i.c.stars: Systems Thinking

Problem:

Recent study, “76% of Blacks and 62% of Hispanics could get shut out or be under-prepared for 86% of jobs in the US by 2045. This racial digital gap could render the country’s minorities into an unemployment abyss.”

Solution:

i.c.stars’ boot-camp helps young adults attain IT jobs with growth potential, ongoing support and education. Graduates face headwinds in the workplace, i.c.culture was developed as a way to fight the headwinds and embolden cultural shift for partners.

Scaled:

i.c.stars fights for social justice, a robust, engaged public sector crucial to strong, sustainable, resilient neighborhoods and communities. i.c.culture minimizes human bias in the workplace.

i.c.stars participants learn to value themselves, be engaged organizers and leaders. With promising technology careers, they reduce poverty, wage gap, building growing generational wealth. At scale it generates an annual social return on investment of $252 million. The cumulative earnings increase grows from $2.7M to $12.4 M.

A global spotlight on racial equity has led to an increased focus on diversity hiring in the workplace. Over $8 Billion is spent on US corporate DE&I annually. 79% of large cap companies believe in the link between positive culture and company success. 94% of CEOs consider DE&I a strategic priority. But these tactical efforts have not created more racial equity. Black workers are 40% less likely to advance into management roles. Entry level black attrition is higher than white peers. There are only 5 Black Fortune 500 Corporate CEOs.

Nearly 50,000 Chicago Opportunity Youth, ages 16-24 are out of school and out of work according to 2018 Reconnecting Chicago’s Youth report, Urban Labs and Thrive Chicago. Highlighted are service gaps that i.c.stars is filling: “there is a need to serve youth older than 18”

Chicago’s segregation, among the highest in the country, results in “inequitable opportunities for education and other public services, job prospects and even health outcomes”; Cost of Segregation report, Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council.

The decline of Milwaukee manufacturing “led to chronic unemployment, growing concentrated poverty and racial segregation”; Equality of Opportunity Project. COVID-19 has exacerbated the challenges of unemployment and inequity, particularly for people of color.

This grant if awarded will help 1) i.c.stars expand its core program serving more participants in existing cities and reaching other markets, and 2) expand the equitable employment landscape through i.c.culture.

With emphasis on technical mastery, soft skills, network building, and market-facing curriculum, i.c.stars has been recognized as an on-ramp to technology jobs. Our tech internship propels graduates into high growth fields where they become coders, innovators, designers, thinkers, disrupters, entrepreneurs, civic and business leaders.

 We secure tech careers and create community leaders through technology training for Chicago’s young adults in low-income and underserved communities. Each cohort secures an RFP with a corporate employer who determines the project tech focus. The challenge for i.c.stars is to leverage its existing curriculum within the parameters of the partner training relationship.

For i.c.culture, advancing racial equity in the workplace is an emotionally charged, system-level challenge.

It has paralyzed innovative thinking and courage to try different methods of confronting this issue…until now.

We design cross-cultural learning engagements rooted in fun and authenticity, experienced in common workplace mediums.  The simulations are intended to stir emotions in such a way as to trigger realizations and a deeper understanding of self and collective identities.

i.c.stars Participants:

At its best, learning is an inner process of transformation to overcome barriers, augmented by an external process of teaching, i.c.stars delivers  innovative technology training to underserved young adults building the skills and connections to attain high-growth careers in technology industries. It pairs this with leadership development to empower individuals who seed economic and social change within their communities.  The i.c.stars intensive education and career development program enable participants to overcome systemic barriers and hurdles of poverty and racism, lack of opportunity and access by delivering valuable digital workforce training, a competitive vocation in today’s market. i.c.stars tech-based education identifies exceptional, non-traditional talent and trains them for high paying jobs. Training is project-based, emphasizing problem solving in groups.

A super-strength of the i.c.stars training is how it helps participants look inward, exploring, uncovering their learning styles, incorporating this knowledge into how they learn new skill sets, and how they work and collaborate in their groups. Woven into this is counseling, case management, emotional support that helps participants to trust in their ability to learn, in the relationship with themselves, their teachers and each other. The leadership component, in turn increases their awareness of their team members and ultimately their community.  They develop a sense of purpose, uncover their confidence and strength in ambition and goal setting.

The external support for this inward-looking focus on learning is the sauce, at the heart and core of what makes the teaching at i.c.stars unique and innovative.  With an awareness of brain science, knowing good pathways for learning by trauma exposed learners is part of the design. The study of technology as a process is well suited to individuals with such experiences.

Ultimately, the combination of experiential learning, working with corporate clients, soft skills and social capital building is the secret sauce.

