Generous donation to help create 1,000+ internships for local community; BlackLine also to provide technology-focused internships
Brotherhood Crusade announced a generous gift from LA-based accounting automation software leader, BlackLine, and members of its executive team. The donation recognizes the tireless racial equity and social justice efforts of Brotherhood Crusade and will be used to both further these efforts as well as to inspire other partners and supporters to give.
The timing of this donation is impeccable. Normally, this time of year, Brotherhood Crusade is preparing for its largest fundraising event, the Annual Pioneer of African American Achievement Award Gala, which was scheduled to take place on December 4, 2020. In light of the COVID-19 crisis and other significant occurrences, the event will neither be held in-person or virtually. As such, BlackLine’s gracious gift helps ensure the under-resourced children and families Brotherhood Crusade is honored to serve will be able to continue their pursuit of a better quality of life without interruption.
Brotherhood Crusade Scholarship Recipient Tayte Williams said, “Brotherhood Crusade has instilled in me the importance of service to others and my community. As a scholarship recipient of the Brotherhood Crusade, the financial burdens of college have been greatly reduced and my focus on education has increased. I am a business major and would love to have my own business one day and with the partnerships that the Brotherhood Crusade has with companies like BlackLine, I look forward to the possibilities of an internship that can help propel my goals. Volunteering with the Brotherhood Crusade and serving the community, side-by-side with caring and loving staff, has been an example of how all people should take care of one another. Brotherhood has helped shape my future and my dreams into realities. Thank you, Brotherhood Crusade, for supporting me, guiding me and believing in me.”
Brotherhood Crusade President and CEO Charisse Bremond Weaver said, ¨I’m so grateful to BlackLine and its executive team for their incredible generosity. Not only are they providing monetary support, BlackLine is also partnering with us to build out and implement a technology-based internship program specifically purposed to benefit 18-24-year-old disconnected young adults and facilitate their transition into sustained middle-wage or higher STEAM-based careers (science, technology, engineering, arts and math career pathways).”
Brotherhood Crusade anticipates the BlackLine donation will enable the creation of more than 1,000 internships through its STEAM program.
“BlackLine is committed to supporting the fight against racial inequality and systemic injustice in an effort to build a more inclusive society,” said Susan Otto, BlackLine’s chief people officer. “How we treat one another – how we serve one another – is the foundation of BlackLine’s core value system. We are aligned in our vision with Brotherhood Crusade to serve our local community by providing opportunities that can change the path forward for under-resourced children and families.”
In addition to helping create internships through Brotherhood Crusade, BlackLine also will provide internships for members of the Brotherhood Crusade community across several departments at the LA-based accounting automation software company.
“We look forward to welcoming members of the Brotherhood Crusade community into our internship program where we strive to promote diversity in technology while providing more than just a work experience,” Ms. Otto added. “BlackLine’s internships offer specific programming intended to open a door into the options and opportunities that prevail in the world of technology innovation, encouraging exploration of choice in careers and the future and ensuring that both choice and open doors are equitable, inclusive and available to all.”
To learn more about Brotherhood Crusade and its programs, call (323) 846-1649 or visit brotherhoodcrusade.org.
