NYC Council Member Erik Bottcher Honors Digital4Good

By: Madina Ansary, Seasonal Public Relations Intern | Digital4Good

On February 5th, attendees of the 2024 Digital4Good Summit witnessed a special surprise. New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher went onstage to present Kim Karr, Digital4Good’s co-founder and executive director, with a City Council Citation award for her work with Digital4Good. 

“Her dedication and tireless work deserve recognition and support from our community,” said Bottcher. Since 2013, Karr has empowered over 12.5 million people to use technology for good, equipping students and educators with the tools and training to combat online toxicity and promote positive change in communities. 

Read on to learn more about Bottcher, Digital4Good’s impact, and the road to the award presentation.

Erik Bottcher’s Story

Bottcher has devoted his life to furthering progressive causes and strives to better his community each and every day. 

Growing up in a small town during the 1990s, Bottcher often felt out of place. He was the only gay person he knew and was bullied by his peers on multiple occasions. His struggles with severe mental health issues and bullying as an adolescent would drive him to advocate for the most marginalized members of society as an adult.

In 2021, Erik Bottcher was elected to represent City Council District 3, which includes the New York City neighborhoods of Greenwich Village, Chelsea, and Hell’s Kitchen. Since then, he has led efforts to address New York’s mental health crisis and sanitation concerns and to create employment opportunities for residents of public housing and those living in poverty. 

Discovering Digital4Good

Bottcher learned about Digital4Good through one of its youngest interns. Joseph Petraro, a 10-year-old student intern at Digital4Good, came across Erik Bottcher when researching various politicians and their platforms. Bottcher’s ideals aligned perfectly with Digital4Good’s anti-bullying initiatives. Petraro invited Bottcher to the 2024 Digital4Good Summit and asked if he could recognize Kim Karr for her work in digital citizenship education. Bottcher agreed without hesitation, expressing that Karr deserved an award for her years of hard work. 

Like Bottcher, Petraro had faced bullying from his peers for years. “When I first got involved with [Digital4Good], I was going through my own personal struggles, dealing with traumas, grief, and various anxieties,” Petraro said. Kim Karr supported Petraro at his lowest, providing guidance on how to deal with bullying and reminding him of what his rights are. 

Now, Petraro is a recruiting specialist intern at Digital4Good, where he helps advance their mission of digital safety and bullying prevention. He has made a tremendous impact within the organization and seeks to recognize Digital4Good for how it has helped him and other students.

Digital4Good’s Reach

Since its founding, 501(c)(3) nonprofit Digital4Good has directly trained hundreds of thousands of students and reached millions more through its peer-to-peer learning model. Its presentations and curricula teach students and educators how to break the cycle of bullying and support those struggling with mental health. 

By delivering presentations at schools, hosting a variety of virtual and in-person events, and working with passionate students from around the world, Digital4Good empowers individuals to become responsible digital citizens and leaders, no matter where they are in the world.  

Watch Erik Bottcher’s speech and presentation of the NYC Council Citation here. To join the Digital4Good movement, connect with us on TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook.