaybe free wifi, you know, from
the city or the tourism agency.
Yeah.
That least can get me connected.
And so what happens is I'll be frustratedmaybe going to an event or something,
(19:13):
and it's like all the free WiFi'sfor everybody who lives there because
it's, you know, offered as like freeXfinity wifi or I forget, uh, there
was a provider in Florida that waseverywhere in Tampa that was like,
well, I'm not a subscriber for that.
And so it's, it's.
It creates a, uh, an exclusive clubfor residents and as a tourist.
So like, I, I wanna promotehow much fun I'm having in your
(19:35):
city, but I can't right now.
Yeah.
So Baltimore City, if you are, especiallyif you're in the downtown area, there is
a public wifi network anyone can tap into.
I, but that's in our tourist area.
Mm-hmm.
Our residents and ourbusinesses are also interested.
So we are all you have todo, you go to FreeBMoreWiFi.
(19:56):
You can log right into our public wifi.
It's again, free.
I will tell you we did.
It was, so we had, we had the,we thought we had the best name
for our public wifi network.
It was like, uh, CharmCity, uh, free wifi.
And we did a, a little sessionwith some neighborhood leaders
(20:16):
and they said, the first thingyou wanna do is change the name.
Like, excuse me, he said, all folkswant to know is that it is free.
It's in Bmore and it's wifi, so wechanged the name to FreeBmoreWiFi
so that anyone can, can tap in.
That's great.
Um, you brought up a, an interestingpoint about the affordability and,
(20:39):
and having a single ISP provider.
, You're not.
Um, unique in the sense that a lot ofareas only have one provider, or maybe
I know, um, for a, for a long time outin Washington County where I grew up,
you had a local company Antietam cable.
Now in Antietam Broadband was the.
(20:59):
Uh, a majority, uh, carrierfor the county, but then you
had a pocket, uh, near Hancock.
Another pocket near Sharpsburgwas exclusively Comcast, and
now Comcast is entering there.
And so people are happy to havethat competition now there.
But I was wondering like how much I.
Your office may work with like, um,consumer protection offices, um,
(21:21):
through either the state or otheragencies about, you know, pricing and,
and competition and things like that.
Because, you know, you, youtouched on like a common complaint.
I, I think we've alltried to do, it's like.
You got that you got locked in forlike the two year agreement, perhaps
you had a low price and the old model,I would say 10 plus years ago, you
used to be able to negotiate a lowerprice or have that, you know, I only
(21:44):
need two items or I only need one.
And then there'd be like a real savings.
And now it feels like you're being gaslitwhere it's like, well actually if you
do less, you're gonna be paying more.
Let's keep having the three, whichis not gonna be any cheaper, but
it's just gonna be the same price.
Doesn't it look like a savings to you?
And you're like, well, Iliterally have no other option.
And so I just, I'm sure you'veheard that comment a lot.
(22:07):
We do.
So, you know, if you live in BaltimoreCity, you hear often that, uh,
residents in the county surrounding,they just, they have more options.
They have Verizon and they have Comcast,and they, they, they have more options.
I. Then one of the questions I get,I have gotten, especially when we,
(22:28):
when I'm out talking to neighborhoodassociations in particular, the number
one question for me is, why is that?
Why is there just one company?
And I'll tell you the answer reallyis it's, it's an equity issue.
So in Baltimore City, Comcast.
(22:51):
I have to be very clear, Comcasthas been a great partner.
They, uh, work with us on anumber of important issues.
They are always at the table.
They have been a great partner.
So I wanna make sure thateveryone hears me say that I am.
Yes, they have been a great partner.
Um, but what, what I'm hearing from otherISPs, other internet service providers
(23:15):
about why they aren't in Baltimore.
It's because fiber is kingand fiber is expensive.
And so to pull fiber through all ofBaltimore City in order to compete with
Comcast is going to cost millions anda lot of ISP just cannot, they have
(23:37):
not decided to make that investment.
So that's where my office comes in.
So what we've done.
We have expanded the infrastructure,our fiber infrastructure, to just
about every neighborhood in BaltimoreCity so that a new ISP can piggyback.
(23:57):
We call it piggyback, or they canlease our infrastructure in order
to provide service in any numberof neighborhoods in Baltimore City.
That is.
The one thing I am most proud of inthe time that I've spent in this role
is that our team, they've been ableto really level the playing field in
(24:20):
Baltimore City, and again, we've got atleast two new internet service providers.
Entering the BaltimoreCity market in 2025.
That is massive.
I, the one of them is going to make anannouncement in June, and I've, I've, I've
been told not to say who they are justyet, but in this year for Baltimore City
(24:40):
residents this year, things are changingand that's, that's really important
because not only is the internet.
We, a lot of us take, takethe internet for granted.
Not only is it important, but yougotta understand that nowadays
80% of jobs are now online,right?
(25:01):
92% of US jobs require digital skills.
So it's not enough tobe able to get online.
You gotta be able to figure out,get, know how to use the computer
and navigate online so it's not just.
A great asset or resourceto have in your home?
It honestly, now it's a utility.
It is the difference between thrivingand surviving and, um, in this economy.
(25:29):
Talking about affordable interinternet and free internet.
Um, UMB, we've been doing our part.
Um, we've been a strong partner withWaves, which used to be known as Project
Waves, installing wifi towers, antennas,and relays in buildings in West Baltimore.
Uh, that's both on the top of the UMBCommunity Engagement Center and over
at the, uh, Poppleton Bio Park Garage.
(25:51):
Um, a lot of that happenedduring the pandemic.
Mm-hmm.
And I know that they had.
Uh, connected and upwards of300 families to free internet.
Mm-hmm.
And I know that they're doingsimilar work thanks to a grant,
uh, through, through the city, theConnect Baltimore Grant program.
How important has that grantprogram been and Waves and
trying to kind of fill that gap?
(26:12):
Great question.
Um, so Waves is a local nonprofitinternet service provider.
They've been operating nowfrom the early days of COVID.
And you know what Charles, their businessmodel has changed a wee bit and we have
supported this, this new version of Waves.
(26:32):
So initially, to your point, initially,uh, Waves was using, um, uh, wifi towers.
And that, that's a great option.
Creates a mesh network.
It's a great option, but it doesn'tgive you the reliability, uh, because
you gotta have that line of sight.
Your equipment has to be in clear lineof sight of the antenna, and if something
(26:52):
happens, then you lose connectivity.
So waves, they are nowin the fiber business.
They have partnered with a local company.
And they are able to use fiberto do, uh, lots of connections
all over the, all over the city.
We recently gave them a $2 milliongrant to continue that work and
(27:15):
through that work thus far, we gavethem, I think they got their, they,
we approved them just this year.
Thus far they have 13, um, uh,apartment buildings connected.
Out of those, those 13, over 727 residentsare now getting free internet through
(27:35):
waves and they've only just begun.
