The Future’s In Her Hands

On December 19, NYCHA Chair Shola Olatoye joined New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Julian Castro, Secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, at Betances Houses to announce that T-Mobile is providing 5,000 public housing residents in the Bronx with free tablet computers, as part of the Obama Administration’s ConnectHome Initiative. Nicole Soares, resident of Betances houses, and her son and daughter received a tablet at the event. All three share a love of education. Ms. Soares is pursuing a bachelor’s degree; her son, Jovaughn, is applying to graduate schools and her daughter, Bailey, is a sixth grader. Almost 26 percent of houses in the Bronx do not have Internet at home or a mobile Internet plan, significantly higher than the citywide rate of 19.8 percent. “Increasing internet access across the city is not just a noble goal—it’s a necessary one. These days, the internet is virtually a requirement for people searching for jobs or students doing homework,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “We are thrilled to find one more way to boost access in the Bronx—and we’re thankful to our partners at T-Mobile and HUD for helping to make this happen.”