By Margaret Harding McGill, NTIA

Phashad Williams is taking the first steps toward putting a new spin on his grandfather’s legacy.

Williams’ grandfather Harold Cottrell was the first Black line supervisor for an electric company in Oklahoma and was also one of the first Black Journeyman in the state.

The NTIA Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI) plays an important role in the Internet For All initiative by promoting equitable high-speed Internet access and adoption at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), and in their surrounding anchor communities. OMBI’s guiding vision is to achieve digital equity for minority communities across the United States.