Davis Park

Davis Park is Director of Community Technology Programs at the Little Tokyo Service Center. A technology educator and activist, Davis has been involved in computer-based learning and access programs for residents of low-income housing communities, and has been working to help build the capacities among other Los Angeles community technology centers (CTCs).

WiFi in Little Tokyo

Los Angeles' downtown Little Tokyo district recently launched a community network that will bring free Internet access to local businesses, homes and visitors. This project provides broadband point-to-point wireless Internet access to organizations, and WiFi "hot spots" to residents and visitors in the downtown Los Angeles and Little Tokyo areas. “This important community and economic development project will provide Internet access and training to local residents and small businesses, while giving tourists and other visitors further incentive to come to Little Tokyo,” said Davis Park, Director of Community Technology Programs at the Little Tokyo Service Center.

The “hot spots” will operate in certain locations such as public spaces, cafes and restaurants in Little Tokyo. These designated areas will enable computer laptop and PDA users equipped with wireless network cards to access the Internet. Little Tokyo is one of several areas of central Los Angeles’ historic core undergoing redevelopment and one of the first community-based initiatives of the CRA/LA projects to go live with a community wireless network. The wireless network represents an important effort in promoting digital inclusion and in providing low-income residents the telecommunications access that allows residents to use innovative technologies enabling them to connect to the internet.

One long-term goal for the project is to help revitalize the Little Tokyo district by using the WiFi access to communicate information about Little Tokyo -- including a business directory and an events calendar. A visitors’ survey taken in May 2006 revealed that 45 percent of the respondents indicated that free wireless Internet access in Little Tokyo would encourage them to visit. As a result, a potential benefit of the project would be its ability to aid the preservation of Little Tokyo's cultural and historical heritage by presenting neighborhood information to visitors and residents.

Links

Leonard McNeil - Empowering Youth in Richmond

Micheline Wilcoxen - Building Community Capacity for Civic Engagement