By Aani Nagaiah

Earlier in May of 2025, the Trump administration terminated the federal Digital Equity Capacity Grant, which had provided $23.7 million to Illinois for internet access and digital education. While the decision was framed at the federal level as a rollback of discretionary spending, its consequences are now unfolding in specific local ways, an example being a community center for elderly folk in Chicago’s Chinatown.

The program, which helps seniors use technology and navigate public transit, was featured on a recent segment of Chicago Tonight. The reporter noted that senior citizens in Chinatown depend on the program to understand how to use technology in their daily lives.

These spaces have provided essential daily independence for seniors as technology advances. Chinatowns are more than just places of business, and serve instead as a cultural safety net, especially for elders with limited English proficiency. Community centers in the neighborhood have historically filled gaps left by mainstream American institutions, and the digital literacy program fits within that tradition.

In the PBS coverage, an elderly participant described how her phone had become “like a second pair of eyes,” which underscores the personal value of the skills taught in the classes. According to Federal Trade Commission data, total fraud losses reported by Americans ages 60 and over surged from around $600 million in 2020 to $2.4 billion in 2024, with older adults reporting much higher individual losses than younger age groups. Classes like these transform what’s abstract to the elderly population into concrete forms of safety and protection.

To read the entire article: https://asamnews.com/2025/12/22/chinatown-elderly-asian-american-trump-policies-digital-policy-aging-government-community/

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