Sometimes the perfect convergence of people, talent, and warmth, all come together to make for an incredible night. Our Career Inspiration Panel on Friday, February 21, organized by Youth Council, was such a night.
Our Career Inspiration Panel offered the chance for youth to interact with a variety of professionals in a speed networking format. Youth Councilors welcomed new students with enthusiasm. “Welcome! What school do you go to? How did you hear about the event?” Our guests included:
Bettina Francisco — Teacher, MC, and Musician
Kendra Kop — Market Development Manager for iRobot, Enterprise Alumna
Megan Reitan — Director of Technology Operations for Industrial Light and Magic
Julian Sarkar — Lawyer, Enterprise Alumna
Han Zou — District Liaison for District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney
We were so happy to have them here at Enterprise sharing their paths, triumphs, and struggles.
“It’s easy to get involved in things you care about because a lot of the work is powered by community advocates and volunteers. To influence people, it’s about finding a common language.” — Han Zou, District Liaison for District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney
Julian Sarkar, a tenant rights lawyer, and Kendra Kop, a Market Development Manager for iRobot, represented two Enterprise alumni who have continued to give back to their community years after completing our programs. Julian and Kendra’s stories resonate with our youth since they have sat in their places, representing a gleaming, positive future.
“The most interesting part of my job is the impact we can have on people’s lives.” — Julian Sarkar, Lawyer
“Attack your weakness. Always strive to improve.” — Benjamin Tomei, Core Assurance Associate at PwC
As the night came to a close, I noticed the youth who stayed. A small contingent of students, stay after cleanup and are still asking questions. Bettina Francisco is one of the speakers whose message resonated a lot with the youth. She said, “I use my art to heal myself. To heal, you have to be honest with yourself and that is hard.”
“Always keep doing. Always keep creating.” — Megan Reitan, Director of Technology Operations for Industrial Light and Magic
At the beginning of the year, the students of Youth Council thought critically about their personal values. For some, empathy was of ultimate importance, and for others, it was hard work. We talked a lot about integrity, one of the values of Enterprise for Youth, and its importance in having an internal compass to hold onto in every professional experience.
My hope is that beyond receiving the professional wisdom that the speakers brought, the youth will see them making time to give back, and are inspired to do the same. I know I certainly am.
A big thank you to our wonderful partners and Youth Council leaders Angel Luo, Carlos Castanon, Elizabeth Ouyang, Emanuel Gonzalez, Emily Doan, Jaida Da Luz, Jasmine Tai, Jennifer Liu, Joanne Yen, Kami Wang, Kaylok Poon, Lamiya Cotton, Marie Nido, Nicole Hiponia, Patrick Wu, Skye Goette, Sosorbaram Buyanbaatar, Weifeng Jiang, Victoria Mattson, Natalie Huang, and Zhenyu Yu!
Josh Ko
Youth and Community Specialist