Can Miami close the digital divide? See what these groups are doing to narrow the gap

By Vinod Sreeharsha

Updated October 16, 2024 10:39 AM

Joseph Jean-Baptiste, 77, center, smiles as he listens as adult Haitian students attended a computer class at the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Florida, to learn digital skills and ease the pathway into employment on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

If there’s such a thing as the self-made individual, the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center brims with them.

On a September Wednesday morning, Joseph Jean-Baptiste sat attentively near the front in his computer class of 48 students. It was his first month. He is 77 years old.

The Haitian-American man owns a smartphone and laptop, but said, “I need more practice. That’s why I come here.”

Jean-Baptiste has lived in Miami for 20 years and works at a restaurant as a server.

“I need a promotion,” he said, looking to make himself more marketable.

So he’s upgrading his digital skills. “I want to make more money to pay my bills.”

Keyboards as bootstraps

Marie Marianne Darismond Candio, center, gets assistance from assistant instructor Stephanie Antione as she takes a computer class. In this class, students learn how to type using computer keyboards. About forty adult Haitian students attended a computer class at the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Florida, to learn digital skills and ease the pathway into employment on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

Director of the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center, Jean A. Souffrant, reflects on the importance of the Center’s mission in America’s current political climate while standing in front of a painting of Haitian hero Toussaint L’Ouverture inside his office. Adult Haitian students attended a computer class at the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Florida, to learn digital skills and ease the pathway into employment on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

The nonprofit Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center is part of Notre Dame d’Haiti Catholic Church. Formed in the early 1980s, the church is considered the spiritual and cultural center of Little Haiti. But it only started offering tech literacy classes in 2022.

Now, it serves about 210 students across those classes. They include introductions to financial literacy and business computing. Most students are older adults: 70% of parishioners are 55 and up.

Pierre Toussaint funders include Little Haiti Revitalization Trust, Comcast and the city of Miami’s Venture Miami. It’s also one of 13 nonprofits backed by the Miami Connected Digital Equity Grant, formed by The Miami Foundation and Achieve Miami.

In 2021, The Miami Foundation started Miami Connected to tackle the digital divide. Initially they focused on ensuring families have broadband internet access at home and teaching them how to use it. The following year, they co-launched the grant initiative.

Since then, Miami Connected has provided $6.9 million to 13 community groups, funding direct grants, capacity-building through grant-writing support, and digital literacy and navigation services, said Tiffany Wilson-Worsley, director of collective impact at The Miami Foundation. Pierre Toussaint received $75,000.

Drelette Bernabe, center, is among 40 adult Haitian students attend a computer class at the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center in the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami, Florida, to learn digital skills and ease the pathway into employment on Wednesday, September 25, 2024. Carl Juste cjuste@miamiherald.com

Back in the classroom, instructor Sterve Jean, 37, paces up and down the rows in this basic computer literacy class. He has only lived in Miami for two months, a sign that recent and younger arrivals from Haiti are more tech savvy than elders, a pattern seen worldwide. At one moment, he tells students “A-L-T” spelling out the ALT key, otherwise he teaches in Creole. Students are helping those seated next to them.

Jean-Baptiste’s wife is also in this class. Drelette Bernabé, 55, arrived from Haiti 3 1/2 years ago. She runs a catering business out of her home. She already passed English as a second language, and she’s ready for more advanced learning.

“I want to learn how to grow the business and how to manage the orders and the business,” she said.

She can’t do that without computer literacy.

Altagrace Mercier, 46, started coming because “I want to find a good job,” she said.

A changed South Florida

Club member Daniel Alvarez drives a solar powered Go Kart during a STEM activity for an after school care program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, in Miami, Fla. D.A. Varela dvarela@miamiherald.com

A Club Staff member explains the directions for using the Sphero BOLT+, a round programmable robot, during a STEM activity for an after school care program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, in Miami, Fla. D.A. Varela dvarela@miamiherald.com

The region has changed significantly in the past four years, with a massive inflow — domestic migrants this time - of tech and finance workers. Hedge funds and venture capital firms from New York to San Francisco opened offices. The new capital and hype, both which peaked in early 2023, helped spur tech startups.

