October 18, 2018
Voqal is excited to announce the release of our 2018 Annual Report, Be Nimble. As Education Broadband Service (EBS) license holders, Voqal generally – and our flagship project Mobile Citizen specifically – operates within the telecommunications landscape. EBS is not known to be a particularly fast-moving industry. In fact, it can be a bit of a snooze. In the aftermath of the 2016 election, however, the ability of Voqal to convert ideas into actions that rapidly addressed social equity issues was more important than ever.
Our work in fiscal year 2018 illustrates how Voqal and Mobile Citizen are always looking for ways to react more nimbly. On the grantmaking side, rapid-response grants supported organizations protecting the rights of underrepresented groups that were under attack. Several of our Voqal Fellows embarked on projects focused on empowering everyday citizens to respond to an ever-changing political climate. In addition, Mobile Citizen’s rapid-response program, Street Ready, helped provide much-needed internet support after the 2017 hurricanes in Houston and Florida. Voqal investee, Peekapak, addressed the opportunity gap through improved social-emotional learning. Lastly, Voqal’s policy team leaped into action to defend Lifeline, a program aimed at helping low-income households gain access to important communication services.
While the intricacies of spectrum and the public airwaves may seem academic, social justice is lively work and Voqal strives to respond to opportunities and meet needs, as they arise.