Uh, so it's really important where wecan to help build the capacity of local
internet service providers because.
Waves understands the community.
They partner very well with, uh,property owners that they, they can
get in, they provide the connections,but they go a step further.
(27:58):
They were also a partner with us on our50,000 Chromebook giveaway initiative.
So they were able to, uh, the, quitea few of, first, let me go back.
So we partnered with Pratt Library.
We got a grant from the state todistribute 50,000 Chromebooks and Waves.
(28:19):
They were able to distribute a lot ofthose Chromebooks through their customers
and a number of these, these properties.
So they are a importantand strategic partner.
Are, are they replacing the, likethe wifi towers with the fiber or
are they still leaving some of theold infrastructure up for the, the
neighborhoods that they partnered with?
(28:40):
Um, I think they're doing both.
I think they, their work, their intothe fiber world is relatively new, so
I think they we're going to see a greatexpansion from Waves in the future.
Okay.
Great.
So Kenya, you mentioned in aWYPR interview recently how it's
important to have wifi availableto someone versus a computer lab,
(29:00):
a freestanding type computer lab.
Is there still a placefor public computer labs?
Alrighty.
So, right now in BaltimoreCity, about 60% of homes have a
dedicated wireline connection.
That means that they have fiber or,um, uh, for Comcast, Comcast uses,
(29:23):
uh, coaxial connection, but theyhave a connection to their home.
What a lot of folks who don'thave a dedicated line at home,
they rely on wifi, public wifi.
So what we've done is knowingthat folks want to have this
continuity of connectivity.
(29:44):
You wanna be able to, if you'rehome and you have connection in your
home, you're great to use it at home.
At the moment you leave yourhouse, you have to get to the next
wifi location if you don't havea data plan on your cell phone.
And we know about, we knowquite a few Baltimore City
residents don't have a data plan.
(30:05):
They on a month to month, um, plan.
So what we've done is.
We have partnered with senior centers and10 senior centers, I'm sorry, eight senior
centers and uh, 46 recreation centersnow have indoor and outdoor public wifi.
But we didn't stop there because itisn't enough to just have the connection.
(30:27):
Wifi or broadband is just the connection.
What does it mean to be able todo your homework on a cell phone?
Right.
You got, you have to also have a device.
So, uh, we brought in, we broken adeal between in our Pratt Library
and, um, the Baltimore City Departmentof Recreations and Parks to deploy
(30:49):
Chromebooks to every recreation centerthat does not already have a, um.
A computer lab.
So that is roughly 20 recreation centersthat do not have a dedicated computer lab.
So let me explain whatthe landscape looks like.
Now, I want you to imagine thatyou are, um, a third grader
(31:12):
living in Baltimore City.
You may have a cell phone that yourparents gave you when you're home.
You have, uh, siblings and parentsthat are also using the computer.
If you wanna get on that computer toeither do your homework or or just
to, just to go on Facebook or TikTok.
Right?
So it may be a line at homeif you only have one device.
(31:35):
So now in all Baltimore City neighborhoodsthat have access to a rec center,
you can go to the rec center, you canborrow a device, use that device on
site, and tap into our public wifi.
All of this is for free.
(31:55):
And as long as the rec center isopen, you can use that device.
I have heard a couple of stories where,um, young people have, uh, pushed
the envelope and kept the rec centeropen a little longer than needed.
But you can now do, uh, you canconduct business, you can have a
telehealth appointment, you can dowhatever you need to do now in a rec
(32:19):
center using one of these devices.
So.
Now you can.
So to make sure I'm answering yourquestion, Dana, you can now access
through public wifi, a deviceand connectivity in a rec center.
Now, if you are at a senior center, oursenior students are a little different.
(32:40):
If you are at a seniorcenter, one of our eight.
You can access a, uh, the publicwifi that's easy, indoor and outdoor.
But I gotta tell you, Dana, whatwe learned from older adults,
they said they do not like.
The mouse pad.
I didn't know this.
They do not like the mouse pad.
They don't, they don't wanta Chromebook or anything that
(33:02):
had, they want an actual mouse.
Better yet, what they told uswas, can I just get a tablet?
They just want a tablet.
They wanna be able to hold it intheir hand and use the tablet.
So what we are doing is we areoutfitting our eight um, senior
centers with devices and not just.
(33:22):
Not just tablets.
Not just computers.
Okay.
Charles, I want you all to imagine we,'cause again, with older adults, you
gotta help them learn the skills, right?
So I'm tickled to to report this,but it's an electronic bingo.
So I want you just, just for asecond mentioned if everybody
(33:43):
had an electronic bingo card.
It also has an electronic bingo, agame that's reporting the numbers,
but it gives our older adults anopportunity to practice some of
the skills that they are learning.
We're also using, um, virtual realitygoggles and technology at, at our
(34:05):
senior centers to give our older adultssome ex. Other world experiences.
So yes, you can learn digital skillsthrough virtual reality, but you can also
take a trip to, I don't know, to Kenya.
My name is Kenya.
You can take a trip to Kenya.
If you can imagine, Google Earth hasthis interface that there's a program.
(34:27):
Through, um, virtual reality where youcan experience other countries, you can,
you can take a trip to Italy if you like.
So having those kind of enrichmentactivities at our senior
centers has been game changing.
It's, it's making sure that our olderadults are still very much engaged.
They are learning the skillsthey are experiencing, uh,
(34:48):
the broadband connectivity.
And so for us it's a win-win, win.
So they just are bypassingthat built in mouse pad.
They just wanna go right to, you know, AIRight to AI.
So I guess if you wanna be on thecutting edge of technology, go to
a senior center in Baltimore City.
There you go.
And so what you're basically sayingis the old time computer labs really
(35:09):
are kind of fading away and justbecoming more, modernized, more, yeah.
Catered to what people needEven in our rec centers.
Um.
The ones that don't have, some ofthem have dedicated computer labs.
Those are much larger locations,and they use those for training.
But when you think about how you use yourcomputer at home, like in Middle Branch.
(35:30):
Middle Branch is a recreation, isa recreation center in Cherry Hill,
you can borrow a computer and justsit on one of the sofas right near
the front door, relaxed, you know?
Surfing the web, right?
You don't have to sit infront of the computer.
It isn't, isn't nailed to the, to thetable, but it, it provides a more, um,
(35:51):
relaxed, uh, social environment thatcreate, let, let's down that barrier
to entry for a lot of folks who havesome anxiety around using computers.
So computer labs have theirrole, especially for training.
When you wanna just surf the net, youwant that same experience out, out in
(36:11):
the community that you may have at home.
This partnership hasallowed us to do that.
. So Kenya, when you are looking at cities,say across the country, and mm-hmm.
You might identify a city who's doingsomething really great, they're,
they're, you know, making a difference.
What is it that you're bringing hometo Baltimore that you're saying,
this is what we should be doing here.
