Xavier Alexander holds the distinction of being the inaugural digital navigator for the Connect 404 initiative. He expressed that his job doesn’t seem like a chore as he is assisting individuals with the internet who share his likeness and impacting the community with digital tools that should be a standard of living.
Comcast recently declared the provision of the $110,000 grant to two Atlanta-based nonprofits, Inspiredu and Raising Expectations, in aid of the Connect 404 launch, a program aimed at digital navigation. The announcement was made at the headquarters of Inspiredu.
Read on to learn more about his role in detail.
Is this a service type of role?
It’s a grant [Inspiredu] got from Comcast that allowed me to come on board and essentially work with the volunteers and help with the programming here. I help facilitate the workshops and volunteers [who] come into our warehouse to organize our laptops. We help the volunteers learn how to restart the laptops and refurbish them.
How rewarding is this opportunity on a personal level?
I wouldn’t even call it a job because a job implies you have to work. This opportunity has impacted me beyond words. I’ve worked at many nonprofits across the country and it’s easy to forget how privileged you are to have access to a computer, the internet and a phone. When I came here, I got to work with these families. It was inspiring because not only do they look like me but I know they can do the same work that I’m doing. This work is not hard. Access to the internet and computers should not be a privilege, it’s a necessity in this world. [Bridging] that gap is monumental for me; I love it.
What is it like being the first digital navigator for the program?
It’s one of many [firsts]. I’m the first-born American in my family, the first grandchild and I was born on 9/11. I’m the golden child for sure.
Any last words you want to share with the community?
Please come out to Inspiredu. There is something for everybody to do. There is a job for someone else to pick up. This bridge is big and long. The torch is mighty and we need more people to come out and help assist in bridging this digital divide. It is such fulfilling work. It’s fulfilling to see the impact you see immediately. It’s not something that you see later on down the road. It’s something that you see right there and then. Please, if you haven’t come down to Inspiredu, come and support us.
