About Us

Get Connected Oakland (GCO)  began in one of Mayor Dellums' citizen task forces on digital literacy. When the mayor adopted the task force recommendations in a letter to business and community leaders in June, 2007, he declared:

“In Oakland we are dedicated to equality of access and equality of opportunity in these ways:

• Equal access to computers and the Internet for all residents, regardless of economic status.
• Education and training classes for all residents to make them literate and productive users of technology.
• A support system to keep the digital divide from returning.”

The City has already engaged in a wide variety of activities to improve access including upgraded library access, over twenty new computer centers for our youth in the OPR recreation centers, dozens of free wi-fi hotspots and more.

The individual organizations that make up GCO in 2010 are: the Oakland Technology Exchange West, and the City of Oakland.  We hope to add to this list as organizations join us. By joining together, we will be in a better position to seek funding as a collaborative with each organization doing what they are most capable of doing. OTX West has begun this website to maintain a clearing house of Oakland resources.