Search

Utah’s Great Salt Lake has lost 73 percent of its water, and its rapid disappearance is threatening ecosystems, public health and the region's economy. Unless drastic measures are taken in the coming months, the Great Salt Lake could be lost completely within five years, a team of 32 scientists, conservationists and consultants warn in a new report. The Great Salt Lake is a critically important ecosystem for a myriad of species and is also responsible for $2.5 billion in economic activity annually.  Additionally, water loss is exposing a layer of toxic dust on the lakebed which threatens the health of nearby communities.

Where has all the water gone? 

The Great Salt Lake is 6.9 million acre-feet below the minimum healthy level and is continuing to lose over 1 million acre-feet of water annually. (For reference, one acre-foot of water is equal to about 326,000 U.S. gallons.)

Since 2020, excessive water diversions in the form of dams and canals have prevented the lake from taking in the streamflow it needs to sustain healthy levels, according to the new report. Over two-thirds of the streamflow that would naturally refill the Great Salt Lake is being diverted for farms, mineral extraction, home lawn irrigation and electricity production. 

Climate change is not the primary cause of the lake’s perilous state, but it is intensifying the crisis. Utah is currently experiencing approximately 4 degrees Fahrenheit of warming due to human-caused climate change. Increased temperatures cause a decrease in runoff and an increase in evaporation, and scientists project that approximately 9 percent of the Great Salt Lake’s water loss is associated with climate change. Climate change is likely to continue exacerbating evaporation of streamflow, meaning that water loss due to warming is on a path to accelerate. 

The socio-ecological impacts of a declining Great Salt Lake

The Great Salt Lake is already showing signs of imminent collapse. The lake has lost 60 percent of its surface area and 73 percent of its total water, and this level of water depletion makes the remaining lake water even saltier. The increased salinity is destroying the food web for keystone species like brine shrimp and brine flies, and the loss of those species will lead to the collapse of local wildlife populations and migratory birds. 

A recent economic analysis showed that if the Great Salt Lake collapses, it would cost Utah around $2 billion annually and the area would lose over 6,600 jobs. Mineral extraction from the lake is already losing viability due to decreased water levels, and exposed dust from the lakebed is threatening agricultural productivity in the area. 

The Great Salt Lake also contributes up to 10 percent of the snowfall in area mountains due to evaporation, so if the lake disappears, nearby economies and ecosystems that depend on ample snow will also be affected. Snowfall in nearby mountain ranges sustains 20,000 jobs and accounts for $1.8 billion annually in economic activity. Exposed dust from the dried areas of the lakebed are already being deposited by the wind onto nearby snowpack, leading to premature snowmelt. 

Can the Great Salt Lake be saved?

The report calls for a rapid, coordinated education and intervention plan to decrease water demand and save the Great Salt Lake through robust and multifaceted conservation efforts. Current conservation proposals include recognizing the lake’s right to water by creating a binding agreement that allocates a certain amount of natural streamflow to the lake, ensuring its health and longevity.

The report also calls for federal, state, and local governments to work together through a variety of action plans that include increasing federal funds for conservation, coordinating water use agreements across state lines, authorizing temporary emergency water releases from reservoirs, activating state employees to provide residents with water conservation resources, establishing turf and lawn removal programs, and paying farmers for not growing crops or transitioning to less water-intensive crops.

Fostering trust and collaboration among residents, utilities, farmers, conservationists and government agencies is critical to implementing a plan to save the Great Salt Lake from collapse. In 2022, Utah’s state legislature earmarked $40 million for protecting and reviving the lake, and the most recent federal defense bill included provisions proposed by Utah Sen. Mitt Romney to address the Great Salt Lake crisis. Republican Gov. Spencer Cox has also proposed additional funding.

However, current projections show that in order to save the lake, Utah will need to immediately decrease the amount of water it uses by up to 50 percent, a massive feat that would require unprecedented levels of coordination and cooperation. 

