Nestled in the heart of the Deep South sits Georgia at the forefront of perpetual innovation and connectivity. Originating as a rail logistics hub in our founding years, Atlanta grew beyond an interstate beacon to become a global marquee for air travel and a center for economic prosperity. True to our roots, Atlanta continues to grow and position itself as a booming hub for a variety of industries, including technology, and is a leader in the digital economy.
State Rep. Inga Willis
With this reality comes great responsibility. As we continue to welcome an evolving and diverse population to our state, it is the attraction to great opportunity that continues to propel generational outcomes and continues a legacy of leadership and dynamic social change.
With a well-documented history of social impact and inclusion of the often under-represented, it is more critical than ever that lawmakers develop our state to ensure that Georgians living outside of Highway 285 have access to and can contribute to our state’s expanding digital economy. That means supporting laws that empower the next generation to lead Georgia’s tech sector while abandoning legislative efforts that would damage our state’s innovation ecosystem.
With laws being debated and enshrined under the Gold Dome in Atlanta, it is easy to overlook the plight of our neighbors in rural Georgia. I will never forget the frustration that I felt for rural Georgians when the world went remote in 2020 and suddenly livelihoods were in jeopardy over lack of access to basic connectivity. It was the same gutting feeling I felt for children in dense urban areas who had to find fast food parking lots with WiFi access just to do their homework.
But the truth is we are more connected in our issues than most would care to admit. Access equals progress. The global pandemic merely highlighted pre-existing issues, and our state’s lack of rural broadband infrastructure was exposed for the world to see. As I lament the families left in digital silence during that time, I know access to connectivity is not exclusive to rural Georgia.
I was born and raised in Southwest Atlanta and proudly represent my home District 55. There are communities right here in the city that cannot access quality broadband due to a lack of digital infrastructure or affordability. Both factors lead to the same outcome of leaving too many Georgians locked outside of our state’s digital ecosystem, and I hope my lawmaker colleagues will work together to rectify this issue for both rural and metro communities in Georgia alike.
Our forthcoming legislative session presents an opportunity for intentional policymaking to bolster a more equitable digital economy in Georgia. Although this seems clear cut, I fear that economically disadvantageous legislation and legal pursuits could hamstring our tech sector.
For example, there is ongoing tech antitrust litigation that our state Attorney General’s office has dedicated precious time and resources toward, while so many Georgians still don’t have equitable access to broadband technology and the digital economy. With the presidential election right around the corner, I hope to see our party steer clear of legislative distractions that make Georgia a pariah for new business ventures. Our success is rooted in remaining an attractive place to do business.
We are living in politically contentious times. The people of Georgia, whether urban or rural, elected us to capitalize upon opportunities for economic mobility. The dichotomy of Atlanta’s city leadership juxtaposed with our state’s conservative executive and legislative leadership has been a shining example of how opposing perspectives can work in tandem to foster an economy that strives to uplift all families. I hope this trend continues through the next presidential cycle, and we can leave the inflammatory rhetoric and economically adverse policies outside of our state.
State Representative Inga Willis (D-Atlanta) currently represents the citizens of District 55, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2022.
