UNITE-LA officially launched the California Accessing Economic Mobility (CAEM) Fellowship on March 11. The initiative builds on UNITE-LA’s recent research on the unique needs and assets of affinity business organizations, including a statewide survey of nearly 90 chambers of commerce and business associations.

This effort deepened our understanding of the experiences, perspectives and support needs of organizations of varying sizes and geographies serving diverse communities. The findings informed development of the fellowship to better support these organizations in advancing economic mobility for low-income workers.

The fellowship, a six-month pilot running from March through September 2026, will support five selected affinity chambers of commerce ready to promote equitable, high-road employment practices across California. Through policy-informed strategies and collaborative learning, the program is designed to strengthen organizational capacity, help chambers engage employers and expand economic mobility for low-wage workers.

Alongside the fellowship, UNITE-LA is launching an online CAEM Resource Hub, where chambers and business organization partners can access materials to engage employers, elevate regional leadership and support high-road economic growth. Explore the resource hub here and read the press release here.