Images: Ruston Jones and Rob Martin via Unsplash

With the 2020s came a wave of much-needed attention on the insidious ways that racism and discrimination infect our society — from the prevalence of microaggressions in the workplace along with biased hiring, promotion and compensation practices, to medical equipment that doesn’t read melanated skin correctly, to police brutality. And while videos of “Karens” going nuts on workers just trying to do their jobs have become a regular occurrence, much less attention has been given to the bias against Black customers.

While structural racism requires structural changes and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies, when it comes to racism in daily interactions, allies have the power and responsibility to call out discrimination when they witness it. In doing so regularly and consistently, perhaps it will be possible to unravel some of the discrimination and injustice that is woven into the experiences of Black people in America and create a better, fairer society for everyone.

While it can be difficult to quantify discrimination in day-to-day customer service interactions, research has done a good job of uncovering a pattern of bias. A 2022 Harvard study found hotel concierges responded less often and with fewer recommendations when information requests came from an email address with a name that could be assumed to belong to a Black or Asian person.

Likewise, an artificial intelligence (AI) assisted dive into response rates from airline customer service representatives to complaints on Twitter found discrimination based on profile photos. A response was 12 percent less common for those appearing to be Black customers — significant enough to prompt the researchers to include the following in their abstract: “This study offers a practical yet powerful recommendation for companies: conceal all customer profile pictures from their employees while delivering social media customer service.” There was no difference found in the rate of response for Latinos, Asians or accounts that gave no indication of the user’s race.

Still, the research does not adequately expose the breadth of these experiences or their lasting, cumulative effects. TriplePundit recently spoke with Zee Clarke, the author of "Black People Breathe: A Mindfulness Guide to Racial Healing" and a corporate consultant on DEI, about the prevalence of bias in travel and its effects on Black people. In our interview, she related numerous anecdotal experiences with customer service in travel and beyond, reinforcing the importance of understanding the full effects on those experiencing racism on a daily basis. And the importance of ally intervention.

So, what can allies do when they notice Black customers being ignored or not offered the same treatment as others? “I would love it if allies would speak up more," Clarke told 3p. "Their voices can do more, unfortunately. Use the white man’s voice." 

As the anti-terrorism campaign suggests, “If you see something, say something.” This could be as simple as calling out a salesperson who is ignoring a Black customer. Clarke discussed one such experience when she could not get help in a shop until a white customer spoke up on her behalf. 

“Shopping while Black is very stressful because we’re not treated the same way,” she said. Between traveling while Black, shopping while Black, banking while Black and on down the line, essentially doing anything as a Black person in America means taking the brunt of someone’s prejudices and ignorance on a regular basis.

But allies can make a difference. “Your voice holds weight," Clarke reiterated. "Your voice can get action done. By standing there silently, you too are guilty.”

Instead of standing aside, pay attention and speak up. Say something to the security guard who constantly tails Black patrons. Don’t stay silent while clerks or salespeople pretend they don’t see Black customers waiting. As Clarke pointed out, small actions can have a huge impact.

In the words of Lynnette Stallworth: “How are you, as a white person, holding other white people accountable? How are other white people doing that for you? Racism is a white problem and it is long past time for you all to do your own work!”

Image credit: VadimGuzhva/Adobe Stock

Many companies donate time, money, and resources to help families in their communities through difficult times and ever-growing expenses. Adventure Subaru of Northwest Arkansas takes it a step further, assisting people as they attain the skills to lift themselves above those challenges and move forward toward a fuller life.

The 23-year-old retailer, located in Fayetteville, Arkansas, was named the 2022 Subaru Love Promise Retailer of the Year for its work with local nonprofit organizations. Over the past 10 years, Adventure Subaru has donated more than $3.2 million to 70-plus charities and initiatives in Northwest Arkansas, according to the retailer.

One of Adventure’s more unique and far-reaching collaborations is with the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas, which provides grants and support services to single parents seeking college degrees. The results are life-changing: Through higher education and better-paying jobs, the Fund raises families’ living standards and inspires younger generations who see their parents achieve.


“We’re hoping to push up those folks, reduce their reliance on government funds and break the cycle of poverty,” said Tyler Clark, CEO of the Single Parent Scholarship Fund. Since its founding 38 years ago, the Fund has distributed more than $20 million to 10,000 eager students. 

Still, the need is greater than the funds. Arkansas has the fourth highest child poverty rate in the U.S., largely due to low-income households headed by parents without higher education: Arkansas ranks near the bottom of U.S. states when it comes to the number of residents who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

Access to higher education opens doors for Arkansas families

This spring, enrollment in the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas jumped 25 percent to 188 students, up from the usual 145, who will utilize $392,000 in grant money. Recipients can use the funds for tuition, books, childcare and even emergency expenses like car repairs, Clark said.  

The average grantee is a first-generation college student, about 32 years old, working a full-time job without health insurance and relying on government programs to supplement their income. Students can choose from 24 institutions, including state colleges that offer classes online.

Scholars have earned certificates, associate and bachelor’s degrees, and even a few medical degrees. Among the most popular majors are social work, nursing and education, often because families were helped by professionals in those areas and students are looking to pay it forward. “I’m so proud of our recipients,” Clark said. Those in the program must continue to meet certain standards, such as a minimum GPA.

Knowing how much single parents must juggle to attend college, the Fund provides multiple support services that include wellness and mental health counseling, help with applying for federal tuition grants and child support, resume assistance, tutoring, status checks and food benefits.

The impact of the program multiplies as the children of earlier grant recipients develop a college mindset. “For the second generation, it’s now a reality for them to go to college,” Clark said. “I love the stories of recipients doing homework at kitchen tables with their kids.” 

How businesses like Subaru can help make nonprofit missions possible

“Supporters like Subaru helped make this possible,” Clark continued. “Subaru walks the walk and talks the talk. They do lots of community events and keep it local.”

Indeed, the automaker’s nationwide community outreach programs all feature a local focus. During the annual Subaru Share the Love Event, held between November and January, Subaru donates $250 to a customer’s chosen national or hometown charity for every new vehicle purchase or lease, plus an additional amount for hometown charities at participating retailers. “The amount the retailer contributes to the hometown charity will vary, anywhere from $50 to more than $250 per transaction,” said Danielle Dotson, marketing director of Adventure Subaru. 

The Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Northwest Arkansas is one of these hometown charities. The collaboration began in 2017 when Adventure Subaru was a sponsor for one of the scholarship program’s fundraising events. One of the founders of the Fund is the late father-in-law of an Adventure salesperson. “When it came time to select hometown charities for 2020’s Share the Love event, [the Fund] seemed like a natural fit,” Dotson told us. “They have a wide reach and align with the values of the Subaru Love Promise by helping people in our community and making Northwest Arkansas a better place to live and work.” 

Subaru is guided by the Subaru Love Promise, its vision and promise to be a positive force in the communities where Subaru and its retailers live and work. When deciding what programs to sponsor, among the factors Subaru retailers consider are which initiatives will have the greatest impact, how the community will be helped and who will be affected. “We want to know, ‘How can we be more than a car dealer? How can we actively make our community a better place?’” Dotson added.

More companies are starting to ask themselves the same questions. For many businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call — revealing how widespread the nation’s needs are and how much work remains to be done to improve quality of life in U.S. communities. Many leaders realized if they weren’t already involved, it was time to get active. 

“COVID-19 was a time to see what corporations were made of. It was a watershed moment. Everyone stepped up,” Clark observed. “You can't sit on the sidelines anymore if you are a corporation. If you couldn’t donate, you had to be onboard with your local community and find a fit for your business.” 

The retailer’s work in Northwest Arkansas illustrates what’s possible when local businesses and nonprofits come together, and Dotson encouraged business leaders to reach out and connect with nonprofits in their communities.

