The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is launching the next phase of their digital equity work in Pico-Union with support from a Michelson Spark Grant. This effort will bring neighbors, advocates, and policymakers together to design an community-led internet service project rooted in the users’ lived experiences prior to launching their service. Families will shape the vision for the service that will be affordable, reliable, and culturally inclusive.

“Digital equity is about the people who use the internet as much as it is about connecting them to technology,” said Cristal Mojica, Senior Program Manager for Digital Equity at the Michelson 20MM Foundation. “CHIRLA’s leadership shows that when we center community voices, we build solutions that last.”

Listening First, Building Together

CHIRLA will engage community members and host retreats to ensure low-income and immigrant families can speak to the challenges they face every day. From students falling behind in school without access to stable internet, to parents missing telehealth visits, to families being unable to access immigration resources, these stories will guide the pilot ISP’s design.

By hiring community ambassadors to conduct door-to-door outreach, CHIRLA will reach over 2,000 members and ensure trust and inclusion remain at the center. Residents are not just participants, they are co-creators of the solutions.

From Pilot to Policy Impact

This community-driven process that respects language and cultural context is more than a step toward reliable internet, it is a vehicle for civic empowerment. CHIRLA will invite local elected officials to hear directly from families, making sure that lived experience informs policy and funding decisions. The pilot ISP will become both a proof of concept and a call to action for broader change.

Building on 2024 Momentum

This project builds on the foundation CHIRLA laid in 2024 with their Michelson Spark Grant, which will be piloting as an ISP in Pico-Union. Their early work sparked hope and connection, showing that digital equity initiatives can succeed when anchored in community trust. The 2025 grant will expand on that vision, moving to full community engagement and leadership.

Anchored in a Community Hub

The groundwork being laid today will directly support the opening of the Immigrant Welcome and Empowerment Center (IWEC) in 2026, followed by their Data Center. Located within CHIRLA’s IWEC, the Data Center will provide affordable high-speed internet while also serving as a hub for civic life, digital literacy, and community empowerment.

Why This Moment Matters

The need for action is urgent. ISPs remain largely unaccountable for serving immigrant and low-income households, and every day without action deepens the divide. By engaging now, CHIRLA is ensuring the Pico-Union community claims its right to shape the digital systems it relies on.

A Shared Vision for Connection

The Michelson 20MM Spark Grants program invests in initiatives that remove systemic barriers to equity and opportunity. Supporting CHIRLA reflects a shared belief that connected communities are stronger communities. Together, CHIRLA and Michelson 20MM are proving that digital equity is not just about bandwidth, it is about people, dignity, and the power of connecting a community.

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About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.