The California Wellness Foundation Grants CARE at Work $500,000
The Center for the Advancement of Racial Equity (CARE) at Work has been awarded a $500,000 grant over the next three years from The California Wellness Foundation to continue supporting the program through participatory research, narrative shift, field development, and school-to-movement pathways.
A project of the UCLA Labor Center, CARE at Work was founded in 2020 by then director, now California senator, Lola Smallwood-Cuevas to provide innovative solutions that address the needs of Black working-class people in Los Angeles. By offering the course “We Gon’ Be Alright: Developing the Next Generation of Black Organizers” and the Freedom Fellowship, CARE at Work aims to achieve equity and justice for workers, their families, and communities by strengthening Black life, teaching, and research at UCLA and in Southern California.
“The UCLA M115 class ‘We Gon’ Be Alright’ is off to a great spring quarter. Enrollment is at an all-time high, and the class is set to have some great impactful discussions, presentations and organizing outcomes,” said Dwayne Jackson, CARE at Work Program Manager. “Students are excited to join and grow their organizing skill set.”
Cal Wellness’ vision is for every resident of California to enjoy good health and experience wellness. Their mission is to protect and improve the health and wellness of the people of California by increasing access to health care, quality education, good jobs, healthy environments and safe neighborhoods.
“Cal Wellness is proud to partner with UCLA Care at Work and continue to support research, narrative change, and field development work for Black worker justice and student leadership,” said Jeff Kim, Cal Wellness Program Director.
“We are so appreciative to be recipients of this generous funding,” said Andrea Slater, CARE at Work Director. “This support helps us continue to accomplish critical equity work in our immediate community for current and future workers in California.” To learn more about the “We Gon’ Be Alright” class or the Freedom Fellowship, please contact CARE at Work Program Manager Déjà Thomas at dmthomas11@g.ucla.edu. For more information on ways to support CARE at Work, please contact Associate Director of Development Vivian Nguyen at vivnguyen@irle.ucla.edu.