“We like leading by example,” she said. “Local organizations are the heartbeat of the community, and we want to meet their needs and pledge to do more for the community. We know that businesses have an opportunity [to help]. You can do work, still sell cars, make people’s lives better and try to be better members of the community.”

Images courtesy of Subaru of America, Inc.

This article series is sponsored by Subaru and produced by the TriplePundit editorial team. 

We've heard it for years — "business-as-usual isn't working" — and the annual PwC CEO Survey indicates executives are well aware. Nearly 40 percent of more than 4,000 responding global CEOs think their companies will no longer be economically viable in a decade if they continue down their current path. 

That's a pretty big deal. Yet while one would think such a grim consensus would spur an immediate push for change, many executives told PwC they don't have nearly enough time to think and talk about the future. Maintaining current operating performance consumed the biggest share of CEOs’ time last year, according to the survey, and executives admitted they'd rather spend more time evolving their companies' strategies to meet future demands.

Findings like these reflect the "dual imperative" facing CEOs around the world as they look to reinvent their businesses for the future while  navigating a laundry list of daunting challenges in the present day, the PwC CEO Survey found. "If organizations are not only to thrive but survive the next few years, they must carefully balance the dual imperative of mitigating short-term risks and operational demands with long-term outcomes — as businesses that don’t transform, won’t be viable," Bob Moritz, global chairman of PwC, said in a statement. 

So, will business leaders act to save themselves, or will they be too busy with next quarter's P&L? Let's take a closer look inside the survey to see what executives are saying — and what it could mean for the future. 

Executives view climate change as both a short- and long-term threat, but most are failing to address it proactively, PwC CEO Survey shows 

While managing climate risk is a long-term challenge that continues to vex executives, the PwC CEO Survey indicates many are also concerned about the effects of climate change in the here and now. 

Most of the CEOs surveyed expect their businesses to feel some degree of impact from climate change within the next 12 months. About half predict the effects of climate change will have a "moderate," "large" or "very large" impact on their cost profiles. More than 40 percent anticipate impacts to their supply chains, while around a quarter are worried about climate-related damage to their physical assets.

Their concerns are warranted: The 10 most significant climate-related disasters to strike the world last year caused more than $3 billion worth of damage each, according to the World Economic Forum. 

Still, the way they respond could use some work. "Deeper statistical analysis of the survey shows that the CEOs who feel most exposed to climate change are more likely to take action to address it," PwC researchers observed.

"This kind of reactive approach is understandable — when your house is in the path of a forest fire, you reach for the hose — but it creates risks of its own," they continued. "Combating climate change requires a coordinated, long-term plan. It won’t be solved if the only companies working on it are those that face immediate financial impact."

Beyond issues with reactivity, the researchers underscore that they "don't know how much" the actions most often taken by businesses — such as decarbonization initiatives and moves to innovate more climate-friendly products and services — "will move the needle, particularly in the near-term, which, in light of emissions already in the atmosphere, promises continued warming under virtually every scenario."

While it remains murky if business actions will do anything to curb their climate risk in the short term, the researchers warn that many long-term corporate climate strategies are also incomplete or less effective than they could be — setting the stage for even more serious risk in the years to come. 

More than half of all CEOs surveyed, including 70 percent of those at U.S. companies, say their teams have no plans to apply an internal carbon price to decision-making, "even though doing so could help them account for considerations like taxes and incentives, and clarify strategic trade-offs," the researchers found. Many are also dropping the ball on reporting, as another recent PwC survey found that 87 percent of global investors think corporate reporting contains unsubstantiated sustainability claims, often referred to as “greenwashing.”

CEOs predict declining global economic growth, but is that really a bad thing? 

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of CEOs believe global economic growth will decline over the next 12 months. This is a marked departure from recent years, as more than 75 percent of respondents to the 2020 and 2021 iterations of the PwC CEO Survey said they thought economic growth would improve. It's also the most pessimistic CEOs have been regarding global economic growth since the PwC CEO Survey began asking this question 12 years ago. 