Grant funding from the MIT Solved project would make it possible to bring these opportunities to more individuals and cities. Together, we are bringing economic stability to underserved populations, and expanding career access for nontraditional talent.

Systems thinking is of critical importance to the i.c.stars curriculum. Not only is it vital for successful completion of each cycle’s project, its use allows each individual to examine how systemic racism has impacted their life and their community. During the initial interview, program candidates are asked “Who’s the man?”  There’s no right or wrong answer to this question. Instead, it is offered as an entry point for the examination of imperial systems. It highlights that an examination of that system already exists in the colloquialisms.  As interns work to solve a problem for a corporation using systems thinking, they are led to consider how the problems they once internalized might be a result of systemic inequality.

Acquiring technology skills, the i.c.stars participants bring widespread changes for themselves, and typically a 300% increase in earnings. Rooted in community, with exercises scored for integrity and ‘making others visible,’ cohorts learn leadership skills to create opportunities for themselves and others. They build social capital with each other and through events with corporate sponsors.

The main characteristic that we look for is resiliency, including creativity, reciprocity, drive, perseverance. We have found that this indicates how they will do on the job and as a community leader.  Participants are sometimes grappling with addiction, homelessness.  We look for the drive and how people have been resilient in the face of challenges, and what opportunities they have made for others.

 Further, i.c.stars will inform the MIT Solve’s understanding of successful delivery of innovative education that builds upon creating opportunity, nurturing ambition. It has been said that “people will be what they can see” and i.c.stars participants are taught to see a new pathway. While remaining in their neighborhoods, many have purchased homes; all are nurtured to grow and lead within their communities, changing their lives and those of their families, friends and neighbors within a virtuous cycle.  It is the system that i.c.stars delivers, a strong external system of education that supports participants through their inner process of transformation, learning in its truest and most creative form.  By learning in groups to solve problems their thinking is developed, lives restored.

Participants retain their sense of home, of community, they build new bonds while maintaining a sense of place as they undergo a process of inward transformation supported by their own resilient natures, their bonds with each other, the i.c.stars program staff and a supportive program scaffolding that assures a secure and successful landing for them.

i.c.stars participants are young adults - the majority between 18–30 and more than 90% are people of color or other groups facing high barriers, 40% are women: in Chicago, 73% are African American, 17% Latino, 3% Caucasian, 3% Asian, and 4% Other. At least 48% receive Federal Benefits, approximately 15% have experienced homelessness, 16% had a felony and 35% have children. Additionally, all of the young adults i.c.stars serves are from low-income communities, and 100% are unemployed or extremely underemployed.

Romel completed i.c.stars in June 2020. His cohort started in-person, but because of the pandemic, transitioned to completely remote. 

Though Romel had always been drawn to technology, he had taken some college classes and was working in the food industry prior to i.c.stars. As a result of the program, Romel is now working in technology applications for global transportation company Amsted Rail. He credits his success to the wrap-around support provided by i.c.stars’ team - the case manager and workforce development manager in particular.

Most importantly, Romel has made opportunities for others. After building a relationship with his firm’s chief information officer, Romel had the opportunity to refer a fellow i.c.stars graduate for an interview, who landed a position as well.

i.c.stars was created to provide opportunities for individuals like James, a Latino man who was also a single father. This is how James described his life before and after i.c.stars:

“I was tired of working a job and not a career. I’m a single father and wanted my daughter to see that you can have a career. During Geek Week you have to learn Excel & SQL while doing timed assessments, and it challenges you like nothing else. After i.c.stars, an alum sat me down and helped me figure out what I want to do...UI/UX is a perfect career that combines coding and graphic design. I have been involved in startup political groups and would love to help my daughter’s friends get into technology - maybe their parents don’t have the resources or knowledge.” 

Funding would support the advancement and success of i.c.stars participants such as Julie. With no college degree and without a vision for her life, Julie hopped from one minimum wage job to another, eventually landing a retail position at Verizon, which piqued her interest in IT. When a friend, who also happened to be a i.c.stars graduate, told her about the program, Julie decided to look into it. She was drawn to the program because of its emphasis on relationships. As an intern at i.c.stars, Julie worked as part of a team to respond to an RFP from corporate project sponsor Adtalem Global Education Foundation. Through her team role of client engagement specialist, she learned consulting skills as well as HTML, CSS, Javascript, Python, SQL, and UiPath. Julie also received a DAT201x badge for: Querying Data with Transact-SQL. Currently, Julie is thriving in her technology career and working as a Consumer Support Specialist at Keeper Security, Inc. “Before, I didn’t see a future. I didn’t see a clear path for me. i.c.stars was the network I needed to get where I wanted to be,” says Julie, “That’s what clicked for me.”

