WATCH: Rural Mississippians Fight the Digital Divide in New Episode of ‘The Movement’

By Sameer Rao May 27, 2016

Whether applying for jobs, paying bills, or reading articles like this one, Americans depend on quality Internet access for many daily tasks. But as journalist and activist Darnell L. Moore notes in the article accompanying the latest episode of "The Movement," many Americans still lack the access that propels our mile-a-minute digital culture.

"The people most at-risk for being left behind in the digital age are those who already suffer the effects of racism, economic disenfranchisement and lack of access to resources because of where they live," he writes. "In the case of Mississippi, Black and poor people, especially those who live in the rural Mississippi Delta, are most affected."

Moore travels across the state for today’s (May 27) episode, which you can see above. He talks to scholar and organizer Dr. Roberto Gallardo, who educates public officials and citizens about disproportionate Internet access when he isn’t running a school robotics program. He also speaks to 11-year-old program participant Phillip Walker, who hilariously asks him how he got his job without knowing how to code.

For youth like Walker, the stakes are high. Jackson, Mississippi’s The Clarion Ledger reports that almost half of rural Mississippians lack Internet access.

Check out "The Movement" above.