This comes as no major shock, as other recent polling indicates CEOs around the world are bracing for a recession in 2023. Still, it begs a few questions: Is a slowdown in economic growth inevitable, and is it even a bad thing? 

In the decades since economist Milton Friedman declared that the social responsibility of business is to increase profits for shareholders, conventional reason has dictated that the ultimate marker of business health is to grow bigger and bigger every year, with solid shareholder returns that climb on a quarterly basis. 

Yet study after study indicates that the never-ending pursuit of more consumption, more profit and more money does not equate to better quality of life across the economy — and the spoils of rugged capitalism are not shared equally. In the U.S., for example, CEO pay has grown by a staggering 1,460 percent since 1978, while median worker pay has not even kept pace with inflation, increasing by a mere 18 percent over the same period. U.S. CEOs were paid 399 times as much as a typical worker in 2021. 

So, if the dogged pursuit of "more, more, more" does not increase quality of life for the many, and workers by and large find themselves more wage-poor than their parents were, who really benefits from eternal economic growth as a marker of success? Even businesses stand to lose out as CEOs cash their bloated paychecks while predicting their companies will be belly-up within a decade. 

Against a backdrop like this, it makes sense that conversations around degrowth are having a major moment in mainstream business circles. As the name implies, degrowth calls for intentional reductions in production and consumption to stay within the boundaries of a resource-constrained world — particularly in rich countries, allowing developing countries to have a greater share of the economic pie (and the global carbon budget). 

While respondents to the PwC CEO Survey stop far short of advocating for strategic degrowth, they don't plan to cope with the impending recession in the way many might expect. While over half of responding CEOs say they are moving to cut operating costs and raise prices, the majority (60 percent) say they do not plan to reduce the size of their workforce in the next 12 months, and 80 percent say they have no plans to reduce compensation. 

Still, it makes sense that predictions about the worst recession in a century would be preoccupying for executives, but as Moritz of PwC observed, those that don't keep the future in mind are destined for failure. This type of push and pull between long-term longevity and short-term profit is one that has defined conversations around stakeholder capitalism and corporate responsibility for as long as they've existed. Parsing through these survey responses, it could be that Mother Nature — and the markets — will finally force executives' hands, pushing into fruition something that for decades was simply words. 

Image credits: Marvin Meyer and Ryoji Iwata via Unsplash

Legislators in some U.S. states have been rushing to protect fossil energy stakeholders with new laws under the guise of safeguarding worker pensions. However, these so-called anti-woke actions are already on track to backfire in one state, and are likely to do the same in half a dozen others.

Follow the anti-woke leader…

The term “woke capitalism” was coined just a few years ago. It refers to corporations that whitewash their business-as-usual policies with a veneer of do-gooderism.

From the anti-woke perspective, government pension funds that invest in renewable energy are simply projecting a public image that curries favor with Democratic politicians and their allies. The argument goes further to allege a breach of fiduciary duty. The result is real or potential harm to the fund, and by extension harm to workers who contribute to and depend on their pensions.

Texas has emerged as a leader in the anti-woke movement. As it happens, Texas is also a leader in the U.S. wind industry and other renewable energy fields. Nevertheless, the state’s oil and gas industry remains a powerful force. In 2021, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott signed a bill into law, SB 13, that explicitly protects the oil and gas industry. The new law is designed to prevent state pension funds from “boycotting” fossil energy companies.

“‘Boycott energy company,” the law explains, means “refusing to deal with, terminating business activities with, or otherwise taking any action that is intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or limit commercial relations with a company because the company … invests in or assists in the exploration, production, utilization, transportation, sale, or manufacturing of fossil fuel-based energy.” Companies that conduct business with the protected categories are also protected under the umbrella of the law. 