(36:33):
Like, let's figure out andimplement what they're doing
that's working in our own city.
Okay.
You know what?
There are so many great examples.
Short answer.
Short answer, I have brought here.
Um, I'll tell you onefrom my Smart City days.
(36:54):
I was on a panel at, uh, again, atmy tenure with the Baltimore City
Office of Information and Technology.
I've worn quite a few hats.
One of them was as ourSmart City strategist.
So I was on a panel with someonefrom New Orleans and they said, you
know, part of the challenge is ourresidents really want to understand
(37:18):
how we're using our city watch cameras.
How a 3 1 1 actually operates.
When you, when you submit a requestfor service, how does that work?
Why am I not getting the feedback?
So what New Orleans did was theygot a van that they outfitted
with all this technology.
And they take the van into communities,open up the back doors, and then
(37:42):
allow the residents to take a peekinto the technical world, I guess,
of, uh, New Orleans government.
Well, I, I brought thatidea back to Baltimore.
We have, we are getting a van.
The van will be outfitted with our,uh, public wifi so I can park it in a
neighborhood, turn it on, and everyone,um, in about a, uh, 50 foot, you
(38:07):
know, don't quote me on the distance,but everyone in the vicinity will
be able to tap into our public wifi.
We will be able to open up the back doorsand help residents learn more about.
What we're doing in BaltimoreCity in terms of technology.
Um, also under BCIT is our City Watchprogram and a lot of, a lot of folks have
(38:29):
questions about our Crime Watch cameras.
Well, we can show you what ourcrime watch cameras are doing.
So that's one of the thingsthat I, I brought back that I'm
really, really excited about.
And we should be, I think we are goingto go live with our van this fall.
Nice.
That sounds like basically the,the 21st century bookmobile almost.
(38:54):
Yes.
Bringing the books to the peoplewhile you're bringing technology
to the people, you know.
Yes.
Wheel, wheel it around that.
That'd be really cool.
. We are in the creator economy andpeople they are creating and not just
content, they're creating tangiblethings thanks to, uh, technology and.
We just had a, a recent announcementthat our Office of Community and
(39:15):
Civic Engagement just launched anew partnership with Open Works,
which is one of the nation'slargest, uh, nonprofit maker spaces.
So they're gonna be expanding the,the programming and the access to
the hands-on makerspace that wehave for West Baltimore residents.
And I just think it's really coolto be able to, you know, do or learn
(39:35):
3D printing, laser cutting differentsewing techniques to, to make
different things and vinyl design.
What Open Works is helping us dois be the operating partner for
Steven Mim Dubin Makerspace atthe Community Engagement Center.
So I know they have a presence throughoutthe city and you know, we just talked
(39:56):
about computer labs and their roles.
Well, this is a different labfor a very different reason,
uh, and newer technology.
So, um, you know, how do youview the rise of maker spaces
in their role within the city?
I think that it is Great.
So let me just say, I am a memberof the, uh, Baltimore, uh, Tool
(40:18):
Library, and when I made my firstcoffee table, I went to Home Depot
and bought a whole bunch of tools.
So I, not only do I approve, but I'malso, I'm also a member of the Makerspace.
And I'll tell you, um.
One of the most amazing makerspace thatI've seen here in Baltimore City is at
(40:39):
the Enoch Pratt Central Library, buttheir space is restricted for teens only.
They have 3D printing.
They have crickets.
They have everything thatyou mentioned, Charles.
They have it in a restricted area.
For teens only, which I thinkis an amazing investment.
(41:01):
Um, and I, I think, oh, I'll, I'lltell you Open Works specifically, but
just as an example, but Open Worksdid something, uh, kinda awesome.
Early days of COVID.
This is, this is a great example ofthe importance of the makerspace.
They created these, uh, charging stations.
(41:26):
These solar powered charging stationsthat also emit a wifi signal, and
they had two different models.
One was mobile so you can setit up and move around, and the
other was pretty stationary.
We actually funded them inour first round of grants.
Um, but that just gives you an exampleof, uh, the ingenuity and innovation
(41:51):
that's coming out of the makerspaces.
You see some very interestingsolutions to everyday problems.
And again, I have a, now that I'm,now that I'm in tech from law school
to tech, now that I'm in tech, I verymuch appreciate, um, those, I call that
smart city designs because that's theplace where people and technology meet.
(42:17):
Very cool.
I know I've recently been in ourmakerspace and just watching the
community in there using the different.
I know, I wouldn't call them products, butthe, the different things that they can
use, like you said, the cricket and thetools and it's, it is really exciting to
see somebody create something with theirown hands that they take home and they
(42:38):
feel good about, and it's functional.
They can use it.
So, mm-hmm.
About that too.
Okay.
I have a, a partingquestion for you, Kenya.
You're, I'm ready.
Super savvy.
We've learned, not only are you socialwork, your law and your tech, what's
your, what's your go-to PC or a Mac?
Oh, I'm a PC, Android girlfor the rest of my life,
(43:00):
I wouldn't have guessed thatI am p.
I am p. I am Android, I am pc.
I just think that it's somuch easier to use, uh.
For the rest of my life.
No.
It's funny, in, um, government,I have a lot of friends that
work for, uh, federal government.
They're all, they're iPhones.
They are Mac.
Yeah.
(43:20):
I don't understand it at all.
But the moment there's this ongoingbattle that we have, the moment.
I lose my phone or I can't access, they'relike, see, if you had just switched to
iPhone, you wouldn't have these problems.
And the moment they get lockedup, like, wait, if you just, if
you just switch to Android, right?
Once they get their virus.
Once they get their virus.
So yeah, I am definitely aPC, Android kind of girl.
(43:45):
Well, Charles, I owe you $5.
Darn.
Well, Kenya, thank you so much.
If there's anything we've left out,you know, be sure to let us know.
We'll add it to the show notes.
But we appreciate you being on.
We certainly, as I said at the onset,we love to promote our UMB alumni,
especially when you're doing reallymeaningful, important work like you are.
(44:05):
So thank you.
It was wonderful meeting you and wewish you continued successes and look
forward to seeing where you are in 10years, because I'm sure you're gonna.
Find a new, a new path 'causeyou just seem to keep that.
That is very true.
Thank you.
(44:26):
The UMB Pulse with CharlesSchelle and Dana Rampolla is
a UMB Office of Communicationsand Public Affairs production.
Edited by Charles Schelle,marketing by Dana Rampolla.
So welcome back to the UMB Pulse!Today, we're here talking all things
tech and equity with one of UMB'sown Maryland Carey Law alums, a
shaker and a mover who's pushingBaltimore City into the future.
Today's guest is absolutely oneof those people, Kenya Asli.
Uh, she's bridging the digitaldivide right here in Baltimore City.
(00:21):
She's the director, uh, of the Mayor'sOffice of Broadband and Digital
Equity, which means it's all abouthigh speed internet public access, and
Kenya is the one steering that ship.
