Borderplex Connect urges council to back digital‑inclusion work as city proclaims Digital Inclusion Week

The City of El Paso proclaimed Oct. 4–10, 2026 as Digital Inclusion Week and October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month as part of a broader push to close the local digital divide.

Andrea Tiras, who leads nonprofit Borderplex Connect, told the council the organization runs bilingual basic digital‑skills classes, distributes Internet‑ready devices and Wi‑Fi hotspots, and is piloting a train‑the‑trainer program that trains promotoras to teach digital skills in their neighborhoods. “This is what it means to be digitally connected in today's world and empowered to pursue the aspirations you have for your own life,” Tiras said.

Tiras noted persistent gaps in reliable Internet access, device ownership and digital skills across lower‑income neighborhoods and rural adjacent communities. She said the coalition coordinates with the El Paso Community Foundation and other partners and tracks progress in a local "digital divide document" to inform policy and advocacy.

Councilmembers thanked Borderplex Connect and discussed continued coordination with city departments; the proclamation is recognition of outreach efforts but did not include a funding action during the meeting.