The words and data that make up these reports don’t tell the full story. The true narrative, and OMBI’s essential mission, is a story about changing lives. OMBI will strive to build a bridge for anchor institutions that remain outside of the burgeoning digital economy. This effort will ensure their students, and American citizens in their surrounding communities, will contribute towards America’s economic future.

OMBI’s mission, and the CMC Pilot Program embedded within it, tackles broadband barriers with the goal of unfettered human potential. Overcoming the barriers associated with availability, affordability, and adoption means that a minority student can engage in remote learning, gain access to online course materials, collaborate with peers, and benefit from innovative educational platforms. When this student´s anchor institution invests in needed broadband infrastructure and develops a digital curriculum, the potential ripples out into the surrounding community. Its impact on anchor community lives is equally profound. It connects each community member to a digital world with rich potential. It’s a bridge to new skills, new job opportunities, and catalyst for personal and professional growth.

In its second year, this narrative has just begun. Its outcome will have important consequences in student lives, digital equity, and the economic vitality of the nation.