In a world increasingly run by broadband and bandwidth, Jamal Reed is on a mission to ensure that access to digital tools isn’t a privilege—it’s a right. As the founder and CEO of ConnectForward, a fast-growing nonprofit-tech hybrid, Reed has become a national leader in the fight to close the digital divide—bringing internet access, digital literacy, and tech infrastructure to millions of Americans in underserved urban and rural areas.
From community Wi-Fi in Mississippi’s Delta towns to coding bootcamps in public housing projects across Chicago, Reed is proving that bridging the tech gap means more than laptops and routers—it means empowerment, equity, and economic freedom.
“Access to the internet in 2025 is as essential as running water,” says Reed. “If people can’t connect, they can’t compete. And that’s unacceptable.”
Roots in Disconnection: Reed’s Personal Story
Jamal Reed’s mission is deeply personal. Raised in a single-parent home in East St. Louis, Illinois, he often had to walk to the local library just to complete homework assignments. His mother, a public school teacher, would print out lesson plans at work because they couldn’t afford a home internet connection.
Despite the obstacles, Reed earned a scholarship to Morehouse College, later completing a master’s degree in public policy and tech equity from NYU. But instead of joining Silicon Valley, he returned home—to solve the very problem he once lived through.
“Tech saved my life,” Reed recalls. “But it almost missed me. I couldn’t let that happen to another generation.”
The Birth of ConnectForward: From Pilot to Powerhouse
In 2018, Reed launched ConnectForward with a single pilot project: a partnership with a low-income apartment complex in St. Louis, where he installed free Wi-Fi routers, refurbished donated laptops, and trained local teenagers to serve as digital mentors.
The results were immediate:
- Homework submission rates tripled
- Unemployment in the complex dropped by 18% in a year
- Residents began using telehealth, online banking, and applying for college
Word spread. By 2020, ConnectForward had scaled to five states, powered by a mix of philanthropic grants, public-private partnerships, and grassroots volunteers.
Today, it’s operating in 22 states, reaching more than 3 million people—and counting.
Three Pillars of Change: How Reed’s Model Works
ConnectForward operates on a three-part model that is equal parts infrastructure, education, and empowerment:
1. Access
- Installs community Wi-Fi hubs in housing complexes, libraries, and churches
- Distributes refurbished devices through tech company partnerships
- Works with municipalities to expand affordable broadband policies
2. Digital Literacy
- Offers multilingual, age-tailored digital literacy courses
- Trains seniors on how to use telehealth and avoid scams
- Runs school-based programs teaching cybersecurity and online safety
3. Economic Opportunity
- Connects residents with remote job training, resume building, and gig economy platforms
- Hosts bootcamps in coding, e-commerce, and app development
- Partners with companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to place graduates in real jobs
“Giving someone Wi-Fi doesn’t mean they know how to use it,” Reed explains. “We meet people where they are, and then walk with them forward.”
Policy, Advocacy & Partnerships: Scaling Systems
Reed isn’t just building programs—he’s shaping policy. He has:
- Served on the FCC’s Digital Inclusion Task Force
- Helped draft federal broadband expansion bills under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
- Consulted with state governors and city mayors to launch Digital Equity Offices
He’s also secured more than $150 million in funding from sources like:
- The Gates Foundation
- Ford Foundation
- Comcast Rise Grant Initiative
- Public utility reinvestment funds
In 2024, ConnectForward inked a landmark deal with Starlink and city transit systems to create mobile Wi-Fi on buses serving rural routes and urban school zones.