I think what's great about her story,like so many of the guests that we've
had recently, Charles, is that shestarted out at Morgan State University.
(00:42):
She studied social work.
She went on to graduate schoolhere at UMB and wound up with a law
degree and as we'll hear her explain.
Her path has kind of taken her somewherewhere she didn't exactly think that, you
know, she wasn't planning to be whereshe is today, but she's doing a bang up
job working for the city, making change.
And you know, I tell my kids allthe time, like they're young adults,
(01:05):
and I'm like, where you are todayin your job is not necessarily where
you're going to be in 10 or 15 years.
And we've had a few guests recentlywho've had that same kind of trajectory.
Right.
So it sounds like her career went fromdial up to DSLs, to now she's kicking
into high gear with that gigabit fiber.
So let's dive in and hit theinternet superhigh with Kenya Asli
(01:33):
You are listening to the heartbeatof the University of Maryland,
Baltimore, the UMB Pulse.
Kenya, I'd like to just thank you forjoining us today, one of our very own
Maryland Carey Law alum, here to spreadthe, the word about the good works
(01:56):
that you do here in Baltimore City.
Thank you.
Thank you.
I'm excited to be here.
We appreciate it.
And, um, to, to jump right in with whatI just alluded to, you are a graduate
from UMB and you also have a, um, anundergrad from Morgan in, um, social work.
So I'm very, yes, very curious.
(02:17):
Like did you originally, was thatyour original intended path of study?
Did you know where you were going with it?
I kind of imagine, yeah, when yougot that, that degree, maybe this
job that you're in now didn'teven really exist, so tell us.
No, it didn't.
After completing my undergrad from MorganState University in social work, I knew
(02:38):
that I wanted to go a step further.
Uh, Morgan gave me a greatfoundation in working with
neighborhoods and communities, but.
I knew that there was something bigger.
There were folks like BarbaraMikulski who had, uh, really
influenced a lot of my decision.
I had a great boss at the time, his nameis Michael Sarbanes, who said, Kenya
you really ought to consider law school?
(02:59):
And so I did.
And my time at the University ofMaryland, Carey Law was awesome because
I was able to marry what I learnedabout the conditions in Baltimore City
with what I was learning in law school.
So I felt like I gave myselfa custom designed education
(03:22):
because we we're property law.
I questions about tenant landlordsand knowing, because I was already
working with folks that were, uh,facing some challenges in that area.
So I was able to apply what I was actuallydoing full- time because I went to
school full time and I worked full-time.
So I was able to apply what I was doingevery day in Baltimore City neighborhoods
(03:45):
to my education at UMB, and it worked.
It was great.
And so, so what did you think youwere eventually going to do with it?
So, you know how we have these.
These ideas, these thoughts, these plans.
Life rarely ever goes that way.
(04:06):
So once I started thinking, onceI started in law school, I really
got interested in family law.
I was turning completelyaway from the community work.
It was great, I'd done it, but I gotvery, very interested in family law.
So after law school I workedwith, um, a local attorney.
(04:28):
She is.
Tatarsha Harris, she is a family attorneyand said, listen, I'm not, and I'm,
I don't, and I'm, I'm not sure if I'mready to fully commit, but can I at
least work with you for a little bit?
Can I clerk with you for a littlebit so I get some experience?
And I did.
And it was great.
It was, it was a lot ofwork and I still felt torn.
(04:51):
There were issues that were, that that,that were very important to me that
I was not working on in family law.
So I went back to the community work.
I actually started working for BaltimoreCity Department of uh, Public Works.
Then I went over to the Mayor'sOffice of Criminal Justice.
From there, um, I started workingfor the Baltimore City Office
(05:15):
of Information and Technology.
I had no idea that I would end up there,but I will say this, I will say this.
I had a friend, I had a friend who was,and she was actually a student over at
the School of Social Work, Universityof Maryland School of Social Work, and
she says, Kenya, I want you to tell me.
(05:36):
If there is a class that you lawyerstake that tell you you can do anything,
and just as I say, you know what, if Iever take that class, I'll let you know.
Sure enough, there was a seminar.
All of the, uh, graduating lawstudents were called into the
ceremonial courtroom and one of theirprofessors, Brenda Bratton Blum,
(05:59):
I am calling names Professor Blum.
She gave us this speech, and oneof the things that she said is,
you can do anything, she said,you have the skills, you have the
experience, you have the relationships.
You have the depth of knowledge thatwill allow you to do just about anything.
(06:21):
And sure enough, the skills that I learnedfrom UMB, the relationships I developed
at UMB, the ability to apply all of that.
To technology, to workforce development,to, to law, to any, any area that, uh,
that I decided to, to, to work in it.
(06:43):
It's worked.
I've actually had, uh, my formerCIO say, Kenya, you are unique.
She, he said, I can drop you into anyarea, any topic, and you will apply
your skillset and you always deliver.
So that's what I got from theUniversity of Maryland School of Law.
Carey Law.
I, it would, it's beenan amazing experience.
(07:07):
That fantastic.
That sounds wonderful.
Like, um, it, it's good to bea Jack or Jill of all trades.
I, I really think of, of, ofhaving that broad education.
That's where, you know, liberalarts education is great for, and
it's, it's even better when youget that exposure in a professional
and a, and a graduate school too.
So.
With all that said, based on yourjourney, we have some fresh graduates
(07:31):
from Maryland Carey Law this year.
So what advice would you give themas they're trying to figure out
their journey now that they, youknow, have that degree in hand?
Okay.
If you already know what you wannado, there are folks, I had some, uh,
classmates who, they were, as a matterof fact, Nancy, I had a classmate
(07:52):
who was already a surgeon, so I went,I went to the, to the night school.
It's a little different feeling.
So, um, I had a, she was actually thehead of, of surgery for a local hospital,
but she was, she was in law school.
So if you already know where you wannafocus, you know, you have a passion for
(08:13):
health, you know you have a passion forcybersecurity, you know what, what your
passions are, then you're probably set.
But if you like me, andthere are a few of us.
Like me, if you have a very clear skillsetthat UMB helps you to develop, you get to
(08:34):
choose where you work and how you work.
So my, my advice to you is tofigure out where your passions
are and apply your skillset there.
And don't just stop there.
I will say while I was in lawschool, my children were very young.
One in daycare and onein elementary school.
(08:55):
I taught my children, if you everwant anything from me, I gave them.
For those of you who have not attendedlaw school, we call it CRACK or IRAC.
It's conclusion, rule analysis,conclusion, or the issue.
The rule.
The analysis.
The conclusion.
So my children now, even whenthey were younger, mom, I
really want to go to this dance.
(09:16):
Okay?
My answer is no.
Now you have to convince meotherwise, and they would use.
They would use that outlineto craft their argument.
So, and they are actually, my daughteris a therapist and my son is in IT.
