by Eileen Ung, Haas MBA 2021

Before my time at Haas, I was first exposed to employee ownership as an alternative “social responsibility” model, where power and wealth are distributed among workers, at the Los Angeles office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC-LA), a national community development finance institution (CDFI). This model was in stark contrast to the corporate models I was acquainted with having worked in large financial service institutions for over 5 years. LISC-LA had partnered with a Bay Area Based nonprofit, Project Equity, to pilot a unique small business preservation program in my hometown of Long Beach, California.  The Los Angeles office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a national community development finance institution (CDFI), had partnered with a Bay Area Based nonprofit, Project Equity, to pilot a unique small business preservation program in my hometown of Long Beach, California. The program struck close to home as I grew up in the east-side of Long Beach, among Black, Brown, Southeast Asian communities whose economic livelihood was largely powered by Main Street.  In Long Beach, a “silver tsunami” was threatening the long-term economic inclusion of these communities, as small business owners retired and lacked succession plans, often resulting in the closing of businesses and the loss of jobs.  Read more…

by Adolfo Quesada Vinciana, Haas MBA 2021

This past summer of 2020 I was very fortunate to work, remotely, with the Global Lab of Climate Finance (GLCF). GLCF is the climate finance innovation branch of Climate Policy Initiative, a global research and think tank with the goal of facilitating and mobilizing capital flows towards a greener and more sustainable future. Due to the pandemic and economic crisis, the social impact sector was especially strained, and summer internship opportunities were very limited, so I was very grateful to receive this offer and at the same time be awarded financial support from the Haas Social Impact Fund (HSIF) as it helped me to explore and learn about topics that I am very passionate about.  Read more…