Last week, news broke that mohuman was funded by the climate crisis fighters at BQuest Foundation to bridge the digital divide in San Diego for low-income communities. mohuman hacks the kind of systemic inequities that BQuest seeks to solve. This grant solidifies a step in the right direction toward that end.

The COVID- 19 pandemic conclusively showed that people who are not digitally prepared lose their jobs, their education, and their lives because of digital inequities. While urban areas become more dependent on digitalized internet-connected services, these digitally underserved individuals and families are left out of the decision-making process for technologies that decide their social, health, and economic status.

BQuest’s grant will go toward Project Rise Up in the red-lined, low-income communities in the San Diego Promise Zone that are excluded from internet infrastructure modernization and affordable access to digital services. Through grassroots community engagement and digital resilience coalitions, mohuman built community before technology to engage local nonprofits, leaders, universities, and residents as promotoras and codevelopers of a digital resilience strategy to guarantee affordable internet and digital services for education, health, and government engagement. BQuest’s partnership and support will ensure that San Diego is digitally served.

“We are supporting mohuman because we believe they will have significant impact on people and communities who need it the most.”

–Andy Ballester, BQuest

BQuest localizes their pursuit of structural change through their place-based strategy that focuses on granting and investing in the city of San Diego. Their mission is to decarbonize the future and believe in funding advocacy groups that fight for “bigger, systemic changes.” Inevitably, mohuman fits the systemic change bill.

BQuest’s impact investing hinges on the belief that “all assets of a foundation can be used in support of (their) mission.” They also practice parallel grantmaking. By broadening their reach beyond climate change, they grant themselves the latitude to inspire greater social good. This expansive, rather than restrictive, multi-pronged approach to change making is exactly what mirrors mohuman’s 10-step plan that guides the way from digital entry to digital resilience.

“Our relationship is based on the vision of an equitable future for everyone and we are beyond excited to partner with BQuest to democratize cutting edge community based strategies and tech to benefit those who need it the most.” 

– Dr. Nishal Mohan, CEO, mohuman

May shaped out to be a big month for mohuman and this partnership brushes just the tip of the iceberg. The world should know that digital rights and climate justice are inextricably connected. Thanks to the BQuest foundation, more people are about to find that out. 

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