In celebration of Pride Month 2022, Verizon’s State Government Affairs and PRISM, Verizon’s LGBTQ Employee Resource Group convened a national conversation with community partners working to empower and support LGBTQ+ youth across the country. Guest speakers from the Boston Alliance of LGBTQ Youth (BAGLY), Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL), The Center on Colfax, and the LYRIC Center for LGBTQQ Youth shared their insights and how their organizations are taking action to protect and advocate for young people. Check out the full event video below!
Boston Blog
The Future is Now: 5G Wireless Networks
The Wireless Summit will explore how wireless technology will be integral to providing high-speed broadband access in rural, suburban, and urban communities in Maine. 5G has the capability to upgrade current bandwidth using a combination of wireless and wireline connections that will enable faster data downloads and upload speeds, wider coverage, more stable connections, and less latency over shorter physical distances. 5G is leading to major enhancements for health care applications, industrial equipment, self-driving cars, smart cities, and connected devices. The workshop also will highlight how good policy can pave the way for more investment and how 5G networks will positively impact the economy.
Panelists
Moderator: Geoff Why, Partner – Verrill
Sanjay Udani, Vice President, Technology Policy – Verizon
Beth Cooley, Assistant Vice President, State Legislative Affairs – CTIA
Kimberly Darrin, Assistant Vice President, Public Policy – AT&T
Event – Investing in Infrastructure: Innovation
Verizon’s Nia Mathis, Vice President, State and Local Government Affairs, spoke at the New England Council’s “Investing in Infrastructure: Innovation” on July 22, 2021. The event touched on innovation, and more specifically, the need for investment in 5G and broadband infrastructure to close the digital divide and support continued innovation and economic growth in the region. The full event video is available below.
Y2Y x Verizon
Y2Y Harvard Square is the nation’s first youth-led youth homeless shelter, where guests collaborate with service providers, other youth experiencing homelessness, and student volunteers to create sustainable pathways out of homelessness and develop skills for long-term success. Young adults experiencing homelessness need a youth-driven space because they don’t feel safe staying in adult shelters. A large percentage of homeless youth identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
This webinar provided an overview of the challenges experienced homeless youth, and how Y2Y provides a unique youth-led model for supporting them.
Webinar Speakers:
- Cathleen Finn, Community Engagement Director for Greater Boston, Verizon
- Cameron Van Fossen, Executive Director, Y2Y Network, Inc.
- Ari Taylor, Development Manager, Y2Y Network, Inc.
- Deborah Fraser, Manager, GTC Readiness & Operations, Verizon Consumer Group and New England Prism Chapter Leader
View the full presentation here.
Please note that we experienced technical issues starting at about the 12 minute mark of the presentation, and you can skip to the 14 minute mark when we were able to resume the program.
Women’s Network: The “SheCession” – A Time for Action
In early 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic, women had crossed a major employment milestone and the labor market was booming. For a few months, women outnumbered men in the U.S paid workforce. However, now a year later, over 5 million women have lost their jobs, accounting for 55% of U.S. unemployment. With the pandemic having disproportionately impacted women, especially women of color, in the workforce, many economists are calling this recession a “SheCession”.
With the business community at a crossroads, action must be taken to get women back on track in order to avoid erasing decades of progress. This panel discussion covers what actions some businesses are already taking, but most importantly, how you and the rest of our community can rise to the occasion to stop the “SheCession”.
This event was part of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Women’s Network series. The Women’s Network isn’t a club you join, but a place where you belong – you’ll find a diverse group of more than 3,000 (and growing) women and male allies at all levels of their careers, from all backgrounds, sectors, industries, and professions, with energy for ensuring that Greater Boston becomes the best place for professional women to thrive.
Panelists:
Dr. Mekala Krishnan
Partner, McKinsey Global Institute Boston
Nia Mathis
Vice President-State & Local Government Affairs, Verizon
Alexandra Valdez
Executive Director, Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement
Maura Mann
Vice President, The Nagler Group & KNF&T, BANKW Staffing
Norwalk Public Schools Join Digital Promise & Verizon Innovative Learning
On Monday, May 3, Digital Promise and Verizon welcomed three Norwalk Public Schools into the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Programs (VILS). Verizon’s education initiative provides free technology, access and professional development that enables students to develop the skills, knowledge, and capabilities needed to thrive in today’s digital world. Three schools from the district will join the VILS program this year: Nathan Hale Middle School, Ponus Ridge STEM Academy, and West Rocks Middle School.
Watch: The Future is 5G Webinar
On December 8th, the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Verizon State Government Affairs hosted a webinar with experts from education, healthcare and wireless communication in a conversation focused on the benefits of 5G and how 5G will spur innovation. Click to view the webinar.
Speakers:
Remarks by Nancy Donohue, Director of Government and Community Affairs, Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
Moderator: Joe Shannon, Government Affairs Manager – New England: Crown Castle
Jose Escobar, Director Smart Communities: Verizon
Phil Raymond, Connected Care Connectivity Leader: Philips
Isaac Van Wesep, President: TeacherMade
