To announce this donation, Airbnb partnered with Issa Rae, who first introduced the TV world and public to her beloved South LA neighborhood with her on-screen character Issa Dee, in the HBO hit show–Insecure. Ahead of Super Bowl LVI hosted at the Sofi Stadium in South LA this past Sunday, companies like Airbnb and Nasdaq aren’t just thinking about football, but rather also about the economic impact and commitment to equitable health services, youth development, and job creation in the South LA area.
“Since my series debuted in 2016, it’s been an honor to showcase the people, culture and businesses that make South LA such a vibrant part of the city,” Issa stated in speaking about her listing.
On-screen and off-screen, Issa Rae is known for putting on for her community. That’s why LeadersUp is investing this entire donation back into the job seekers we serve, letting them know–‘we got y’all.” This donation will allow LeadersUp to continue their work of creating career pathways, jobs and providing career coaching to BIPOC talent. LeadersUp will utilize the donation to create a community impact fund which would address their community’s barriers to accessing educational, mental health and wellness, and technological resources.
“We are sincerely grateful to Airbnb and Nasdaq for including LeadersUp in this grant to advance inclusive growth and prosperity and to empower under-represented communities in their efforts to generate wealth. This level of investment speaks volumes to the value and importance of our work in this community and amongst BIPOC talent in our markets nationally. The partnership with Issa Rae, during Superbowl LVI weekend–when the eyes of the nation and beyond are focused on South LA–further speaks to the importance of highlighting and increasing the visibility of our work of bridging the divide between the diverse talent of tomorrow and forward thinking employers. As major corporations struggle to make good on their Equity and Racial Justice committments following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and struggle to build diverse and inclusive cultures within their organizations, this grant affirms the work we are doing in this space as a thought leader and practicioner to advance an inclusive economy. We’re excited about putting these funds where the impact is needed most–in the hands of jobseekers as they navigate the employment process.” – Jeffery Wallace, CEO LeadersUp
LeadersUp is tremendously grateful to Airbnb, NASDAQ, and Issa Rae for their commitment to economic empowerment, especially as South LA residents used #Superbowl weekend as an additional source of income.
If you’d also like to invest in creating a community fund for job seekers who need support beyond career coaching, visit leadersup.org/donate to donate today.
READ MORE ABOUT ISSA RAE’S INITIATIVE HERE
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About LeadersUp:
LeadersUp is a talent development accelerator and social enterprise that was founded to tackle high youth unemployment in America. Since 2013, the nonprofit has stood in the gap to bridge the divide between the untapped potential of at-risk young adults of color and the business challenge of finding and keeping the best talent. LeadersUp recognizes the barriers in place for diverse young adults who are the most adversely impacted by distress in the labor market, particularly during COVID-19. Through their advocacy and professional development tools, employers can transform their diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies into highly inclusive business practices. For more information about LeadersUp, visit www.leadersup.org.
Over the past 7 years they’ve engaged with over 200 companies, impacted over 60,000 young people, and generated over $956M of economic return by way of their three core offerings: career fairs that provide training for employers and on-the-spot hiring opportunities for talent; career coaching that yields a 3:1 interview to hire ratio; and consulting services for major employers to recruit local talent and forge public-private partnerships to advance diverse hiring. To learn more about how LeadersUp is building a more just and antiracist economy, visit leadersup.org.
LeaderUp Media Inquiries:
Austin Thach
The Forefront Group
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443.867.2440
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