SER Metro-Detroit knows how to throw a party!
Anchored by a mariachi band, a taco truck, balloon archways and cheering supporters, it was a high-speed fiber-fueled fiesta as AT&T leadership visited Detroit’s southwest side earlier this month to open the city’s second AT&T Connected Learning Center.
It was a thrill to be with the supporters and staff of SER Metro-Detroit and dozens of my AT&T colleagues, and as I told them all during the event, we are like family. AT&T and SER Metro have worked together for decades, and that work continues with the new CLC.
It was also a privilege to welcome AT&T CEO John Stankey and Charlene Lake, Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, ESG, to Michigan. They made the trip to Detroit because while this CLC is Detroit’s second, it is the nation’s 20th, and they took this opportunity at SER Metro to announce plans to reach a total of 50 CLCs nationwide.
This is all important because in Detroit it’s estimated that 25 percent of city residents don’t have access to high-quality connectivity and are unable to fully participate in the modern online world, an issue known as the digital divide.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined us at the ribbon cutting event and said, “The COVID pandemic highlighted the critical need to bridge the digital divide and connect more Detroiters to high-speed internet. AT&T’s continued investment in the city of Detroit and organizations like SER Metro-Detroit and Jefferson East, Inc. is going to make a significant difference in the lives of Detroiters.”
And that’s exactly why we did it.
Education is vital to the long-term success of our communities and society. Yet millions of students lack the connectivity, devices and education resources required to succeed in today’s learning environment. With events like this and new resources like the Connected Learning Center at SER Metro-Detroit and in cities across the country, we are helping students, parents and educators overcome these barriers inside and outside the classroom.
That is something to celebrate!
