EveryoneOn Partner and Employ Milwaukee CEO, Chytania Brown, Shares How the Pandemic Shaped Her Leadership of Milwaukee’s Digital Revolution

The pandemic forced nonprofit leaders to navigate uncharted waters. Times like those are often when leaders make their best decisions. That’s how Chytania Brown, CEO of Employ Milwaukee, got involved in digital inclusion work and ultimately led citywide digital programs.

Prior to 2020, Chytania was working as an administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and was already having

conversations in her community about digital equity, access to broadband and other life-impacting issues affecting Milwaukee County’s communities. 

“One's inability to connect to the internet directly affects workforce development,” declared Chytania. “When COVID hit, everything went online. Employ Milwaukee phone lines were flooded with folks urgently needing assistance, and we were at the frontlines helping them transition online during a global crisis.” 

The pandemic exacerbated the “digital divide”– the gap in access to affordable high-speed internet that disproportionately affects Black and Brown communities as a result of systemic racism. This disparity has been historically perpetuated by decision makers who decide which communities get high-speed internet and which don't.

In March 2020, Chytania had just joined Employ Milwaukee as CEO. Then COVID shutdown society, causing spikes in unemployment and creating a crisis that left many Milwaukee residents feeling anxious about how they were going to pay their bills.

“It was a disheartening and troubling time,” said Chytania, speaking of the difficulty people were having in transitioning online. “They came to Employ Milwaukee, a place where they were trying to connect, but folks didn’t know how to use basic computers, keyboards, email or the apps on their phones.” 

Without digital literacy, people couldn’t look up transportation options to get to their jobs, apply for government benefits online or build skills to join the digital workforce that was rapidly growing since the pandemic transitioned much in-person work to the internet.

By the time April arrived, Milwaukee County’s unemployment rate soared to a record 15.6% because of the pandemic - the flashpoint that prompted community leaders like Chytania to act quickly. In short order, Chytania and Employ Milwaukee created a list of potential partners with expertise getting communities like Milwaukee’s connected to the internet. That’s when her team discovered EveryoneOn and how the organization connected under-resourced communities to high-speed internet, devices and digital skills.

“I’m always trying to find ways to equip people with meaningful skills or knowledge to bring them into the workforce,” says Chytania. “My goal is to make them the best version of themselves. Helping one person can help a family. When the partnership with EveryoneOn came into play, I was all for it. We’re committed to the relationship because they’re committed to us and our community.” 

The team at EveryoneOn worked side-by-side with Chytania’s team to swiftly create digital literacy programs so folks could adapt to the rapidly-changing digital landscape and build skills to benefit them long term. The partnership led to the two organization’s collaborating on grants and generating funding opportunities to meet the immediate needs of the community as well as plan for future investments in workforce development. 

From that point on, it was clear Milwaukee’s residents would benefit from a community space to build their digital literacy. Employ Milwaukee created the city’s first digital literacy lab, funded by the Kohl Foundation. The lab continues to thrive, where EveryoneOn trains participants over four weeks on topics such as browsing the web, using email, learning how to use apps and searching for jobs. 

At the start of training, each participant receives a device in order to complete the training and continue learning at home, beyond the class. Affordable devices are a barrier for many low-income communities and prevents them from getting online. According to EveryoneOn’s 2022 National Study on the State of Digital Equity, 47% of those surveyed said the cost of a computer was the reason they didn’t have internet service at home. This program puts a device directly into their hands to circumvent that barrier. 

Early on when the lab was created, registrations filled quickly, particularly with older residents who needed basic computer skills to adapt after their employers shifted to online work. Others who found themselves out of work because of the pandemic were eager to find remote and hybrid work. For those participating in the labs, what started as a necessity to learn turned into a desire to learn more.

“With access, people have greater ability to find opportunities on the internet,” said Chytania. “If I have access, I can use Google to find a better job or learn new skills to enter a new career. Digital literacy allows me to communicate with employers, feel confident during a virtual interview and network online.” 

Following the success of the digital literacy labs, Chytania secured additional financial resources to begin trainings at the local homeless shelter for women to learn basic computer skills while rebuilding their lives. 

Amidst the unpredictability of the pandemic, Chytania continued to forge new partnerships in answer to the community’s acute connectivity challenges. She made sure residents who entered Employ Milwaukee’s doors left with the tools and knowledge to chart their own paths to prosperity.

Chytania’s leadership and resilience in the face of a crisis has single handedly lifted her community. Employ Milwaukee’s and EveryoneOn’s partnership demonstrates how listening to the community to deliver necessary digital literacy trainings has given so many Milwaukee residents confidence in their digital abilities and prepared them to excel through an historic moment. 

Have a great story about your experience with EveryoneOn? We’d love to hear from you! Email us: Support@EveryoneOn.org