RDA Strategies

It was an uplifting Sunday on November 21, 2021, to connect with future and current social agents of change!

Blessed to again join The Circle of Change Virtual Leadership Experience this weekend for a transformational leadership experience for culturally diverse students & professionals from across the country. 

There’s something invigorating about being in good company and knowing that leaders from various sectors are out there “walking the walk” for the betterment of society.

As LA:RISE concluded its sixth programmatic year in 2021, partners reflected on what sustained public-private collaboration can achieve in addressing employment barriers.

The same week as the final Academy Meeting on May 5, 2021, we connected with the City of Los Angeles, General Manager, Carolyn Hull, to discuss approaches to supporting people navigating significant employment barriers.

The Economic and Workforce Development Department, City of Los Angeles, advances economic opportunity through workforce development, business support, youth programs, and initiatives designed to strengthen pathways to employment and economic mobility across Los Angeles.

LA:RISE continues to demonstrate what is possible when workforce agencies, government partners, and employment social enterprises work together to expand opportunity.

One reflection shared by Carolyn Hull remains relevant today: “In the City of L.A., societal problems can only be addressed through collaboration.”

Agreed.

Thank you to the dedicated LA:RISE partners whose continued commitment supports communities across Los Angeles. Looking back to 2015, when LA:RISE launched as a City initiative before expanding Countywide in 2018, the work reinforces a continued belief: lasting systems change requires partnership.

“The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams,”~ Oprah Winfrey

On April 27, 2021, I had the opportunity to return as an alumna and present for Communications Week hosted by the California State University, Fullerton College of Communications.

The annual event brings together students, alumni, and professionals across communications fields to exchange perspectives, explore emerging trends, and strengthen connections between education and practice.

At a time when virtual spaces continued to reshape how communities learned and engaged, the experience reflected how innovation and perseverance sustained momentum, learning, and collaboration.

Returning to speak as an alumna was also a reminder that growth often begins when we remain open to new ideas, unfamiliar perspectives, and opportunities beyond our comfort zones.

One takeaway stayed with me: learning does not end with graduation. It evolves through continued curiosity, connection, and willingness to keep growing.

On July 23, 2020, in partnership with Talent Rewire, UNITE LA, and REDF, we hosted Manuel Pastor and Amelia Ransom for a discussion on how employers can use local history and context to create more equitable and sustainable workplaces.

One reflection from Amelia Ransom remained with me:

“You have to look at the opportunity gap, not just the pay gap within your company.”

The conversation reinforced an important point: equity requires organizations to examine the systems shaping access to opportunity, not only outcomes.

The discussion later informed a Forbes Grads of Life article, Business Has a Role in Dismantling Racism: 3 Takeaways From Our Conversation With Dr. Manuel Pastor and Amelia Ransom, which I co-authored with Heddy Nam to extend these reflections on workforce equity, opportunity, and the role employers can play in advancing change.

As organizations continue to navigate workforce challenges, questions about equity, inclusion, and economic mobility remain relevant.

During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty reshaped communities, workplaces, and daily life in ways few anticipated.

The moment highlighted how quickly systems could become strained and how essential resource sharing, mutual support, and community networks become during disruption.

Information related to emergency assistance, workforce supports, volunteer opportunities, and community resources served as reminders that resilience is often collective rather than individual.

One lesson became increasingly clear:

Access to information can influence whether people feel supported or left to navigate challenges alone.

As communities adapted, the importance of connection, timely resources, and coordinated support became more visible than ever.

On March 5, 2020, more than 1,000 stakeholders gathered at the Biltmore in Downtown Los Angeles for the 4th Annual Homeless Initiative Conference, hosted by the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative. The event brought together elected officials, nonprofit providers, advocates, and community members to explore regional approaches to homelessness and systems change.

The day concluded with reflections from Tristen, an LA:RISE participant continuing to build skills through employment social enterprise while pursuing long term career goals.

One message stood out:Aspirations become more achievable when people have access to opportunity, support, and environments where they can be seen beyond barriers.

The conversation also emphasized vulnerability as an important practice for leaders and organizations committed to serving communities experiencing homelessness.

At a time when homelessness remained one of Los Angeles County’s most urgent challenges, the gathering reinforced the value of approaching complex issues through collaboration, dignity, and shared responsibility.

On February 19 to 21, 2020, I had the opportunity to present at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference in Oakland, California, a national convening that brought together policymakers, practitioners, advocates, philanthropists, researchers, and service providers working to prevent and end homelessness.

My workshop, Innovative Strategies to Increase Employment and Income for People Experiencing Homelessness, explored employment social enterprises, cash assistance, and the role meaningful work can play in addressing homelessness.

The conversations reinforced something I continue to see: Employment is often connected to more than income. It can influence stability, dignity, community, and opportunity.

Grateful to the leaders, practitioners, and advocates working daily to strengthen pathways toward housing stability and economic mobility nationwide.

On January 23, 2020, LA:RISE partners gathered at Goodwill Southern California for a quarterly Academy Meeting focused on adaptation, creativity, and problem-solving.

Goodwill Southern California’s mission, Transforming Lives Through the Power of Work, reflects its long-standing role supporting people navigating barriers to employment through career services, training, and job placement.

Using the playful prompt, “What Would MacGyver Do?”, the conversation explored how flexibility, resourcefulness, and unconventional thinking can help address complex workforce and community challenges.

The reminder remained relevant: Progress often requires adapting, strengthening partnerships, and approaching barriers differently.

When Local Models Influence National Practice

On December 19, 2019, the United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration selected LA:RISE to be featured on WorkforceGPS as an innovative approach to the design and delivery of employment services.

The interview I participated in, filmed earlier that year, focused on LA:RISE’s partnership model and the role of City collaboration in expanding pathways to employment for people navigating barriers to economic opportunity. The feature was developed as a resource for workforce professionals nationwide to explore promising practices that could inform or be replicated in other communities.

The recognition held additional meaning because the Department of Labor served as LA:RISE’s first funding source before the initiative later expanded Countywide.

On the same day the WorkforceGPS feature was released, I attended Engage LA at the Getty House, the official residence of the Mayor of Los Angeles. More than 300 guests gathered around the theme, “Gift of Giving,” with remarks from Mayor Eric Garcetti and First Lady Amy Elaine Wakeland.

The event highlighted organizations and businesses that balance purpose with profit, including efforts that benefit communities experiencing homelessness.

The experience reinforced something I continue to see: Economic opportunity and community impact become stronger when partnerships, innovation, and shared responsibility intersect.

On November 23, 2019, I participated in the Leadership Insights Session for Future Social Impact Professionals panel at the 10th Annual Circle of Change Leadership Conference as a panelist alongside Corneil Montgomery of Bank of the West, Nason Buchanan of LA Mayor’s Office of Economic Opportunity, Sally Chan of Warner Bros. Entertainment, and Patricia Neri of The Walt Disney Company.

Hosted in Carson, California, the session brought together leaders across workforce development, entertainment, corporate social responsibility, government, and community impact to discuss careers rooted in purpose and service.

The conference is designed to prepare traditional, nontraditional, and first-generation students for leadership success by connecting them directly with professionals across industries.

Spaces like this matter because access to mentorship, networks, and honest conversations can influence how future leaders see what is possible.