This is the first part of a two-part interview conducted with H. Rose Trostle (they/them/theirs), Research Professional at the American Indian Policy Institute at Arizona State University, and a longtime advocate of broadband access in Indian Country. An article drawn from the interview is available on the ShapingEDU blog.
H. Rose Trostle; photo by Christopher MitchellLet’s start with the basics: What first drew you to efforts to support universal broadband access and access to the tools needed to effectively use the Internet for work and learning?
I have always been interested in Internet access. I grew up in a rural community without great access to the Internet, but it was functional. I learned Latin via list-serv and early videoconferencing programs. I got more involved in advocacy around Internet access when I started my first job out of college as an intern at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. That organization focuses on municipal and community networks.
Tags: activism • Advocacy • american indian policy institute • arizona state university • broadband access • Change the World • Collaboration • community • connecting for work • digital equity action team • digital inequity • Digital Literacy • h. rose trostle • hotspots • indian country • innovation • institute for local self-reliance • internet access • internet service providers • leech lake reservation • paul signorelli • schools health and libraries broadband coalition • shapingedu • shlb • Technology