BASTA

🔥 💥 Basta’s First-Gen Summit in partnership with Bloomberg Returned Bigger Than Ever!🔥 💥 What a day! After six years, we partnered with Bloomberg to revive the First-Gen Summit, and the energy was incredible! This event was about more than exchanging business cards—it was about finding community and building a lasting support system. First-gen students and executives from leading industries gathered to share their career stories, forge genuine connections, and envision the future of work together. A tremendous thanks to all who made it possible: Vanessa Luna, Nancy Cutler, Kathleen McGevna, Perri Mingo, Etienne Vazquez, Giselle Abreu, Julia Freeland Fisher, Michael Collins, Latarria Coy, Jibreel Jalloh, Soré Agbaje, Keyshawn Wright, Winston Fisher, Alejandro Perez, emcees extraordinaire Harmony Gilliard, O'Neil Edwards, and our amazing team at Basta.  Nancy Cutler shared: "Bloomberg is thrilled to partner with Basta to revive the First-Gen Summit convening the incredible talent and drive that we've witnessed firsthand in First-Gen students and professionals."  As our founder Sheila Sarem put it perfectly: "First-Gen Summit is just a container for the brilliance that is happening. Today, we heard a handful of stories and there are thousands more." And wow, did that brilliance shine through! 💯 Real Talk & Real Impact Michael Collins dropped this gem about executive responsibility: "When you're bringing someone up on the elevator, don't make them wish they took the stairs."Let that sink in! It’s not just about opening doors; it’s about ensuring people feel welcomed and supported once they’re inside. 🤝  Leadership and Responsibility Winston Fisher shared: "The value of your life is measured by how much you are engaged, not by your consumption." He emphasized how first-gen talent doesn't merely join companies – they energize organizations and elevate performance across the board. ✨ From Surviving to Thriving Basta Alum Keyshawn Wright delivered an important message: “To the students in the room, … you can manifest these kinds of opportunities. You are capable of thriving and not just surviving.” His reminder to professionals: “Create that space for young professionals to be their authentic selves. First gen magic is a real thing, with untapped talent ready to make an impact. Check out the video below for a brief recap of First-Gen Summit 2024! Partner with us to build a workforce where first-gen talent thrives and leads. Connect with us today: https://lnkd.in/e3pxrna9 #Bloomberg #firstgensummit #Basta #FirstGenMagic #CareerEmpowerment #StudentSuccess #NetworkingForChange #Mentors #firstjob #work #careerdevelopment #networking

🌟 #FirstJobFriday Spotlight 🌟 Meet Oscar Huang, a Baruch College junior majoring in Real Estate with a minor in Finance! 🎓 Starting Spring 2025, he’ll be taking a semester off to join Brown Brothers Harriman full-time as a Fund Order & Custody Co-op. This position allows him to ensure clients' assets are safe—work that plays to his strengths in organization, systems-thinking, and due diligence—while offering a hands-on opportunity to apply classroom knowledge, learn by doing, and build skills that will shape his career. Oscar credits his success to networking, leveraging career centers, and a mentor who introduced him to Basta. Through personalized 1:1 coaching sessions from Mohamed Barry and Alistair Scott, he grew from a nervous intern to a confident professional ready to tackle any challenge. “They were personalized and gave me a safe space to speak my mind and process everything from start to finish. I’m naturally anxious, and knowing I could reach out anytime made all the difference. Comparing myself now to my first internship, it’s night and day. I’m much more confident.” His career mantra: “The skills you gain are yours to keep. The first job is the hardest, but every experience builds on the last. Repeated effort pays off. Keep an open mind and believe in the work you’re putting in.” Let’s celebrate Oscar’s growth and cheer him on as he takes this exciting next step! 👏 #firstgenmagic #gapsemester #CareerGrowth #BastaWorks #RealEstate #Finance #careercoach #firstjobfriday

