Q&A
Supporting young professionals from underrepresented communities
0:41:03
ยท
3 min
Council Member Rivera asks about DCLA's efforts to support young professionals from underrepresented communities. Commissioner Cumbo discusses various programs and their impact on diversity.
- Cumbo highlights programs like CUNY Cultural Core and SCI Network NYC
- Statistics are provided showing high participation rates from people of color and other underrepresented groups
- The importance of reaching underserved communities is emphasized
Carlina Rivera
0:41:03
How do you ensure that you're supporting young professionals who are from underrepresented communities?
UNKNOWN
0:41:12
Mhmm.
Laurie Cumbo
0:41:13
I mean, the, this testimony really in a very robust way goes into, how so many of those programs are faring in that way.
0:41:22
I mean, just looking at so many of the programs from the CUNY Cultural Core Program, making sure that the SCI Network, NYC, that's a critical opportunity.
0:41:34
And in that one, the commitment is born in the pro program's impressive data of 1100 participants.
0:41:42
84% identify as people of color, 59% speak a language other than English at home, and 67 identify 67% identify as female.
0:41:54
Interns earn 2,400,000 in stipends and wages, and many of the programs graduates have gone on to full time employment within the network.
0:42:03
And just to remind everyone, this program, the SCI Network NYC, is a partnership of the Museum of Natural History, New York Hall of Science, Staten Island Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, Wave Hill, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
0:42:22
And this program is very unique in terms of the fact that it is a STEM based internship program in New York City, but they are not alone in this.
0:42:33
So many of the organizations across New York City are producing stats very similar, are having a similar reach, and are able to get into communities that have been, severely underserved for so many years, to make sure that they get that research and, programming right in their own backyard.
UNKNOWN
0:42:53
So you
Carlina Rivera
0:42:54
do rely on the organizations to sort of do this outreach.
0:42:54
Right?
0:42:54
To ensure that organizations to sort of do this outreach, right, to ensure that underrepresented communities are included in their programs.
0:43:01
I'm wondering what DCLA does specifically.
0:43:03
Do you do any outreach, like social media, how to draw people in that might not necessarily typically have access.
0:43:11
So are you dependent on the SCI network?
0:43:14
Are you dependent on CUNY to to bring in to tap into their own student base?
0:43:18
I'm just wondering about outreach and how DCLA has participated in the past.
Laurie Cumbo
0:43:23
I'll say that.
Lance Polivy
0:43:25
One way that we ensure that that outreach is truly equitable is through the the CDF program.
0:43:31
And so through the 2023 reforms to CDF, we have made every effort to bring new voices into the CDF with over a 100 new organizations represented and more groups of color being a part of the CDF program.
0:43:46
We're so proud of the work that, we've been able to achieve over the last 3 years through CDF.
0:43:52
And so that then amplifies all of the work that we're trying to do.
0:43:57
So those then become partners that are speaking to their communities and are in each borough and every corner of each borough.
0:44:04
So that's one of the best tools that we have to get this information about programs that our agency is doing into communities throughout New York City.