‘Digital Navigators’ in East Carroll Parish take control of internet access. Here is the way.

Wanda Manning is a 33-year former teacher in East Carroll Parish. Now retired for five years, Manning is a Digital Specialist at Delta Interfaith. In February 2021, the organization partnered with satellite network firm Starlink to provide emergency connectivity for low-income families with school-age children. This partnership secured 120 satellite dishes for East Carroll residents.

This partnership was the first step in what is now a plan to bring a reliable, affordable cable network to the region.

With help from the Louisiana Public Health Center, Delta Interfaith has created a Digital Navigator program to help citizens with digital services, solve technical problems, conduct speed tests and collect signatures from those waiting on the internet.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

How did the Digital Navigators program gain momentum?

Hats off to Laura Arvin. I call her the mother of Digital Navigators, because she is the one who led it. It was all his insight. I can’t brag about something I didn’t start.

If I’m stuck, I always go to him.

As soon as he bought The East Carroll Banner newspaper here in Lake Providence, he gave me the reins. Then Madlyn Matthews was added. Even Laura’s husband, Scott, helped install most of the equipment.

What are some of the problems that people come to you with?

Some of them are as simple as connecting to a printer. We have had phone problems, technical problems and problems that need to be fixed.

How do you help someone who has never used a computer or smartphone before?

Sometimes it is very confusing for someone who really needs help. Patience is key – understanding that one has no idea about advanced technology.

Smartphones are very advanced, and for someone who has never experienced this type of technology, it can be confusing and annoying. Sometimes, in many cases, the mind is amazing. I don’t answer phones. Laura and many other people remind me to limit myself, but I know what it takes to know something and have no help or support to learn about it.

In my head, I think there will be no more analog television that you can watch with antennas and cable lines. Everyone wants to go digital.

That being said, you have a lot of older people who don’t know anything about the digital world, so my goal is to be as accessible as possible, as accessible as possible and to make it as basic as possible.

What are some of the challenges you face?

The Digital Navigators program only helps people with digital disabilities as a way to bridge the digital divide in society.

We went into families. It’s a bit difficult to talk to someone about how to connect to a printer using a Verizon router. That was very difficult. That almost hit me.

What is the best time for you?

Just knowing that we have access and people here – boots on the ground. We present ourselves to people in need.

There was a child who had a lot of problems and they stayed in the classroom. We were learning as we went when COVID came, because we had to get computers, laptops, Chromebooks, etc. Once everything was in place, the teachers had to be in the classroom while we worked from the school building and the children stayed at home.

This student was just going in and out. I was very angry. I thought the child was playing. It wasn’t it. The child’s parent was paying $150 to dial through AT&T. I didn’t know dialing was still a thing. What can you do with dial-up services when technology says you have to save gigabytes to sit in class or upload photos.

I told this kid and the parents, “If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure you get good internet here.”

By God’s grace, I held on to that promise. They were one of the families that received the Starlink dish at first.

Part 1 of our project was to get the community involved with the Starlink dish. Phase 2 was to find something permanent. Now that family doesn’t have to worry about a crazy science teacher arguing with them about playing in and out of those classrooms.

Find out more at connecthumanity.fund/story/east-carroll-parish-louisiana.