So, um, it works.
It's, it's that, it's theskills that you get, it's the
relationships that you can develop.
(09:37):
And not only that, because you areattending University of Maryland,
Carey Law in Maryland, right?
So because you're in Maryland, youget to really get your feet not
just wet, but covered, drenched.
What's happening in, in our state.
So when I am communicating,we do a lot of advocacy.
(09:58):
Um, with a general assembly, my abilityto walk into any senator or delegate's
office and communicate the issuesthat we're working on in a very clear
way that I know they'll understand.
I learned how to dothat through law school.
You learn how to advocate, you learn,you figure out how to communicate
(10:18):
with, um, your elected officials.
Very well through thatlaw school experience.
So what I'd say to anyone'sgraduating, focus on your skills.
Be clear about what your skill, whatyour skillset is, and then apply it
to a place that turns you on a placethat, that, that reflects your passions.
(10:39):
For anyone graduating, I wouldrecommend you focus on your skills.
Think about what your, um.
What, what tools you have in yourtool set and then apply it to an issue
that, um, also ignites your passions.
I,I think your, uh, kids learned well,
I'm just imagining them taking out someposter board and be like, mom, here's
(11:01):
a five point analysis of why we haveto go to Hershey Park this summer.
Oh, they would do that summer.
They.
Oh, oh yes.
In the summers I'm atwork, they're at home.
So it, they, they wereready to leave the house.
Like, no, no, no, no, no.
You're gonna write it.
You're gonna read a book, oryou're going to read an article.
I want a summary on the articleand you know the outline format.
(11:23):
Uh, I wanna know what your positionis and apply that outline format.
Tell me what you think.
So, yes, my kids are excellentat debate, by the way.
I bet, I bet they learn from the best.
That's.
So now moving to the presentKenya, um, for your current role.
So what does the Office of Broadbandand Digital Equity do and what's your,
(11:45):
you know, day and day out outlook?
Like?
The Office of Broadband Digital Equity,we are a program of the Baltimore City
Office of Information and Technology.
Um, our charge for the mostpart is to close the digital
divide in Baltimore City.
Now, that sounds huge, but we'vebroken it down into four goals.
(12:08):
We know that the digital divide is closedonce all Baltimore City residents have
access to a computing device, they,and they know how to use that device.
Number two, all BaltimoreCity residents have access to
technical assistance and training.
(12:30):
That's two and three.
And then number four is all BaltimoreCity residents have access to
high speed, reliable internet.
Now, how did a person with a lawdegree get into this conversation?
I'll tell you what happened.
I was the director of strategicinitiatives for for BCIT,
(12:55):
and I was actually hired.
I used to call myself the Olivia Pope for,so anyone who's ever watched Scandal, I
was the Olivia Pope of of BCIT becausemy boss would say, something's broken.
I need you to go over there and fix it.
Now, that is absolutely the roleof an attorney in a lot of ways.
But my job was to fix challenges, fixedproblems, and I was working on any
(13:19):
number of, um, IT related projects fromuh, figuring out all of our contracts,
coming up with some kind of contractsmatrix to, uh, negotiating a better
deal for, uh, software implementation.
Right?
So I was the jack of all trades and thenCOVID hit and my boss said, um, we've
(13:42):
got a ton of computers in, in storage.
How can we help Baltimore City schools?
Because we knew that.
Baltimore City Schoolstudents were going home.
Many of them did not have devices.
So what could we do?
I figured it out and that turned into,hey, so we have this broadband strategy
that we haven't really done anything with.
(14:05):
Can you make it happen?
And so I did, and we very, very quicklyoperationalized the strategy that had
been sitting on the shelf for quitesome time and a couple years later.
Uh, I am the director ofBroadband digital Equity.
So day in, day out right now I amworking on developing a revenue model
(14:29):
for long-term sustainability of digitalequity in Baltimore city, especially
in this, this political climate.
That's what day in, day out looks like.
I am, I'm actually onmy other screen here.
Analyzing.
Analyzing Baltimore City policy toensure that Baltimore city agencies are
thinking about digital equity as we arecommunicating and working with the public.
(14:54):
I have an amazing team of, uh, of folkswho are, we are, we are, uh, managing
grants for, uh, nonprofit organizations.
And I have a huge infrastructure projectwhere we are actually building out our
middle miles little, the middle mile is.
(15:16):
Is very important infrastructurethat allows new ISPs to attach to our
infrastructure to provide connectivityto residents and businesses.
So, but I had to figure all that out.
Again, the thing about having a lawdegree in it, if you don't know anything
about it, when you start and you have tolearn all of it, it's, it's interesting
(15:39):
to be the lawyer in the IT space.
I bet.
I bet.
What's the number one comment thatyou hear from city residents about
either internet or technology?
Number one comment is there is one,one internet provider in the city
(15:59):
actively operating in the city now.
That's Comcast becausethey are the only one.
The number one comment is we thinkresidents think that if we have
more competition, we'd have, uh,better prices, different packages.
They want variety as opposedto feeling pigeonholed into
(16:20):
working with the one and only.
So.
We've taken up the charge and we actuallyhave, we have a new, at least two new ISPs
coming into Baltimore City, uh, by theend of this year, as a matter of fact.
So I'm excited to, I'm excited about that.
But the number one comment, the one thingthat everybody in Baltimore City wants is
they want more, they want more options.
(16:41):
They want more opportunities.
Comcast is a, is also a cablecompany and a lot of folks are
cutting the cord on cable and they'reswitching to streaming services.
So how do you do that?
So, yeah, the number oneis we need more options.
Makes sense.
Makes sense.
And then in comparison, what's thetop, um, or what's the top, at the
(17:02):
top of mind for businesses when itcomes to internet or digital equity?
For businesses?
It's almost the, the samecomment, but what I'm hearing from
businesses is we want more options.
We want more affordable options.
That's the thing.
We've got even on the,for residents, we've.
We are hearing, uh, residents whoare paying 200 bucks a month for
(17:26):
what they call the triple play andthey don't even own a home phone.
The triple play includesa phone line, right?
But you get, you get sold a packagebecause if you bundle, you save, right?
Yep.
That's, and our businesses are saying,Hey, we some businesses who, larger
corporations, they've already gotit figured out, but for your smaller
(17:46):
businesses, a lot of your storefronts.
So for our small businesses, whatwe're hearing is it's not just
about the options for them, but alsohaving options for their customers,
especially for like your restaurants.
And they want their customers to beable to log on to, to internet and
use that, use the the resource whilethey, they are shopping or dining.
(18:09):
So Baltimore City has launched a, apublic wifi network, primarily at,
uh, rec centers and senior centers.
But we are going to deploy our publicwifi to one of the main streets.
As you all may know, BaltimoreCity has 10 Main Streets districts,
and these main streets districtsare for small businesses.
(18:31):
They have a ton of small businesses.
