DLBA’s Downtown Discussions Webinar Series originated in Spring 2020 and was created to help the community adapt to the pandemic by providing access to experts in topics like business assistance, digital literacy, and public space. The new iteration of the series has a broader scope and is designed to connect a greater community with experts in topics of importance to them – from public space to economic development, and more. The free webinars will take place on the first Friday of each month via Zoom and will also be livestreamed on DLBA’s Facebook page.
COVID-19 and the Digital Divide
10AM-11:30AM on January 8 via Zoom
The Downtown Long Beach Alliance’s webinar series, Downtown Discussions, returns on January 8, 2021 with a seasoned and diverse panel of technology professionals who will discuss the topic of COVID-19 and the Digital Divide. The virtual event will examine how the pandemic has revealed the extent of the digital divide within Long Beach and urban communities, and how high-speed internet access is becoming a human right. Guest speakers will discuss lessons learned during the pandemic, creative solutions implemented, and how these experiences and initiatives could influence future strategies to address the digital divide – with a contextual focus on urban areas, small business, and Downtown Long Beach.
The event will take place January 8, 10-11:30 AM, via Zoom Webinar and will also be livestreamed on DLBA’s Facebook account @downtownlongbeach. The event will include a 10-minute introduction, a 60-minute roundtable discussion, and a 20-minutes Q&A session. Audience members may submit questions via Zoom’s Q&A function, and the moderator will ask those she chooses.
Dr. Gwen Shaffer
Chair, Long Beach Technology & Innovation Commission and Associate Professor
CSULB
Panelist
Stephen Garcia
Permitting Manager, Network Design
Crown Castle
Panelist
Register for the Webinar Series
Watch the Dec. 4 Webinar:
Design for Distancing – Creative Strategies to Adapt Public Space to the Pandemic and Beyond
Featuring a roundtable of local and regional experts in designing, operating, and programming public spaces, this webinar examined COVID-19’s impact on public space in terms of use, access, and equity. Guest speakers Norma Garcia-Gonzalez (Director of Parks and Recreation, Los Angeles County), Shannon Heffernan (Urban Design Director, Studio One Eleven), Midori Mizuhara (Planning + Urban Design, Gensler), Brian Ulaszewski (Executive Director, City Fabrick), and moderator David Downey (President & CEO, International Downtown Association) discussed lessons learned during the pandemic, creative solutions implemented to adapt to physical distancing, and how these experiences and initiatives could influence future planning and use of public space.
Watch the Dec. 4 recorded webinar below.