By Gian Nicholo Rosario
SEATTLE--Despite hosting major tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft, Washington state grapples with an enduring equity issue known as the "digital divide." In King County, the most populous county in the state, 14% of households lack home internet access according to figures published on the King County Department of Information Technology, KCIT, website. Exacerbating the problem is a deficiency in digital skills needed to utilize these technologies.
My name is Gian Rosario, an AmeriCorps member serving as a digital skills resource navigator at the Seattle Public Library. In my role, I assist patrons facing technology access challenges offering guidance to overcome limited computer knowledge and helping them acquire vital digital skills for success in both life and work.
As a digital navigator, I serve a diverse community, with a focus on adult learners in underserved areas. My responsibilities include guiding job seekers and business owners in enhancing their digital skills. These include utilizing tools for marketing and online applications and navigating software like Microsoft Word. Initially, the role felt daunting because I assumed the digital skills I use seamlessly in my daily life are universal. At first, I lacked confidence in teaching these skills to others. Additionally, the nature of this work was new, and I had no previous examples to follow for success.
Fortunately, I found support through my site supervisors, who connected me with another digital navigator, Alyssa. She, too, was relatively new and primarily served job seekers at WorkSource Rainier. Attending one of her workshops provided valuable insights, and during our collaboration, we explored the Northstar Digital Literacy curriculum. I played a supportive role in assisting patrons in her workshop with the Northstar Digital Literacy assessment, while also deepening our understanding of Northstar together.
Overall, this experience has honed my ability to assist patrons at the Seattle Public Library. One notable patron, Del, a contractor and small business owner, sought help to improve his skills with Facebook, iCloud, and other social media tools for business purposes. Del hoped to promote his business on social media using photos of his work. In just a few sessions, Del significantly improved his skills in utilizing social platforms for business marketing. Using short video tutorials, he learned to navigate photo editing software to edit photos and better appeal to his customers, boosting traffic and expanding customer reach.
In my AmeriCorps service thus far, my perspectives have broadened. I've realized that skills seemingly inherent to me, such as navigating the digital landscape, are not just a matter of convenience, but vital components for the success of community members.