…down the drain

If it seems that SB 13 will ultimately shoot Texas in its own economic foot, that already appears to be a likely outcome.

The wheels of the law were set in motion by the state's comptroller last March. By April, National Public Radio reported that loopholes in the law could limit its impact on renewable energy investment. Adding insult to injury, the law could have an unintended impact on diversified firms that hold fossil energy assets as well as renewables.

For a window on the outlook, Wharton School of Business Professor Daniel G. Garrett and Federal Reserve Bank Senior Economist Ivan T. Ivanov assessed the impact of SB 13 on the municipal bond market in Texas. A similar bill protecting the gun industry, SB 19, was also included in the analysis.

“In 2021 Texas enacted laws that prohibit municipalities from contracting with banks with certain ESG policies, leading to the exit of five of the largest municipal bond underwriters from the state,” they noted in a study published under the title, “Gas, Guns, and Governments: Financial Costs of Anti-ESG Policies.”

Assessing the sudden loss of competition on the marketplace, the authors concluded that “Texas issuers will incur $300 million to $500 million in additional interest on the $31.8 billion borrowed during the first eight months following enactment.”

Proceed at your anti-woke risk

Despite the warning signs, the anti-woke movement has already spread to other states. To help anticipate the impact, the progressive organization Sunrise Project joined with As You Sow and the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets to apply the Texas analysis to state and municipal bond markets in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.

The analysis, conducted by Econsult Solutions, Inc., was released last week. It describes the impact of removing “major, proven financial companies” from the marketplace.

“The result is an estimated range of $264 million to $708 million in additional costs for all six states combined, with Florida alone standing to bear $97 million to $361 million,” ESI concluded. 

“As elected and appointed public officials in many states consider these bills and similar executive actions, the importance of analyses that shine a light on the costs and benefits will be absolutely critical,” ESI also warned. “The actions represent encroachments into the marketplace by political actors that will have adverse effects on long-term public investments, including public program and state pensions."

Anti-woke or not, renewable energy is here to stay

Demand for renewable energy is skyrocketing around the world. Instead of protecting pension funds, new anti-woke legislation will simply divert funds elsewhere.

For example, one key target of the anti-woke movement is the firm BlackRock, and it shows no sign of slowing down. To the contrary, the firm’s global influence continues to grow. One recent development is an agreement between the government of Ukraine and BlackRock’s Financial Management Advisory Group, which will provide guidance on reconstruction after Russia capitulates. It is fair to assume that the guidance will emphasize decarbonization and ESG (environment, social, governance) principles, as BlackRock has aligned with these principles in the past.

Without the support of fact-based analysis, the ant-woke movement is simply another attempt by Republican leadership to mollify fossil energy stakeholders and stir the emotions of their voting base.

As ESI notes, it is no surprise to find the American Legislative Exchange Council behind anti-woke legislation circulating among U.S. states. Last February, ALEC claimed that it had only discussed model legislation similar to that of Texas but had not formalized it. Be that as it may, last summer Oklahoma enacted a version of the model legislation under the title “Energy Discrimination Elimination Act.”

Another well-known lobbying organization with a track record in the climate change denial area is the Heartland Institute. The organization has taken up the anti-woke canard and is reportedly involved in efforts to stir up local opposition to renewable energy development.

As for motivating the base, it is also no surprise to find the forces of white nationalism and religious extremism at work within the anti-woke movement.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives is gearing up to hold hearings on ESG and “woke capitalism” this year, with the apparent aim of proving their credentials to fossil energy stakeholders and stirring up the emotions of their angry but aging voter base.

As for everybody else, the hearings could provide leaders in the ESG movement with a golden opportunity to step up and speak out to the up-and-coming generation of consumers, clients and voters, woke as they may be.

Image credit: Zbynek Burival/Unsplash

With the world’s largest prison population and recidivism rates nearing 70 percent in some states, the question of what to do with formerly incarcerated people after they have completed their prison terms continues to vex the United States.

