Graduate School
Umass Boston

Undergraduate School
University of Delaware

Mentor
Amy Dain, Dain Research, Former Rappaport Policy Fellow and Rappaport Institute Advisory Board Member

Agency
City of Boston, Department of Innovation and Technology

Supervisor
Anne Schweiger, Broadband and Digital Equity Advocate Description of Fellowship: Kelsey Edmond was a fellow with the City of Boston’s Department of Innovation and Technology, where she conducted research on Boston’s growing digital divide amid the coronavirus pandemic. In mid-March, the world was forced to suddenly flip everything to a remote model overnight, which exacerbated the disparity between those who have access to information and communication technologies, and those that do not. Kelsey interviewed 11 organizations or city departments that have an education or workforce development focused mission to better understand their needs throughout their transition, the experience of their adult learners or constituents, and how the city can best assist with mitigating the digital divide moving forward. She centered anti-racism in her work by primarily interviewing organizations whose target demographics are immigrants, people of color, low-income, unemployed or underemployed individuals or historically under-served and marginalized communities.