So we are launching a public wifi alongthe Pennsylvania Avenue Main Street.
It should go live bySeptember of this year.
That's, um.
It's incredible that, that,um, that's being done.
What's the question oftop of mind of tourists?
'cause I'm imagining for myself, likewhat you're saying about free internet.
(18:53):
When I go to big cities, uh, it's like,okay, I, I, my cell signal's not working.
I need to post or needto find where I'm going.
I'm trying to find, to see if there'smaybe free wifi, you know, from
the city or the tourism agency.
Yeah.
That least can get me connected.
And so what happens is I'll be frustratedmaybe going to an event or something,
(19:13):
and it's like all the free WiFi'sfor everybody who lives there because
it's, you know, offered as like freeXfinity wifi or I forget, uh, there
was a provider in Florida that waseverywhere in Tampa that was like,
well, I'm not a subscriber for that.
And so it's, it's.
It creates a, uh, an exclusive clubfor residents and as a tourist.
So like, I, I wanna promotehow much fun I'm having in your
(19:35):
city, but I can't right now.
Yeah.
So Baltimore City, if you are, especiallyif you're in the downtown area, there is
a public wifi network anyone can tap into.
I, but that's in our tourist area.
Mm-hmm.
Our residents and ourbusinesses are also interested.
So we are all you have todo, you go to FreeBMoreWiFi.
(19:56):
You can log right into our public wifi.
It's again, free.
I will tell you we did.
It was, so we had, we had the,we thought we had the best name
for our public wifi network.
It was like, uh, CharmCity, uh, free wifi.
And we did a, a little sessionwith some neighborhood leaders
(20:16):
and they said, the first thingyou wanna do is change the name.
Like, excuse me, he said, all folkswant to know is that it is free.
It's in Bmore and it's wifi, so wechanged the name to FreeBmoreWiFi
so that anyone can, can tap in.
That's great.
Um, you brought up a, an interestingpoint about the affordability and,
(20:39):
and having a single ISP provider.
, You're not.
Um, unique in the sense that a lot ofareas only have one provider, or maybe
I know, um, for a, for a long time outin Washington County where I grew up,
you had a local company Antietam cable.
Now in Antietam Broadband was the.
(20:59):
Uh, a majority, uh, carrierfor the county, but then you
had a pocket, uh, near Hancock.
Another pocket near Sharpsburgwas exclusively Comcast, and
now Comcast is entering there.
And so people are happy to havethat competition now there.
But I was wondering like how much I.
Your office may work with like, um,consumer protection offices, um,
(21:21):
through either the state or otheragencies about, you know, pricing and,
and competition and things like that.
Because, you know, you, youtouched on like a common complaint.
I, I think we've alltried to do, it's like.
You got that you got locked in forlike the two year agreement, perhaps
you had a low price and the old model,I would say 10 plus years ago, you
used to be able to negotiate a lowerprice or have that, you know, I only
(21:44):
need two items or I only need one.
And then there'd be like a real savings.
And now it feels like you're being gaslitwhere it's like, well actually if you
do less, you're gonna be paying more.
Let's keep having the three, whichis not gonna be any cheaper, but
it's just gonna be the same price.
Doesn't it look like a savings to you?
And you're like, well, Iliterally have no other option.
And so I just, I'm sure you'veheard that comment a lot.
(22:07):
We do.
So, you know, if you live in BaltimoreCity, you hear often that, uh,
residents in the county surrounding,they just, they have more options.
They have Verizon and they have Comcast,and they, they, they have more options.
I. Then one of the questions I get,I have gotten, especially when we,
(22:28):
when I'm out talking to neighborhoodassociations in particular, the number
one question for me is, why is that?
Why is there just one company?
And I'll tell you the answer reallyis it's, it's an equity issue.
So in Baltimore City, Comcast.
(22:51):
I have to be very clear, Comcasthas been a great partner.
They, uh, work with us on anumber of important issues.
They are always at the table.
They have been a great partner.
So I wanna make sure thateveryone hears me say that I am.
Yes, they have been a great partner.
Um, but what, what I'm hearing from otherISPs, other internet service providers
(23:15):
about why they aren't in Baltimore.
It's because fiber is kingand fiber is expensive.
And so to pull fiber through all ofBaltimore City in order to compete with
Comcast is going to cost millions anda lot of ISP just cannot, they have
(23:37):
not decided to make that investment.
So that's where my office comes in.
So what we've done.
We have expanded the infrastructure,our fiber infrastructure, to just
about every neighborhood in BaltimoreCity so that a new ISP can piggyback.
(23:57):
We call it piggyback, or they canlease our infrastructure in order
to provide service in any numberof neighborhoods in Baltimore City.
That is.
The one thing I am most proud of inthe time that I've spent in this role
is that our team, they've been ableto really level the playing field in
(24:20):
Baltimore City, and again, we've got atleast two new internet service providers.
Entering the BaltimoreCity market in 2025.
That is massive.
I, the one of them is going to make anannouncement in June, and I've, I've, I've
been told not to say who they are justyet, but in this year for Baltimore City
(24:40):
residents this year, things are changingand that's, that's really important
because not only is the internet.
We, a lot of us take, takethe internet for granted.
Not only is it important, but yougotta understand that nowadays
80% of jobs are now online,right?
(25:01):
92% of US jobs require digital skills.
So it's not enough tobe able to get online.
You gotta be able to figure out,get, know how to use the computer
and navigate online so it's not just.
A great asset or resourceto have in your home?
It honestly, now it's a utility.
It is the difference between thrivingand surviving and, um, in this economy.
(25:29):
Talking about affordable interinternet and free internet.
Um, UMB, we've been doing our part.
Um, we've been a strong partner withWaves, which used to be known as Project
Waves, installing wifi towers, antennas,and relays in buildings in West Baltimore.
Uh, that's both on the top of the UMBCommunity Engagement Center and over
at the, uh, Poppleton Bio Park Garage.
(25:51):
Um, a lot of that happenedduring the pandemic.
Mm-hmm.
And I know that they had.
Uh, connected and upwards of300 families to free internet.
Mm-hmm.
And I know that they're doingsimilar work thanks to a grant,
uh, through, through the city, theConnect Baltimore Grant program.
How important has that grantprogram been and Waves and
trying to kind of fill that gap?
(26:12):
Great question.
Um, so Waves is a local nonprofitinternet service provider.
They've been operating nowfrom the early days of COVID.
And you know what Charles, their businessmodel has changed a wee bit and we have
supported this, this new version of Waves.
(26:32):
So initially, to your point, initially,uh, Waves was using, um, uh, wifi towers.
And that, that's a great option.
Creates a mesh network.
It's a great option, but it doesn'tgive you the reliability, uh, because
you gotta have that line of sight.
Your equipment has to be in clear lineof sight of the antenna, and if something
(26:52):
happens, then you lose connectivity.