The Memphis-based nonprofit Persevere sees opportunity in those depressing statistics by providing engineering and coding training to incarcerated people so they have a better chance at gainful employment after they are released.

“I think we have answered the question as to whether someone can be rehabilitated and that you can change someone’s trajectory, decision-making attitudes, and criminal activity,” Sean Hosman, founder of Persevere, told TriplePundit. “And what is enough to do that? What’s enough to get somebody to go with a different life? Can you give them something, enough hope, enough skill, enough opportunity?”

Hosman believes Persevere’s programs offer that path to hope, skill and opportunity for incarcerated people. “Those who graduate from Persevere and are released have a 93 percent job placement rate and 85 percent job retention rate,” he told us. “For anybody that graduates from our program, the recidivism rate is 1.8 percent, and that’s compared to a national average of anywhere from 45 percent to 70 percent recidivism rates around the country, depending on how they define recidivism.”

Hosman founded Persevere after spending time behind bars and being arrested 12 times over a two-year period as he battled drug and alcohol addiction. He realized that while he could continue to earn a living thanks to his technological skills, other formerly incarcerated people and those with criminal records struggled to find jobs and stabilize their lives.

Since its founding in 2012, Persevere has grown to offer programs to incarcerated people in six states and is in negotiations to expand into several more. Nationally, Persevere has partnered with the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice (RBIJ) to establish the Unlock Potential employment program (UP). Funded through the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity, the UP aims to break the cycle of incarceration by providing meaningful employment opportunities to a statistically at-risk group of young people. 

“I’m really proud of the people that are now delivering these programs. I’m proud of the transformation of lives,” Hosman said. “One of the programs here in Tennessee is the 2 Gen program. We don’t just teach the incarcerated mom and dad, we teach their 10- to 18-year-old children at the same time how to be technologists, so we’re watching the social capital of an entire family unit rise.” 

Hosman said he is “proudest of the fact” that Persevere is focused on the inequities in the criminal justice system with black and brown communities. He cited a September 2020 Deutsche Bank study, “America’s Racial Gap and Big Tech’s Closing Window,” which concluded that if current trends continue, the exponential growth of the digital economy will leave large chunks of minority communities with little or no access to jobs. By 2045, an estimated 76 percent of African Americans and 52 percent of Latinos will be either completely ill prepared or shut out of 86 percent of available jobs, according to the study.

“That is a staggering prediction that should be on the front page of every paper in my book,” Hosman said. “I’m very proud that we have been able to focus on some of those populations, understand their contextual plight and then provide hope and skills and opportunity to them.”

Persevere’s programs go far beyond the classroom, including courses on life skills and financial literacy, and providing transitional living, mental health and substance abuse treatment services.

Jabarre Jarrett, a case manager and facilitator for Persevere, became aware of the nonprofit when he moved into a halfway house in Bristol, Tenn., after serving five years in prison. “They were giving out $1,000 for people to sign up, and they were given out free laptops,” Jarrett said. “Being fresh out of prison, I wanted a laptop.”

Jarrett got the laptop but also learned he would be paid the $1,000 in two installments as he completed his training in HTML, CSS and JavaScript. He also learned just how much Persevere had his back when his 14-year-old daughter attempted to take her own life.

“That was something that . . . pushed me back, and I really couldn’t focus on the program like I should,” Jarrett said. “But Persevere is so family oriented, they stepped in like a family would in a time of crisis. They extended their arms, and they helped us work through that bad time with just love and encouragement.”

Offered the opportunity to work for the nonprofit, Jarrett didn’t hesitate to accept. It’s a job he loves.

“I think it’s something that’s much needed out here, because when you want to change, sometimes you don’t know what you need to know to change, and you don’t know where to find help and resources,” he said. “But if you know somebody that has been through something and they’re willing to share that experience to help make someone better, well, it just makes me feel great to be able to be that person.”

Images courtesy of Persevere