Digital Determinants

Designing for Us: Digital Tools and the Absence of Black Voices (Episode 9)

What do the Great Migration and today’s digital divide have in common? More than we often realize. In this episode of The Digital Determinants, host Kyla Williams Tate follows the journey of millions of Black families who left the Jim Crow South in search of opportunity, only to find housing, labor, and education systems that were never built for them. A century later, digital platforms are repeating the same mistakes: tele-health that assumes flawless broadband, job portals that filter out qualified candidates, and facial recognition tools that misidentify Black faces at alarming rates. This episode unpacks: 1. How design decisions — past and present — determine who is included and who is excluded. 2. Why trust is essential for building systems that communities will actually use. 3. A newish idea for making technology more inclusive and accountable.

Workarounds & Wounds: Surviving the Great Migration and the Digital Divide (Ep 8)

This episode, Workarounds and Wounds: Surviving the Great Migration and the Digital Divide, dives into the dual legacy of brilliance and brokenness within Black communities navigating systems not built for them. From rent parties in Bronzeville to porch networks in Cleveland and the hustles of Leimert Park, we trace how creative survival strategies during the Great Migration echo in today’s digital workarounds and why the wounds of exclusion still linger.What to expect in this episode:- Stories of resilience from the Great Migration: rent parties, side hustles, and informal economies- How trusted networks then mirror digital survival tactics today- The modern digital hustle from Instagram storefronts to shared WiFi- The hidden cost of digital inequity: mistrust, trauma, and who gets left behind- A call to reimagine systems that center dignity, trust, and community care

Forgotten Networks: Libraries, Great Migration, & Digital Divide (Digital Determinants Podcast Ep 7)

Episode 7 of Digital Determinants is here!In this powerful installment, we explore the hidden history of libraries as both sanctuaries and battlegrounds during the Great Migration and how they continue to shape the fight for digital equity today.From Chicago to Cleveland, Detroit to Los Angeles, Black communities have long relied on libraries for education, connection, and empowerment. But the journey was not always welcoming. This episode uncovers how libraries reflected the racial inequities of their time and how Black librarians and community advocates redefined these spaces as centers of hope and access.What to expect in this episode:-A revealing look at how libraries served Black communities during the Great Migration-Stories of resilience, resistance, and innovation from Black librarians and patrons-The modern role libraries play in bridging the digital divide through technology access, digital literacy, and cultural preservation-The urgent challenges libraries face today and how communities can take action

Superdeterminant of Health (Digital Determinants Podcast Ep 6)

Episode 6 of Digital Determinants is here!Dive into an insightful conversation that connects the past to the present as we explore how digital literacy has become a superdeterminant of health—and why it’s critical for achieving health equity today.This week, we’re unpacking the enduring legacy of the Great Migration, during which over six million Black Americans moved to cities like Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and Los Angeles. But while they sought opportunity, systemic racism and segregation created barriers to healthcare, housing, and wealth that still impact health outcomes for their descendants today.What to expect in this episode:1. An exploration of digital inclusion, access, and connectivity as vital superdeterminants of health.2. A closer look at the historical inequities in healthcare access for Black communities in major cities.3. How the Great Migration’s structural challenges laid the groundwork for current disparities in health and technology access.4. The role of today's digital opportunities in closing health equity gaps.This episode dives deep into the intersection of history, health, and digital innovation—and asks the big question: Can digital inclusion truly transform health outcomes in marginalized communities?

From Migration to Digital Equity: Bridging History & Politics (Ep 5)

Dive into this thought-provoking episode of Digital Determinants with host Kyla Williams Tate! Together, we explore the powerful connections between the Great Migration, the fight for digital equity, and the 2024 presidential election. Join us as we examine: How the Great Migration influenced Black political and cultural power. The modern struggle for digital equity and its ties to voting rights. The role of technology in amplifying or suppressing communities ahead of the 2024 election. Don’t miss the actionable takeaways on how YOU can support the fight for digital equity and strengthen democracy. 💡 Love conversations about equity, democracy, and change? Hit subscribe, share this episode. To discover who your electives are in your community, check out these websites: https://voterresourcecenter.com https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/