When we launched the first Basta Fellowship with just 12 young people, we could have never imagined the impact we’d create. Years later, hundreds of alumni are thriving in top companies, and thanks to champions like you, we’re now poised to help millions. With Seekr, our career navigation tool, and Discovery, its scalable companion, we’re not just changing lives today—we’re shaping futures for decades to come. But we can’t do it alone. Join us in empowering even more young people to land their first job and unlock their potential. Together, we can make it happen. https://lnkd.in/euvR2DD #BastaFellowship #Opportunity #CareerGrowth #GiveBack #YouthEmpowerment

🌍 Breaking Ground: Women, Workforce, and Equity in NYC Each year, the NYC Employment and Training Coalition (NYCETC) hosts a two-day conference focused on creating meaningful economic opportunities. Last week, Basta's Director of Strategic Partnerships, Sonia (Jones) Atsegbua, was a featured speaker on the panel "From Awareness to Action: Tackling the Gender Pay Gap In NYC" – alongside Sharon Sewell-Fairman, Rachel Friedman, Farah Louis, and Lauren Leader – where they addressed critical challenges women face in the job market. Sonia emphasized that to create economic opportunities, stakeholders must work harder to expand job access, promote diversity, and strengthen the link between workforce development and economic growth. At Basta, that means building robust, comprehensive mentorship programs and creating connections with women leaders in tech, finance, and other lucrative fields. We've developed an employer partnership model specifically designed to: - Connect women with high-paying roles - Prepare them for interview processes - Ensure they have the tools to compete in competitive industries She highlighted the importance of data-driven insights, explaining how Basta rigorously tracks outcomes for female-identifying participants, including career progression and salary disparities between female and male professionals within their ecosystem and partner networks. This conference was more than just talks and panels. It was a collective commitment to creating more equitable, accessible professional landscapes. We extend our heartfelt thanks to NYCETC for providing this critical platform to advancing women's professional opportunities and addressing systemic workforce inequities. Stay tuned – we're just getting started! 🚀 #WomenInWorkforce #EconomicOpportunity

🚀 Blackstone LaunchPad and Basta Innovation Sprint Highlights! 🌟 The City University of New York students took on real-world challenges presented by Deloitte and L'Oréal. 💡 They designed innovative solutions, connected with industry leaders, transformed academic knowledge into actionable problem-solving and pitched their business case to panels of professionals. Huge thanks to our partners: Maura Pally, Sarah (Dobrowolski) Lin, Margaret Fletcher, Andrew Stowe, Daniel Fenjves, Elizabeth Mendoza, Abraham Briones, Pablo Luengo Molero, and Alexis Tenenbaum! 🏆 If you took part in this Sprint, share this post! #BlackstoneLaunchPad #CUNY #CareerEmpowerment

🎉 Happy #FirstJobFriday! Meet Laiba Hussain, a proud Baruch College bearcat with a major in Biological Sciences, who just started her full-time position as a Medical Management Care Coordinator at VNS Health. "I love that I can directly impact people’s lives through my work, and I’m thrilled to join an organization dedicated to providing care beyond just the doctor’s office. Accessible healthcare is so important, especially today," says Laiba, whose journey began in 2020 as a clinical assistant. From administrative roles to biotech and public health, Laiba’s experiences have shaped her commitment to improving healthcare access for all. 🎯 Persistence and Positivity: Navigating the job market wasn't easy. Laiba faced rejections but remained resilient, leaning on her support system at Basta and her mentor Alistair Scott. They utilized LinkedIn and the Basta Job Board, proving that a strong network can be a powerful tool in your job search. 🎯 Words of Wisdom: To those navigating the job search, Laiba offers an encouraging message: “Anxiety and stress during the process are normal. Be patient with yourself.” She aspires to support fellow The City University of New York graduates and Basta participants in breaking into the healthcare sector. Her biggest lesson? Your first job is just the starting point, not the final destination. A piece of advice that resonates with her comes from Basta Founder Sheila Sarem: “Focus on finding your first job, not necessarily your forever job." This perspective has been liberating for Laiba, who embraces growth and change. One milestone down, countless more to conquer - keep shining, Laiba! ⭐ #firstgenmagic #firstjobfriday #healthcarejobs #healthcaresector #Basta #VNSHealth #jobsearch #healthcare #jobinterviews