So waves, they are nowin the fiber business.
They have partnered with a local company.
And they are able to use fiberto do, uh, lots of connections
all over the, all over the city.
We recently gave them a $2 milliongrant to continue that work and
(27:15):
through that work thus far, we gavethem, I think they got their, they,
we approved them just this year.
Thus far they have 13, um, uh,apartment buildings connected.
Out of those, those 13, over 727 residentsare now getting free internet through
(27:35):
waves and they've only just begun.
Uh, so it's really important where wecan to help build the capacity of local
internet service providers because.
Waves understands the community.
They partner very well with, uh,property owners that they, they can
get in, they provide the connections,but they go a step further.
(27:58):
They were also a partner with us on our50,000 Chromebook giveaway initiative.
So they were able to, uh, the, quitea few of, first, let me go back.
So we partnered with Pratt Library.
We got a grant from the state todistribute 50,000 Chromebooks and Waves.
(28:19):
They were able to distribute a lot ofthose Chromebooks through their customers
and a number of these, these properties.
So they are a importantand strategic partner.
Are, are they replacing the, likethe wifi towers with the fiber or
are they still leaving some of theold infrastructure up for the, the
neighborhoods that they partnered with?
(28:40):
Um, I think they're doing both.
I think they, their work, their intothe fiber world is relatively new, so
I think they we're going to see a greatexpansion from Waves in the future.
Okay.
Great.
So Kenya, you mentioned in aWYPR interview recently how it's
important to have wifi availableto someone versus a computer lab,
(29:00):
a freestanding type computer lab.
Is there still a placefor public computer labs?
Alrighty.
So, right now in BaltimoreCity, about 60% of homes have a
dedicated wireline connection.
That means that they have fiber or,um, uh, for Comcast, Comcast uses,
(29:23):
uh, coaxial connection, but theyhave a connection to their home.
What a lot of folks who don'thave a dedicated line at home,
they rely on wifi, public wifi.
So what we've done is knowingthat folks want to have this
continuity of connectivity.
(29:44):
You wanna be able to, if you'rehome and you have connection in your
home, you're great to use it at home.
At the moment you leave yourhouse, you have to get to the next
wifi location if you don't havea data plan on your cell phone.
And we know about, we knowquite a few Baltimore City
residents don't have a data plan.
(30:05):
They on a month to month, um, plan.
So what we've done is.
We have partnered with senior centers and10 senior centers, I'm sorry, eight senior
centers and uh, 46 recreation centersnow have indoor and outdoor public wifi.
But we didn't stop there because itisn't enough to just have the connection.
(30:27):
Wifi or broadband is just the connection.
What does it mean to be able todo your homework on a cell phone?
Right.
You got, you have to also have a device.
So, uh, we brought in, we broken adeal between in our Pratt Library
and, um, the Baltimore City Departmentof Recreations and Parks to deploy
(30:49):
Chromebooks to every recreation centerthat does not already have a, um.
A computer lab.
So that is roughly 20 recreation centersthat do not have a dedicated computer lab.
So let me explain whatthe landscape looks like.
Now, I want you to imagine thatyou are, um, a third grader
(31:12):
living in Baltimore City.
You may have a cell phone that yourparents gave you when you're home.
You have, uh, siblings and parentsthat are also using the computer.
If you wanna get on that computer toeither do your homework or or just
to, just to go on Facebook or TikTok.
Right?
So it may be a line at homeif you only have one device.
(31:35):
So now in all Baltimore City neighborhoodsthat have access to a rec center,
you can go to the rec center, you canborrow a device, use that device on
site, and tap into our public wifi.
All of this is for free.
(31:55):
And as long as the rec center isopen, you can use that device.
I have heard a couple of stories where,um, young people have, uh, pushed
the envelope and kept the rec centeropen a little longer than needed.
But you can now do, uh, you canconduct business, you can have a
telehealth appointment, you can dowhatever you need to do now in a rec
(32:19):
center using one of these devices.
So.
Now you can.
So to make sure I'm answering yourquestion, Dana, you can now access
through public wifi, a deviceand connectivity in a rec center.
Now, if you are at a senior center, oursenior students are a little different.
(32:40):
If you are at a seniorcenter, one of our eight.
You can access a, uh, the publicwifi that's easy, indoor and outdoor.
But I gotta tell you, Dana, whatwe learned from older adults,
they said they do not like.
The mouse pad.
I didn't know this.
They do not like the mouse pad.
They don't, they don't wanta Chromebook or anything that
(33:02):
had, they want an actual mouse.
Better yet, what they told uswas, can I just get a tablet?
They just want a tablet.
They wanna be able to hold it intheir hand and use the tablet.
So what we are doing is we areoutfitting our eight um, senior
centers with devices and not just.
(33:22):
Not just tablets.
Not just computers.
Okay.
Charles, I want you all to imagine we,'cause again, with older adults, you
gotta help them learn the skills, right?
So I'm tickled to to report this,but it's an electronic bingo.
So I want you just, just for asecond mentioned if everybody
(33:43):
had an electronic bingo card.
It also has an electronic bingo, agame that's reporting the numbers,
but it gives our older adults anopportunity to practice some of
the skills that they are learning.
We're also using, um, virtual realitygoggles and technology at, at our
(34:05):
senior centers to give our older adultssome ex. Other world experiences.
So yes, you can learn digital skillsthrough virtual reality, but you can also
take a trip to, I don't know, to Kenya.
My name is Kenya.
You can take a trip to Kenya.
If you can imagine, Google Earth hasthis interface that there's a program.
(34:27):
Through, um, virtual reality where youcan experience other countries, you can,
you can take a trip to Italy if you like.
So having those kind of enrichmentactivities at our senior
centers has been game changing.
It's, it's making sure that our olderadults are still very much engaged.
They are learning the skillsthey are experiencing, uh,
(34:48):
the broadband connectivity.
And so for us it's a win-win, win.
So they just are bypassingthat built in mouse pad.
They just wanna go right to, you know, AIRight to AI.
So I guess if you wanna be on thecutting edge of technology, go to
a senior center in Baltimore City.
There you go.
And so what you're basically sayingis the old time computer labs really
(35:09):
are kind of fading away and justbecoming more, modernized, more, yeah.
Catered to what people needEven in our rec centers.
Um.
The ones that don't have, some ofthem have dedicated computer labs.
Those are much larger locations,and they use those for training.
But when you think about how you use yourcomputer at home, like in Middle Branch.
(35:30):
Middle Branch is a recreation, isa recreation center in Cherry Hill,
you can borrow a computer and justsit on one of the sofas right near
the front door, relaxed, you know?
Surfing the web, right?
You don't have to sit infront of the computer.
It isn't, isn't nailed to the, to thetable, but it, it provides a more, um,
(35:51):
relaxed, uh, social environment thatcreate, let, let's down that barrier
to entry for a lot of folks who havesome anxiety around using computers.