i.c.stars Founder and CEO, Sandee Kastrul, Leadership:

As a black woman and educator, Sandee describes that her worldview comes from her observations in the classroom, diversity training, curriculum design and eventually social entrepreneurship. The through-line has been an effort to change the narrative on underserved talent, from deficit, charity-based thinking, to asset and opportunity. Her approach at i.c.stars has been informed by a passion for teaching and wanting to instill a love of learning; the power that comes from solution-building; and a belief in the profound potential of young people who have overcome adversity. Over the 20 years at i.c.stars, and as we scale, Sandee says, “I find inspiration in the resilient young people who are the next generation of technology leaders.”

The concept for i.c.stars came about in 1998 when Sandee, a former high school chemistry teacher, saw one of her most talented students working for minimum wage as a hotel housekeeper. This chance encounter led to the birth of i.c.stars to create opportunities for highly talented individuals lacking career opportunities because of their socioeconomic background.

Sandee Kastrul’s leadership includes:

•     Designed, developed and run 1000 hours of interactive experiential project-based learning model that utilizes fortune 500 clients to drive technology and business objectives.

•     Established program flywheel for building a corporate community of technology leaders and technology service providers. We bring together buyers and sellers of technology and create thought leadership events that highlight forward facing  solutions for technology executives all anchored with i.c.stars interns and alums at the center.

•     Built a network of over 10,000 business and technology leaders.

•     Developed a successful social enterprise staffing business.

•     Incubated alumni businesses at i.c.stars before spinning them out as successful independent businesses run by alums.

•     Develop entrepreneurial curriculum and led lean startup classes with entrepreneurs and investors.

•     Successfully launched the Columbus, Ohio i.c.stars as a separate 501c3.

•     Raised the seed capital to launch Milwaukee and to launch the National office.

•     Successful launch of i.c.stars Milwaukee office now in its 7th cohort.

•     Designed a scalable model for developing technology talent and community leaders.

Outcomes Measurements

In the application and at intake, we collect data on education, pre-program employment, finances, debt and demographics. Staff track performance data and completion rates, stored in Salesforce. Employment, wages, and career advancement is tracked through staff check-ins and email forms. We track alumni impact including volunteerism and charitable giving, entrepreneurship, and ongoing education through an annual survey. We will measure the increase in matriculation of i.c.stars graduates into technology apprenticeships and track their long-term career success. We will also measure the increase in employer partnerships.

We expect to reach 150 - 250 at the top of our funnel, to identify the 60 most likely to succeed in i.c.stars Milwaukee in the tech industry. Each of the three cohorts will work with a corporate client - meaning they will leave the program with a work portfolio and relationships with practitioners.

In a four-month course of study based on performance in real world projects, i.c.stars is interested in both a quantitative assessment and mastery in our three key training areas: Business, Leadership and Technology. Performance in the boot-camp is measured through individual and group assessments, project work, individual activities and completion of modules.  After the four-month intensive training boot-camp, we follow up with graduates to check placement status, identify obstacles, and develop plans to address barriers to success.

Our overarching programmatic outcomes are below:

Increase in number of young adults who have access to tech job skills: Enroll 60 participants in i.c.stars Milwaukee’s 4-month boot-camp each year.

Increase in number of young adults with skills and social capital for tech jobs with growth potential: 80 percent of students complete the boot-camp.

Increase in participant earnings by 300% (from $10,000 before the program to $44,000 at 12 months post-graduation).

Increase in number of underserved young adults working in tech & business: 85 percent of qualified graduates secure training related jobs within six months.

 Increase in number of community leaders: 72 percent of alumni volunteer or donate to charities.

Increase the number of employers hiring i.c.stars graduates as a result of exposure to i.c.stars’ talent, employer partners and project sponsor segment: 10 new employers each year.

After the four-month boot-camp, we follow up with graduates to check placement status, identify obstacles and develop plans to address barriers to success. According to our most recent alumni survey, 38% of graduates obtained a B.A. after i.c.stars. In addition, 96% hired or referred someone for a job, 35% started a new business, and 77% donated to charity, of which 15% gave over $500.

We also create opportunities for participants to grow their social capital through the two major industry conferences, now virtual due to COVID-19 hosted by i.c.stars each year, and by the daily High Tea speaker series, which brings a senior executive into the studio to share their career journey with each cycle.

i.c.stars was created to provide opportunities for individuals like Jeremy from Milwaukee who said, “I feel as though the biggest impact i.c.stars has made for me was giving me the opportunity to build a network with so many executives from the Milwaukee area and the opportunity to build an app with a team. All the workshops i.c.stars brought in have been extremely helpful. Everything from learning the agile methods, building wireframes, and meeting the clients has been a great learning experience.”

