News Release
For further information, contact:
Leslie Dunbar, National Urban League
212 558-5438
ldunbar@nul.org

Diane Wagner, Ameritech, 312 727-3912; or pager, 800 800-9725
diane.j.wagner@ameritech.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, July 8, 1999

NEW YORK–Ameritech and the National Urban League announced today that Urban League affiliates in Aurora, Ill., Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee have been selected as sites for new, state-of-the-art Digital Campuses that will provide local communities with the latest hardware, software and, most importantly, skilled staff needed to teach constituents entry-level information technology literacy skills.

Created to support the League’s ongoing efforts to bridge the "digital divide" that faces students and adults who have limited or no access to computers in many communities, the Ameritech Digital Campuses were made possible through a $350,000 grant Ameritech presented to the National Urban League last spring. To be eligible for selection, Urban League affiliates had to be located within the Ameritech and each had to submit a comprehensive plan outlining how they would allocate resources if chosen.

The announcement of these Digital Campuses arrives in the wake of the release of Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide, a report by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, which details the technology and information gap in America. Among other key findings, the report reveals that community technology centers are key access points where residents in low-income communities go to access technology.

"The National Urban League, through its affiliates, has worked since 1968 to educate its constituents about the importance of incorporating technology into their professional, academic and everyday lives since 1968. Back then, we offered database training on mainframe computers to our affiliates and the members of their communities," National Urban League President Hugh B. Price said.

"Although technology has changed dramatically since 1968, our mission is still the same: to empower our communities with the technological know-how that will allow us to compete economically, academically and socially on par with mainstream America. As evidenced by our ongoing partnerships with major technology experts such as Ameritech, we will continue to do so as we move into the 21^st century."

According to Mike Kuhlin, Senior Director of Corporate Relations, Ameritech, "Ameritech has a long tradition of supporting projects that seek to bring technology into the lives of all those interested in it. As technology continues to evolve into the next century, we’re thrilled to take a leadership role in educating people about its magic."

Urban League affiliates estimate a 90-day period to get each Digital Campus up and running. This timeframe however, is expected to be flexible. "Some of our affiliates are more advanced than others in terms of hardware preparedness, and have the wiring and spacing to accommodate the set-up of a new technology center," B. Keith Fulton, the National Urban League’s Director of Technology Programs and Policy said. "Others will need to focus more on administrative issues, such as staffing and community partnerships. Ameritech has graciously offered to help coordinate these efforts and we expect each Digital Campus to be open by late fall."

Ameritech (NYSE: AIT) has a strong tradition of giving back to the communities it serves. Last year, the company contributed nearly $27.2 million to over 3,800 nonprofit organizations, and Ameritech Pioneers — some 42,700 employees and retirees throughout the Midwest — volunteered 482,000 hours of community service by supporting health and human services, civic and community projects, and educational and arts programs. Ameritech provides a full range of communications services, serving millions of customers in 50 states and 40 countries.

Founded in 1910, the National Urban League (www.nul.org on the Web) remains the premier social service and civil rights organization in America. A nonprofit, community-based organization headquartered in New York City, the League has been operating technology-based programming since 1968. The organization has 114 affiliates in 34 states and the District of Columbia.