But many long-time residents of South Florida have felt left out and priced out. Little Haiti is one example.

“There’s still a lot of work to do to ensure people aren’t left behind,” said Jean Souffrant, executive director of the Pierre Toussaint Leadership and Learning Center. “A lot of people in the community cannot currently access these jobs.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade focuses on a different demographic.

On a September weekday afternoon in Kendall, a group of five children showed off a solar powered cart. Daniel Alvarez, 15, and one of the leaders, took it out for a spin in the parking lot. They built the cart in two days, he excitedly said.

Asked what benefit he got at the club he didn’t get at school or home, the 10th-grader answered: “The engineering experience and learning to solve problems,” and often on their own.

For example, this program has three teachers who are engineers, but “they were only there if you absolutely needed help,” Daniel said.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade has six locations in the county, including Kendall. They have several after-school programs but about six years ago incorporated STEM teaching. That program meets three times a week and now has over 800 children attending, said Alex Rodrigues-Roig, president of Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade.

Broward County

Ashton Fleureme takes a drone class at the Crockett Foundation on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Sophia Bolivar sbolivar@miamiherald.com

In Fort Lauderdale inside an office building on a Friday afternoon in September, about 32 kids sat at round tables. Pizzas were served. One session was ending for a group of students from Margate Middle School and they were asked what they learned.

Initially, few students raised their hands. Then, cold feet turned to confidence.

“Oh, he’s standing,” remarked Tangy Frederick, program coordinator and leader of the session. “I see you.”

The boy answered, “I learned how to make my own games and that’s really fun.” Applause broke out.

Frederick toyed with another kid: “Is your hand really, really up now?” She waited so he’s certain and said, “We’re ready for you.”

The boy said, “Now I know how to fly drones.”

After more questions, the MC asks them: “How many of you would be interested in potentially coming back to learn more?”

Nearly everyone raised their hands. Whoops and hollers carried through the entire office.

“All right, OK, guys, settle down,” says Frederick.

This is the Crockett Foundation.

“We wanted to create a safe environment where these kids can come in and just geek out and have fun,” said Henri Crockett, the group’s president and co-founder.

Many participants live with single mothers, in areas rampant with drugs with limited upward mobility, he said. This is a chance for them to charge hard into animation, eSports, coding or other computer technology.

“We’ve got to prepare these kids for what they’re going to walk into” as they get older, he said.

Former NFL players come to the aid

President and CEO of the Crockett Foundation Henri Crockett (left) and Vice President Zack Crockett (right) oversee a drone class on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. at the Crockett Foundation. With the goal of inspiring Broward youth with innovative technologies, the two retired NFL brothers established the foundation in 2002. Sophia Bolivar sbolivar@miamiherald.com

Henri and his brother Zack Crockett both played in the NFL. But before that, they grew up in Pompano Beach and endured tough childhoods. But both attended Florida State University and were on its 1993 national championship team.

They started the Crockett Foundation together in 2002. Its focus has been middle school students. While it offersprograms including field trips, in recent years it expanded its program in Coding and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics, or STEAM.

The Community Foundation of Broward gave Crockett its first grant in 2010. They have since provided over $500,000 of support, said Angelica Rosa, the Community Foundation of Broward’s director of community impact.

The Coding and STEAM initiative has 400 students, up from 50 in 2016 when it began this initiative.

For the 2024-25 school year, Crockett estimates having 475 students.

James Octavius, 12, has come every day after school. The seventh-grader said he loved learning coding and eSports the most.

“Without it, I think I’d be left a few steps behind,” he said. Octavius wants to become a mechanical engineer and now thinks finding work at a large tech company is within reach.

Ava Richardson, also 12, loves learning coding, too.

Aiden Charles, 12, has already made a major life decision.

“I want to build robots. Building robots, yeah that’s my thing,” he said confidently.

Aiden is not only learning about technology. He’s already an advocate. “Coding may sound boring but when you get to do it, I promise you it’s not,” he said.

Employers, donors and business leaders should pay attention to these kids’ energy and drive, said Zack Crockett, vice president and co-founder

“These are your next employees,” he said. “It would be wise to come in now and create a pathway.”