Another i.c.stars Milwaukee graduate, Trina, said the following about her program experience: “The i.c.stars technology and leadership development program prepared me to work in the technology industry. The program sets high expectations in order to prepare each intern to work in an ever changing and demanding field. The technology training lays down a strong foundation for anyone from any background to learn fundamental software development skills. After graduation, I was able to carry forward what I learned into my role as a Data Analyst Apprentice at Children’s Wisconsin.”

i.c.culture

As companies are starting to acknowledge the special value that our graduates bring, a fresh set of eyes and perspective, many of our partners are requesting DE&I training.  Company culture where status quo or business-as-usual is changing. But advancing racial equity in the workplace is an emotionally charged, system-level challenge. It has paralyzed innovative thinking. The dilemma is that diversity training is often counter-productive, making people angry, defensive and more biased. The benefits are short lived and can confirm existing biases rather than challenging them on a deeper level.

i.c.culture is offered to corporate partners that have expressed a desire to further actualize their DE&I efforts. Cultural differences are elevated as a resource for learning and innovation, where different identities and styles are embraced, where mobility is equitable. And authenticity is honored.  The company’s culture is temperature-checked, virtual DE&I reality simulations are made, experiential workshops, “can I say that?” coaches, one-on-one coaches are supported by ongoing learning resource and insights. Importantly, i.c.culture has been born out of the experiences of i.c.stars graduates in the corporate workplace– who have experienced this firsthand.

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

i.c.stars combats systemic oppression and builds opportunities for the next generation, addressing lack of opportunity and racial digital gap by creating a network of civic, business, and service leaders. i.c.culture emboldens cultural shifts for industry partners.

Without opportunities, candidates lose ambition, which counters even good policy attempts. Disproportionally affecting black and brown communities, this lack will get worse if the digital divide is not addressed. Resolution starts with our technology job skills training. i.c.stars provides skills and competencies to attain promising technology careers. 

 i.c.stars is intentional in cultivating a culture of equity, which informs organizational decision-making, programming, and cultural competencies.

i.c.stars has been in existence in Chicago for 20 years, and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for 2 years.  It has served over 800 participants.  Currently developing other city markets for expansion, including Kansas City, Missouri.  i.c.culture is a new offering which is in development, informed by the experience of our graduates – more than 90% of whom are people of color.

i.c.culture inspires leaders to imagine a workplace that harnesses diversity to create a more psychologically safe work environment, one where cultural differences are a resource for learning and innovation, where different identities and styles are embraced, where mobility is equitable and where authenticity is honored.  Advancing racial equity has paralyzed innovative thinking and courage to try different methods of confronting this issue in the workplace until now.

A super-strength of the i.c.stars training is how it helps participants look inward, exploring, uncovering their learning styles, incorporating this knowledge into how they learn new skill sets, and how they work and collaborate in their groups.

The external support for this inward-looking focus on learning is the sauce, at the heart and core of what makes the teaching at i.c.stars unique and innovative. With an awareness of brain science, knowing good pathways for learning by trauma exposed learners is part of the design.The study of technology as a process is well suited to individuals with such experiences. Ultimately, the combination of experiential learning, working with corporate clients, soft skills and social capital building is the secret sauce.

The main characteristic that we look for is resiliency, including creativity, reciprocity, drive, perseverance. We have found that this indicates how they will do on the job and as a community leader. Participants are sometimes grappling with addiction, homelessness. We look for the drive and how people have been resilient in the face of challenges, and what opportunities they have made for others.

i.c.stars currently serves 60 participants each year in each city, Chicago and Milwaukee, for a total of 120 per year. In one year, we plan to launch in Kansas City, meaning we’ll serve 180 individuals annually. In 5 years we will launch two more markets meaning 300 underserved adults each year.

i.c.culture – currently in development – will serve two to three corporate clients in the next year – reaching more than 150 corporate leaders. In five years, i.c.culture will serve dozens of clients in a 12 month period reaching more than 500 individuals.

To place participants in positions that are the first steps toward higher level positions in the industry, reducing the unemployment rate in underserved communities:

●      Increase in number of underserved young adults working in tech & business: 85 percent of qualified graduates secure training related jobs within six months.

●      Increase in participant earnings by 300% (from $10,000 before the program to $44,000 at 12 months post-graduation).

