FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2026

MEDIA CONTACT:
Claudine Battisti

UNITE-LA LAUNCHES CALIFORNIA ECONOMIC MOBILITY FELLOWSHIP TO ADVANCE JOB QUALITY AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY

Los Angeles, CA (March 11, 2026) – UNITE-LA today announced the launch of the California Economic Mobility Fellowship, a new initiative designed to strengthen the capacity of affinity chambers of commerce to advance job quality, economic mobility and worker-centered employment practices across California.

The California Economic Mobility Fellowship brings together a pilot cohort of five affinity chamber leaders for a six-month learning and leadership experience. Affinity chambers are mission-driven business organizations that support and represent specific business communities and industry networks. The program equips chamber leaders with practical knowledge, peer support and tools to help their member businesses adopt high-road practices that support frontline workers and create pathways to economic mobility.

Throughout the program, participants will engage in peer-learning webinars, technical assistance sessions and structured feedback opportunities to help refine the fellowship model and inform future cohorts. Fellows will deepen their understanding of high-road employment practices, economic mobility strategies and relevant policy tools, while strengthening their ability to coach and support member businesses. Each fellow will also develop an initial action plan to apply what they learn within their own chamber networks.

"This fellowship strengthens the vital link between business leadership and economic mobility," said Alysia Bell, president of UNITE-LA. "By partnering closely with affinity chambers, UNITE-LA is investing in leaders who can move the needle on job quality and expand opportunities for workers across diverse communities."

In addition to leadership development, the fellowship will produce a shared resource toolkit and centralized knowledge hub to support chambers beyond the pilot cohort. These resources will help chambers and various business organizations engage employers around job quality, worker-friendly policies and strategies that address barriers faced by low-wage workers.

The inaugural cohort joins a growing statewide network committed to advancing economic mobility through collaboration, shared learning and action. UNITE-LA looks forward to working alongside these fellows to refine the fellowship model and scale its impact in the years ahead.

A full list of fellows and more about the California Economic Mobility Fellowship can be found here.

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About UNITE-LA
Over the past 28 years, UNITE-LA has been a trusted business intermediary, dedicated to supporting the development of an effective local public education system, so that all children and youth succeed in college, career and beyond. Through the intersection of programming, policy, and systems change efforts, UNITE-LA works to increase access to high-quality early childhood education, develop career pathways in high-growth industries, improve college access and success, and ensure workforce readiness, especially for individuals with high barriers into the workforce. Visit www.unitela.com.