BSP Staff Retreat 2022
BSP staff from across CA gathered in San Diego for the 2022 staff retreat
Thanks to a grant that Building Skills Partnership received from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) to support leadership development and well-being of partners and staff in furtherance of racial equity, BSP is able to focus on professional development initiatives for its staff members.
“BSP is proud of its diverse staff and also the diversity in the communities it serves. We are grateful to receive this award from CZI to help further the work of BSP programs, aimed to improve the quality of life of property service workers in low-wage industries, as well as their families and communities,” said Luis Sandoval, Executive Director of BSP.
Supported by CZI, BSP execs & staff members throughout California converged in San Diego during the summer of 2022 to reflect and discuss BSP’s vision and core strategies to ensure a just and equitable recovery for property service workers and their families who benefit from BSP programs.
“BSP is so grateful to CZI and our Board of Directors for supporting us in these efforts to provide space for staff to reflect, heal and grow – to be a part of the strategic planning process for the unique educational programs offered by our organization,” said Sandoval.
Born out of the “Justice for Janitors” movement, BSP was founded in 2007 as an English language workplace acquisition course; and over the years BSP has broadened its work to address the socio-economic needs of low-income immigrant janitorial service workers. Through its varied programs, BSP puts workers first on key industry investments such as workforce development training, certifications, and career advancement.
BSP was founded with the vision of creating an equitable economy for California's working families so they can achieve their career and educational goals. Through its 15 year history, BSP has served primarily low-income, Latinx immigrants working as janitors in commercial buildings who often live in disadvantaged communities throughout California.
Workers from these communities are composed of a diverse demographic including Asian Americans, Black, and other people of color. By extending its programs to serve workers beyond Latinx immigrants, BSP will impact more working families and build just systems that advance racial equity, diversity, and inclusion for all.
In the coming years, BSP has strategized to expand its workforce development, immigrant inclusion, and community advancement programs to also serve passenger service workers at LAX, survivors and victims of sexual assault in the workplace, and security workers at large commercial buildings.
BSP is proud to provide opportunities to fully address the unique barriers that property service workers and their families face in realizing the benefits of social, civic, and economic integration. The organization looks forward to expanding its vision for a stable and successful future for property service workers and their families!
About the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) was founded in 2015 to help solve some of society’s toughest challenges — from eradicating disease and improving education, to addressing the needs of local communities. Their mission is to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.
CZI is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in order to build a more inclusive, just, and healthy future for everyone.
Over the course of 2021, CZI announced an additional 90+ new racial equity grant partners focused on building just and sustainable systems. Among them are movement builders, community leaders and changemakers who have the expertise and the lived experience to drive transformative change.