Many of you may have noticed UNITE-LA’s push to support our partners with $1.5 billion in broadband infrastructure. This significant proposal from the Governor's office is a direct result of the advocacy efforts led by UNITE-LA and LA DEAL.

Our engagement with Senator Lena Gonzalez and various news outlets played a pivotal role in shaping this initiative. UNITE-LA had been actively engaged with the state for 18 months, participating in bi-weekly meetings to provide input on the placement of the middle mile network. The partnerships we brought to the table and the recommendations we made were instrumental in creating the initial map for the middle mile network. However, in August 2023, the state unexpectedly released a revised map that omitted the middle mile network in Southeast L.A., and instead added in wealthy communities. This decision prompted immediate action from UNITE-LA and partners. We collaborated with the Gateway Cities COG and undertook several initiatives to reverse this decision.

The Governor announced a proposal to allocate an additional $1.5 billion for the state's middle mile network in the 2024 budget, just weeks after our collective efforts. This builds upon the state's initial $6 billion investment in broadband infrastructure through SB 156, of which UNITE-LA was a proud advocate.