So computer labs have theirrole, especially for training.
When you wanna just surf the net, youwant that same experience out, out in
(36:11):
the community that you may have at home.
This partnership hasallowed us to do that.
. So Kenya, when you are looking at cities,say across the country, and mm-hmm.
You might identify a city who's doingsomething really great, they're,
they're, you know, making a difference.
What is it that you're bringing hometo Baltimore that you're saying,
this is what we should be doing here.
(36:33):
Like, let's figure out andimplement what they're doing
that's working in our own city.
Okay.
You know what?
There are so many great examples.
Short answer.
Short answer, I have brought here.
Um, I'll tell you onefrom my Smart City days.
(36:54):
I was on a panel at, uh, again, atmy tenure with the Baltimore City
Office of Information and Technology.
I've worn quite a few hats.
One of them was as ourSmart City strategist.
So I was on a panel with someonefrom New Orleans and they said, you
know, part of the challenge is ourresidents really want to understand
(37:18):
how we're using our city watch cameras.
How a 3 1 1 actually operates.
When you, when you submit a requestfor service, how does that work?
Why am I not getting the feedback?
So what New Orleans did was theygot a van that they outfitted
with all this technology.
And they take the van into communities,open up the back doors, and then
(37:42):
allow the residents to take a peekinto the technical world, I guess,
of, uh, New Orleans government.
Well, I, I brought thatidea back to Baltimore.
We have, we are getting a van.
The van will be outfitted with our,uh, public wifi so I can park it in a
neighborhood, turn it on, and everyone,um, in about a, uh, 50 foot, you
(38:07):
know, don't quote me on the distance,but everyone in the vicinity will
be able to tap into our public wifi.
We will be able to open up the back doorsand help residents learn more about.
What we're doing in BaltimoreCity in terms of technology.
Um, also under BCIT is our City Watchprogram and a lot of, a lot of folks have
(38:29):
questions about our Crime Watch cameras.
Well, we can show you what ourcrime watch cameras are doing.
So that's one of the thingsthat I, I brought back that I'm
really, really excited about.
And we should be, I think we are goingto go live with our van this fall.
Nice.
That sounds like basically the,the 21st century bookmobile almost.
(38:54):
Yes.
Bringing the books to the peoplewhile you're bringing technology
to the people, you know.
Yes.
Wheel, wheel it around that.
That'd be really cool.
. We are in the creator economy andpeople they are creating and not just
content, they're creating tangiblethings thanks to, uh, technology and.
We just had a, a recent announcementthat our Office of Community and
(39:15):
Civic Engagement just launched anew partnership with Open Works,
which is one of the nation'slargest, uh, nonprofit maker spaces.
So they're gonna be expanding the,the programming and the access to
the hands-on makerspace that wehave for West Baltimore residents.
And I just think it's really coolto be able to, you know, do or learn
(39:35):
3D printing, laser cutting differentsewing techniques to, to make
different things and vinyl design.
What Open Works is helping us dois be the operating partner for
Steven Mim Dubin Makerspace atthe Community Engagement Center.
So I know they have a presence throughoutthe city and you know, we just talked
(39:56):
about computer labs and their roles.
Well, this is a different labfor a very different reason,
uh, and newer technology.
So, um, you know, how do youview the rise of maker spaces
in their role within the city?
I think that it is Great.
So let me just say, I am a memberof the, uh, Baltimore, uh, Tool
(40:18):
Library, and when I made my firstcoffee table, I went to Home Depot
and bought a whole bunch of tools.
So I, not only do I approve, but I'malso, I'm also a member of the Makerspace.
And I'll tell you, um.
One of the most amazing makerspace thatI've seen here in Baltimore City is at
(40:39):
the Enoch Pratt Central Library, buttheir space is restricted for teens only.
They have 3D printing.
They have crickets.
They have everything thatyou mentioned, Charles.
They have it in a restricted area.
For teens only, which I thinkis an amazing investment.
(41:01):
Um, and I, I think, oh, I'll, I'lltell you Open Works specifically, but
just as an example, but Open Worksdid something, uh, kinda awesome.
Early days of COVID.
This is, this is a great example ofthe importance of the makerspace.
They created these, uh, charging stations.
(41:26):
These solar powered charging stationsthat also emit a wifi signal, and
they had two different models.
One was mobile so you can setit up and move around, and the
other was pretty stationary.
We actually funded them inour first round of grants.
Um, but that just gives you an exampleof, uh, the ingenuity and innovation
(41:51):
that's coming out of the makerspaces.
You see some very interestingsolutions to everyday problems.
And again, I have a, now that I'm,now that I'm in tech from law school
to tech, now that I'm in tech, I verymuch appreciate, um, those, I call that
smart city designs because that's theplace where people and technology meet.
(42:17):
Very cool.
I know I've recently been in ourmakerspace and just watching the
community in there using the different.
I know, I wouldn't call them products, butthe, the different things that they can
use, like you said, the cricket and thetools and it's, it is really exciting to
see somebody create something with theirown hands that they take home and they
(42:38):
feel good about, and it's functional.
They can use it.
So, mm-hmm.
About that too.
Okay.
I have a, a partingquestion for you, Kenya.
You're, I'm ready.
Super savvy.
We've learned, not only are you socialwork, your law and your tech, what's
your, what's your go-to PC or a Mac?
Oh, I'm a PC, Android girlfor the rest of my life,
(43:00):
I wouldn't have guessed thatI am p.
I am p. I am Android, I am pc.
I just think that it's somuch easier to use, uh.
For the rest of my life.
No.
It's funny, in, um, government,I have a lot of friends that
work for, uh, federal government.
They're all, they're iPhones.
They are Mac.
Yeah.
(43:20):
I don't understand it at all.
But the moment there's this ongoingbattle that we have, the moment.
I lose my phone or I can't access, they'relike, see, if you had just switched to
iPhone, you wouldn't have these problems.
And the moment they get lockedup, like, wait, if you just, if
you just switch to Android, right?
Once they get their virus.
Once they get their virus.
So yeah, I am definitely aPC, Android kind of girl.
(43:45):
Well, Charles, I owe you $5.
Darn.
Well, Kenya, thank you so much.
If there's anything we've left out,you know, be sure to let us know.
We'll add it to the show notes.
But we appreciate you being on.
We certainly, as I said at the onset,we love to promote our UMB alumni,
especially when you're doing reallymeaningful, important work like you are.
(44:05):
So thank you.
It was wonderful meeting you and wewish you continued successes and look
forward to seeing where you are in 10years, because I'm sure you're gonna.
Find a new, a new path 'causeyou just seem to keep that.
That is very true.
Thank you.
(44:26):
The UMB Pulse with CharlesSchelle and Dana Rampolla is
a UMB Office of Communicationsand Public Affairs production.
Edited by Charles Schelle,marketing by Dana Rampolla.
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