To cultivate leaders who drive change in their communities:

●      i.c.stars has steadily increased the number of community leaders: For the year 2021, i.c.stars anticipates the following approximated outcomes: 92% of alumni will volunteer, 80% of alumni will donate to charity, 35% of alumni will pursue higher education or receive their degrees, and 85% of alumni will have hired someone or referred someone for a job in the 12 months following program completion.

●      This is compared to the leadership metrics from 2020 then 83% of alumni volunteered over the past 12 months,  86% of alumni donated to charity, 47% of alumni pursued higher education or received their degrees, (of those 43% will be the first in their family), 93% continued their learning, 36% of alumni hired someone in the 12 months following program completion, and 26% have purchased a home since completing i.c.stars.

 ●      i.c.stars has been acknowledged for its successful delivery of innovative education that builds upon creating opportunity, nurturing ambition. 

7 Full Time employees.

i.c.culture

Andy Duddleston is a mission driven entrepreneur who founded The Little Beet, a fast food brand, he grew the brand to 10 locations. Andy founded a nonprofit focused on economic mobility for fast food workers, he an Americorps volunteer, and a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa.  

i.c.stars

Sandee Kastrul is president and co-founder of i.c.stars, an innovative nonprofit leadership and technology training program founded in 1999 to prepare inner-city adults for technology careers and community leadership. An early pioneer of social enterprise model. i.c.stars has been recognized by the U.S Chamber of Commerce and the Brookings Institution for its work in youth employment.

Nisaini Rexach, Director of Transformational Learning Nisaini has been in the education realm for the past seven years.  She entered the world of education via the 2013 Teach For America Chicago Corps. 

Josh Miller National Technology Director and Chicago Tech Instructor A corporate training & talent management SaaS industry prior to joining i.c.stars|*, Josh advocates for developing effective learning solutions within the enterprise environment and removing barriers from opportunity for interns. 

 Arely Dorsey Workforce Development Manager Arely Dorsey, has fifteen years of advocacy. Her previous work in non-profit and higher education spaces have given her a continued desire to serve communities with limited opportunities.  

Tandelaya Hill Case Manager Tandelaya received her B.A in Sociology and African American Studies from Eastern Illinois University. She furthered her education by obtaining her M.A from Chicago State University in Community Counseling, a Case Manager/ Therapist for over 20 years. 

Formed by a woman of color, diversity informs the content and process of the i.c.stars program. i.c.stars’ president, the majority of senior leadership, and the program team are people of color, reflecting the population we serve. i.c.stars has a diverse staff comprised of 55% women, 55% African Americans, 22% Caucasians, 11% Latinos, and 11% other. We have also historically hired program graduates on staff - currently the Recruitment Manager. In addition, we have an alumnus on our national board of directors to ensure that strategic organizational decisions reflect the population served.

Alumni feedback is solicited on an ongoing, structured basis and incorporated into program design, with participants co-creating. There is a strong alumni network and alumni often mentor current interns, which is encouraged by the philanthropic culture of i.c.stars. The culture also compels trainees to share their perspective on their own development and training in order to empower them and contribute to our curriculum.

 i.c.stars’ holistic integration of diversity and deep belief that diversity drives innovation is reflected in these comments from a graduate: “i.c.stars taught me that I didn’t have to look like what I had been shown a traditional leader looks like. 

Both i.c.stars and i.c.culture are operating within the domain of the MIT Solve program, addressing systemic racism, building gerational wealth and working to alleviate human bias in the workplace.  Solve is working at the cutting edge of the tech/bias/activism frontier and it would be an honor to be a part of the advances in technology, education and business that Solve is developing. 

i.c.stars has connections to Ron Guerrier. 

Ron Guerrier. 

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a  Prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a Prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a  Prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a  Prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.

As a nonprofit working in the workforce training space teaching technology, and leadership and addressing systemic racism, i.c.stars qualifies for a Prize.  We would use the prize to support core program, expansion and scaling. 

The marriage of i.c.stars and i.c.culture delivers career mobility for participants, a safe, supportive learning environment that instills self-efficacy.  i.c.culture, also a safe learning environment for corporate partners through an emotionally immersive experience disrupts standards, creating space to practice and rewire for collective efficacy. Corporate culture is known for being a key indicator of success. The efforts of our partners who engage in the i.c.culture training are reinforced in many tangible and intangible ways, that ultimately lead to a better environment for all. Woven interdependencies between i.c.stars graduates and the sponsors, mentors and partners who undertake i.c.culture workshops create a strong sense of rootedness for graduates and industry partners alike.