Putting technology in the hands of at-risk LGBTQ+ communities
LGBT Tech, a Virginia-based nonprofit that addresses the unique tech needs of LGBTQ+ communities and leads the nation in related policy education, launched a national partnership with T-Mobile earlier this year.
T-Mobile is the largest wireless network provider in the United States. The national partnership aligns with T-Mobile’s stated mission to give back in bold ways, focusing on the benefits of a digitally-connected world. The partnership was officially announced in a national media campaign released in June as part of T-Mobile's 2022 Pride month activities.
See National Ad Here: https
The partnership features a $100,000 donation to LGBT Tech’s PowerOn program, which connects LGBTQ+ individuals with access to tech devices. Research carried out by the organization shows that tech devices are crucial for accessing social support, housing, employment, and healthcare services online. Since 2015, PowerOn has provided life-saving laptops, tablets, and cell phones to marginalized and homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
Thanks to T-Mobile’s support, PowerOn has granted 141 devices to 32 LGBTQ+ partner centers across the US through the 2022 PowerOn Mobile Mini Grant project. The support will also provide resources and knowledge around using the technology and gaining access to the Internet. The media footage features images of PowerOn clients using donated technology. The partnership also features on the T-Mobile website with the statement, “We believe pride is unlimited, and opportunities should be too.”
The T-Mobile Pride campaign also pledged $1 million over the next five years to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest LGBTQ advocacy and political lobbying organization in the United States. Like PowerOn, the HRC’s digital literacy program targets multi-marginalized LGBTQ+ communities.
Read more about the Mobile Mini Grant program online at PowerOn.
About LGBT TECH
LGBT Tech, a 501c(3) nonprofit, encourages the continued early adoption and use of cutting-edge, new and emerging technologies by providing information, education and strategic outreach for LGBT communities. We are a national, nonpartisan group of LGBT organizations, academics and high technology companies whose mission is to engage with critical technology and public policy leaders for strategic discussions at all levels. LGBT Tech empowers LGBT communities and individuals, and ensures that media, telecommunications, and high technology issues of specific concern to LGBT communities are addressed in public policy conversations.
About PowerOn
PowerOn, a program of LGBT Tech, strives to help LGBTQ individuals empower themselves through the distribution of life-saving technology hardware. This national program to support at-risk and under-served LGBTQ individuals provides technology at no cost through local partner LGBTQ organizations
About T-Mobile
T-Mobile US is a digital mobile telecommunications company operating the largest wireless network in the United States since a 2018 merger with Sprint. T-Mobile runs major social impact and community investment campaigns as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. The majority of those campaigns center around efforts to bridge the digital divide and make digital connectivity more widely accessible to marginalized communities in the US.T-Mobile has been chosen as one of Forbes’ Top 100 Companies to work for and the Best-of-the-Best Corporation for Inclusion by the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.