We are deeply grateful to the CBRE Thrive Fund for their generous support of the Basta Fellowship. While they already have what it takes to succeed in the world of work, first-gen job seekers often face systemic barriers in professional knowledge, networks, and opportunities. The Basta Fellowship stands as the cornerstone of our work, consistently delivering transformative outcomes for first-generation college students. 1,500 #firstgenmagic young people have participated in the program and have landed career pathway jobs right out of college, at a rate 2X faster than their peers.  The generous support of CBRE will go directly to program costs including high-impact career exposure experiences, technology, resources and curriculum enhancements so we can continue to unlock the unique magic of first-gen college students!    #cbre #bastafellows #firstgenmagic #career #jobsearch #thrive #firstgen #grant #thankyou

Happy #FirstJobFriday! Today we are celebrating Wei Lin Li starting her new role as a Technology Associate at Healthfirst. As a Hunter College Computer Science graduate, Wei navigated multiple Basta programs—including the Google Software Engineer Program (G-SWEP) and last year's Fall Fellowship cohort—while securing internships that set the stage for her current role. Prioritizing became her survival strategy. With an internship, demanding coursework, and a small business competing for her attention, she made tough choices. She temporarily set aside her business to focus on her career goals, strategically tracking job applications and leveraging her Basta network. Through persistent networking, she connected with Healthfirst alumni who provided crucial insights into the company culture. "During my job search, I often felt alone and discouraged when facing rejections," Wei reflects. "However, having a strong support network made a huge difference." She learned that networking isn't just about job leads—it's about finding encouragement when motivation wanes. Connecting with mentors, peers, and Healthfirst alumni provided critical insights into company culture and her own potential. 🌠 Her advice to first time job seekers: "Network and find your circle of support. Try not to take rejections personally. There's a right opportunity out there for you—you just need to stay connected with a support network that believes in your strengths.” Congratulations, Wei! 🚀 Your persistence and ability to prioritize will continue to open doors to incredible opportunities! #firstgenmagic #basta #techcareers #hunter #collegetocareer #healthfirst #persistence #networking #careerprep #firstgen #jobsearch #work #jobinterviews

For these next 3 exciting days, college students are teaming up to tackle real-world business challenges brought to us by industry leaders L'Oréal and Deloitte. With guidance from company reps and support from partners like Blackstone Launch Pad, The City University of New York CIE, and Basta, participants are: 🎯 Brainstorming innovative ideas 💡 Prototyping solutions 🎤 Pitching for a shot at $6,500+ in cash prizes! This sprint is more than a competition—it's a chance to gain professional exposure, build career-ready skills, and expand networks with peers and senior professionals. Plus, the projects they create will be perfect additions to their portfolios! Special shoutouts to Sarah (Dobrowolski) Lin Abby Hamilton Tamara Wong Brendan Boerbaitz Elizabeth Mendoza Amber Field, Ed.D. Brett Spigelman Alexis Tenenbaum Sydney Nagorsky 🏆 TAG YOUR TEAMMATES in the comments! #winningteam Stay tuned for highlights from this action-packed event. 🌟 #firstgen #InnovationSprint #Winter24 #StudentSuccess #RealWorldChallenges #pitch #loreal #deloitte #blackstone #basta #CUNY

We're overwhelmed with gratitude for the remarkable community that continues to transform first-generation students' career paths. To our Fall 2024 Fellows, dedicated volunteers, higher-ed partners, employer partners, and entire Basta team—your commitment is the heartbeat of our mission. Tag yourself in the comments if you see yourself or tag someone you recognized in the video! #gratitude #thankyou #firstgenmagic