In January 2017, Juma expanded its social enterprise to Texas, partnering with Levy Restaurants and launching operations at the Toyota Center and BBVA Compass stadium in Houston and the American Airlines Center in Dallas. A year later we look back at the year that was.
Juma Houston: Throwback to one of the first shifts at the Toyota Center.
ALEXIS GUNN, Houston Site Director
The Year in Houston: 2017 was a roller coaster for Houston, from hosting the Super Bowl to the tragedy of Hurricane Harvey to the high of being World Series’ champions. Throughout the highs and lows, Houston’s can-do spirit was present— we came together in tragedy and celebration. I think that same spirit makes Houston open to the ingenuity of a social enterprise that solves a social challenge through business. In our first year, we employed more than 100 young adults. Juma’s value of providing low-income youth with a job and a path forward met a critical need for Houston. Both the local business and philanthropic communities are becoming increasingly aware of the challenges facing opportunity youth and are committed to creating pathways for these young people to succeed. Education leaders in Houston are also stepping up to provide clear opportunities that connect learning to work in Houston’s high-skill, high-growth industries.
Looking Ahead: Juma’s role is to leverage this momentum for our youth by engaging them with employment and soft-skills training, providing financial capability workshops, and exposing them to careers that will be fulfilling. Our youth are gaining leadership experience and developing skills in our social enterprises that will be invaluable at every stage of their career. My goal for 2018 is to continue to build partnerships. I’m excited to connect with education and workforce partners that will help our young adults continue on their upward path of career mobility. The opportunities for a meaningful career are here—from the community college system to apprenticeships to employers—our youth just need the connection. Bridging the opportunity and resource divide is where I get the most satisfaction.
MARVIS HUFF, Houston Enterprise Manager:
Youth Success: When I first met Nathan about a year ago, he was living at the Covenant House which is a shelter for homeless youth. Juma hired him on to be a part of our first Houston cohort, and while he was very mild-mannered and nervous during his first few weeks, he has emerged as an exceptional leader. Nathan stuck with Juma even when he faced an unpredictable housing situation and instability with his family. Juma provided a community for him and a chance for him to work towards his future. Now, Nathan works in a managerial capacity as a stand lead in our social enterprise leading a team of young adults. And he’s enrolled in school taking preliminary courses at Houston Community College to start a Petroleum Engineering program. He also works with BridgeYear to help other young adults explore career opportunities in Houston. He’s a leader by example. He’s not loud and in your face—“Do this! Do that!”—he just shows you the right thing to do and expects you to have the integrity to do it yourself.
The Biggest Challenge: Keeping youth motivated. The youth we serve are facing tremendous challenges including a limited support system. As enterprise manager, my role is to instill hope and a growth mindset in Juma’s young adults. I work really hard to provide as much intervention as possible to help keep them engaged because I know that for many of them Juma is planting the seeds of success that they aren’t getting anywhere else.
Juma Dallas ready for business at American Airlines Center.
DANIELA BARAJAS, Dallas Enterprise Manager:
The Year in Dallas: As with any start-up, there have been some high-highs and some low-lows. But we’ve definitely impacted the lives of the youth who’ve worked with us. I stay focused on the impact that we have achieved. That keeps me going. I see a lot of urgency in being able to fully deliver on our mission. I continue to push because I see young adults benefiting from our program, those who were homeless or who were struggling. I had one youth tell me, “I have suicidal thoughts but I keep coming to work because this is what keeps me going—I have at least one thing in my life that is going good.” That was just last week. So, it’s tough, but I see that we are having an impact on the lives of these young people. As long as they’re moving forward. I see that as a success for Juma.
What Drives Her Passion: I come from an immigrant background. I was born in Houston and raised in Morelia, Michoacan in Mexico. My mom was a single mother, raising me by herself in Mexico. We came back to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. I didn’t know English. My mother had sent me to public school in Mexico because she didn’t have the money for private school where I would’ve learned English. She brought me back to Houston because I wouldn’t have the opportunities in Mexico that I could have in the U.S. And I know I only got to where I am because people cared. People showed me opportunities and opened doors. So I’m really passionate about the work that we do. And I feel like I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am in life if I had not had all those people along the way who showed me the path. I wouldn’t have been able to do it by myself. Now I have the responsibility to show other people their potential and how to fulfill that potential. It’s a personal mission. Working with these young adults, I’d say ninety percent of their lives is not falling into place, so if we can at least help them to start with just one thing going right—giving them some hope, some motivation—then everything else will follow. That’s why I have this urgency to do the work that I can and develop the capacity to do more. Not just increase the numbers but also the depth of the impact that we have. Did we connect them to the next job? The next opportunity? That’s what I hope we can do as the team expands and grows in Dallas.
[*Interviews have been condensed and edited.]
