The STRIVE Gala supports STRIVE in its mission to create pathways to economic opportunity for predominantly low-income Black and Brown communities. We believe that economic resiliency and upward mobility are essential to advancing racial equity. STRIVE has a network of partners in 12 cities, with our flagship site in New York and Atlanta. Your support will help us provide lifetime support and career training for our students to thrive and become valuable contributors to their families and communities.
MEET OUR 2021 GRADUATE SPEAKERS
Antonio, STRIVE Graduate
“He thanks STRIVE for believing in him, showing him the path to financial security, and helping him gain the ability to provide for himself and his children”
Brooke, STRIVE Graduate
“STRIVE believes in your potential and encourages you to excel, to find a purpose and, most importantly, to overcome obstacles to employment.”
Corporate Partnership Honoree
STRIVE is proud to recognize our strong and long-standing partnership with JPMorgan Chase with the 2021 STRIVE Partnership Award.
JPMorgan Chase has been an essential partner in helping STRIVE grow our career pathways and provide economic opportunity and financial resilience for people who face the greatest obstacles to employment.
We are proud to celebrate our innovative partnership and JPMorgan Chase’s leadership in launching Advancing Black Pathways, a pioneering effort to help strengthen the economic foundation of Black communities around the world through business growth and entrepreneurship, financial health and wealth creation, careers and skills, and community development.
Together with JPMorgan Chase, we are empowering STRIVE graduates to achieve economic mobility and a promising future for themselves and their families.
HONOREES
Joe Scantlebury
President & CEO – Living Cities
Joe Scantlebury is the incoming President and CEO of Living Cities, a collaborative of 19 of the world’s leading foundations and financial institutions who work together to boldly fight poverty in America’s cities.
Prior to joining Living Cities, Joe Scantlebury served as vice president for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan. He led, designed, and implemented strategic programming efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in the W.K. Kellogg Foundation priority places.
In that role, he led, designed, and implemented strategic programming efforts to improve the lives of vulnerable children and families in the foundation’s priority places, including Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, and New Orleans in the United States, and internationally in Haiti and Mexico.
Joe was the Executive Director and General Counsel for STRIVE New York from 1999 – 2001. Joe helped bring STRIVE into a new chapter of national affiliate growth to serve more communities with free job-training across the country. He also brought STRIVE out of the basement where it began and secured a flagship office in Taino Towers in NYC.
Joe received a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s New York State School of Industrial & Labor Relations. He holds a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and is pursuing a Master of Public Administration from New York University Wagner School of Public Service.
We are proud to honor Joe for his longstanding and consistent belief in STRIVE's mission, supporting our students to achieve a better future for themselves and their families as we work towards equity for all through economic opportunity.
Richard Barthelmes
Retired – Publishing Executive
STRIVE Board Member
Richard Barthelmes was publisher of Gourmet and Executive VP of American Express Publications and opened the first AOL office in New York in 1995. He served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps from 1961-1964 and is a graduate of Harvard and NYU’s Stern School of Business. He and his wife Alix firmly believe that family, adventure, and giving back to others are cornerstones of a fulfilling life.
After seeing the two Leslie Stahl 60 Minutes pieces on STRIVE in the 1990s. Dick began volunteering with our students to help them with their resume development. Motivated by the dedication of the STRIVE staff, the quality of their free training programs, and the students' successes, he joined the STRIVE Board of Directors in 2007.
Dick Barthelmes’ long relationship with STRIVE spans decades of service. He has become a part of the fabric of the New York office and is affectionately known to the staff as "Dr. D., The Resume Doctor." In recognition of Dick Barthelmes’ years of dedication and volunteerism to STRIVE, we are proud to award him the 2021 STRIVE Equity for All Award.
HONORARY CHAIR
EMCEE
Congressman Adriano Espaillat
U.S. Representative – New York’s 13th Congressional District
CHUCK NICE
Comedian
Committee
Terrence Byerson
Heidi Chen
Romelia Corvacho
Dina Powell McCormick
Judy McElnea
Kate Peck
Phil Salinger
Randy Zeno
Committee List in Formation
The STRIVE Gala supports STRIVE in its mission to remove barriers that disproportionately affect Black and Brown communities, barriers that stand between our students and economic mobility. STRIVE carries out this mission in New York, our newly launched Atlanta branch, and all our affiliate partners. All proceeds directly benefit STRIVE students on their journey to employment.
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