Today we’d like to introduce you to LaKissa Bright.
Hi LaKissa, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a city girl, the oldest of six children, born and raised in Denver, CO. My two sisters are my mother’s children and my three brothers are my father’s children so I am the only child that my parents share together. I lived with my mother who struggled financially to care for her three girls, so let’s just say we didn’t have much growing up. I remember hiding as my mother shopped in thrift stores and not wanting to go to the checkout with her at grocery stores because she was paying with food stamps. Little did I know that those experiences were softening my heart and shaping me to fulfill my life’s purpose as a philanthropist! So here we are. I have a passion for children, especially those in need. After moving to Austin in 2007, I started a non-profit organization called Helping-Hands Austin. Through this organization, the community came together to provide gently used clothing to children on the free and reduced lunch programs in Williamson County. We did this by hosting a back-to-school giveaway every year in August. Fast forward to 2018 when my daughter was a freshman in college and changed her major three times, I realized that she would have benefitted from an internship to help her figure out her career path. That epiphany led to the creation of Ladders for Leaders.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I can’t say that it has been a 100% smooth road but I will say that it is fulfilling. Our main obstacle has been finding enough businesses that will host interns during the summer. This obstacle lessons as the years go by and more businesses hear about us and the great experiences others have had with our interns. Another obstacle is raising enough funds to run the organization. One of our goals is to help our students learn money management, so that each of our interns earns an hourly wage during their assignment. Those costs of wages and running the organization quickly add up so we are constantly looking for funding.
We’ve been impressed with Ladders for Leaders, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ladders for Leaders gives students a unique opportunity to gain professional experience, develop skills, explore their interests and discover new ones through job readiness training, where they receive help with résumé/cover letter writing, and interviewing skills. They also learn essential workplace readiness skills and business etiquette. The main benefit of the program is the paid summer internship opportunities available in a variety of industries to accommodate student interests. The students will also build a professional network while participating in this program and will learn to use LinkedIn to maintain that network.
In short, we like to say we are “bridging the gap between education and industry.”
Pricing:
- $1,800 per internship
Contact Info:
- Email: info@laddersforleaders.org
- Website: www.laddersforleaders.org
- Instagram: laddersforleaderstx
- Facebook: LaddersforLeaders
- Twitter: @ForLadders
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoiBl7duaxRNPIbZ9Uly_Wg
Image Credits
The professional picture of me was done by Felicia Reed Photography. All of the other photos were done by Rachael Hall Photography.
