Work First Blog
All the 2019-2020 Work First Fellows were working remotely as the COVID-19 pandemic began to sweep over the country. At first, we at Work First thought we would be back in the office in a few months – after all, we still had the annual Policy Trip to Washington DC to organize, not to mention the Research Symposium to celebrate the end of the fellowship! Of course, those few months turned into many more, and we found ourselves having to say goodbye to our 2019-2020 Fellows over computer screens.
Some people like long walks on the beach, and then there's Brandon, the Work First Fellow located in the America Works office in Bronx, New York. When he needs a moment or two away from the fast pace of the office, he likes to take long walks in his Bronx neighborhood, which he calls his “beautiful neck of the woods.”
Addie Lipson was already an experienced community activist and organizer in Milwaukee, WI when she decided to become a Work First Fellow. She did so because she wanted to continue to create positive change for her city while working one-on-one with individuals who have been harmed the most by the city’s structural segregation and economic policies.
Elizabeth Cottle—or Liz, as we know her—is a native New Yorker, a summa cum laude graduate from Binghamton University, a global traveler, and as of recently, a veritable expert on reviewing resumes. One of three Work First Fellows located in Manhattan, NY, Liz spends most of her time at the America Works 5th Avenue office teaching weekly lessons and working one-on-one with American Works clients to prepare for interviews and, of course, review their resumes.
The Work First Foundation recently said hello to its 7th cohort of Work First Fellows when they arrived in New York City for a 3-day orientation. The 2019-2020 cohort, which includes high-achieving recent graduates from colleges and universities across the country and young professionals who advocated for various causes both in the US and abroad, is brought together by the common goal to make a direct impact in the lives of underserved individuals living in poverty by helping them gain meaningful employment.
