- Details
- By Chez Oxendine
- Economic Development
Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
Location: Marksville, La.
Award Amount: $2.5 million
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has leveraged roughly $2.5 million dollars toward providing education and equipment for their tribal members, says Chairman Marshall Pierite.
The money stems from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. Considering the tribe’s proximity to Marksville, Louisiana, connectivity is less of an issue than many other areas in the United States, so instead the money has been turned towards closing a tech and literacy gap, in particular among senior tribal citizens, Pierite told Tribal Business News.
“That aspect is helping our elders get familiar with all of the key components of tech - cell phones, laptops, and computers,” Pierite said. “We're extremely excited about it.”
The money will also help purchase smartphones and laptops to support distance learning, telework, and vocational training. Households in need will receive discounted broadband service over a three-year period through a tribal subsidy supported by the grant.
All told, Pierite expects the project will support roughly 375 tribal elders and youth, as well as 325 low-income tribal members. It will also support the tribe’s new IT team, which will use grant funding to provide IT training to four tribal members for eventual jobs as Tunica-Biloxi technicians. The new technicians will help with digital literacy classes, broadband installations, and equipment troubleshooting.
“We're going to make sure that every adult over the age of 18 will have access to an iPhone and computer, and make sure they're tech-savvy,” Pierite said. “We’re going to make sure everyone knows how to get online.”
While the TBCP grant will help teach people how to access the internet and take advantage of the utilities therein, the tribe plans to apply for further funding down the line to expand their technology offerings both to tribal members and, eventually, to the community beyond, Pierite said.
“We’re going to go above and beyond,” Pierite said. “We’re looking at applying for funds to create a technology center, which is also going to hold our call center, and we’re looking at data analytics and creating a think tank. There’s a lot of good things ahead for us.”
