Episode #13
Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural North Carolina | Through The Trees
What does it take to participate fully in community life when so much of it happens online? In rural western North Carolina, digital access can shape whether someone can apply for a job, attend school, reach health and public services, start a business, or stay connected to their community. In this episode of Rural Narratives, we visit Through The Trees in Brevard, North Carolina, where a community effort to close the digital divide has grown beyond broadband access. The organization helps people find affordable internet, get computers and other devices, build digital skills, and find trusted, face-to-face help when technology becomes a barrier. Founder Yvette Brooks began the work during the COVID-19 pandemic, after seeing how lack of internet access could deepen challenges families were already facing. Her story shows how digital equity is connected not only to technology, but also to trust, relationships, opportunity, and the conditions that help rural communities thrive. This is the first episode in a two-part Rural Narratives series exploring digital equity in western North Carolina. Guest: Yvette Brooks, founder of Through The Trees Produced by Layna Hong, Kaitlyn Dang, and Nick Szuberla. "Send Rural Narratives a message" Rural Narratives is a project of Narrative Arts, a nonprofit media and storytelling organization working alongside communities to share stories that deepen connection, expand understanding, and strengthen public life in rural America. Learn more at www.narrativearts.org .
