The James Irvine Foundation

Only hours left to submit a nomination for the 2026 Leadership Awards! Nominations close today, March 14, at noon. Your nominee could be selected to receive a $350,000 grant and other support amplifying their work. Don’t hesitate: Nominate a changemaker in your community today. Visit: https://lnkd.in/gPMcJVd #IrvineAwards

#WageTheft takes many forms, including non-payment of minimum or overtime wage, lack of meal or rest breaks, stolen tips, illegal deductions, misclassification of an employee as an independent contractor and even complete non-payment. It is directly tied to housing insecurity and?disproportionately affects?workers of color and immigrants, especially the Latino community in #LosAngeles. An estimated 221,778 Latino residents in L.A. County experience “doubled-up” homelessness—sharing housing with others due to economic hardship, accounting for 75% of those in doubled-up situations. Nationally, Latino homelessness rose by 28% between 2020 and 2023, while overall homelessness increased by just 12%. ? In CALó News, Armando Gudino of Los Angeles Worker Center Network, a grantee partner of Irvine, sheds light on the true scale of Latino homelessness and recommends policy solutions to better protect workers paid low wages: https://lnkd.in/gVzc3d28? ?

In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, Los Angeles Sentinel spotlights Skye Patrick, Director and CEO of L.A. County Library and 2025 #IrvineAwards recipient. She oversees the county’s 86 public libraries and has launched IT initiatives and other programs dedicated to improving the lives of Californians. Skye shared, “Thirty-plus years ago, libraries were at the forefront of the first digital divide to bring people into the computer age and learn how to use the technology. In phase two, we helped people deal with Wi-Fi access to different services that had gone mobile or digital. In this third wave of the new digital divide, we make sure people know what is meant by, and how to use artificial intelligence and machine learning. Libraries are on the ground floor of the communities we support.” ? ? https://lnkd.in/gwkakCxz

Out of nearly 2,500 iron and steel workers apprentices registered in #California, only 70 are women. That’s too few, says Rocio Campos, a single mother of two from Los Angeles County who now works as an ironworker after completing four years of #apprenticeship. ? ? Ironwork provides plenty of creativity and enough income to support her family. Rocio believes the industry could do more outreach to be more accessible to women and others traditionally overlooked by trade unions. ? ? Read more about her career journey in CalMatters: https://lnkd.in/etw-RU9S?

Nominations for the 2026 James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards?close this Wednesday, and the process is now easier than ever! #IrvineAwards celebrates leaders who are advancing breakthrough solutions to critical issues facing California. Learn more and submit your nomination now at: irvine.ly/nominate?

#WageTheft disproportionately affects temporary workers and low-wage workers in sectors like construction, food services, health care, and retail—industries largely made up of workers of color.?To tackle wage theft in San Diego County, organizations like the MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY LABOR- MANAGEMENT COOPERATION TRUST FUND and Center On Policy Initiatives (CPI), which are grantee partners of Irvine's #FairWork initiative, have?teamed up with county leaders to create the Workplace Justice Fund. The fund is an example of co-enforcement programs, where labor standards enforcement agencies partner with community-based organizations that have existing ties with low-wage workers. This allows agencies to build on the progress that community partners have already made, ultimately expanding their reach and enabling them to more effectively recover unpaid wages.? ? Along with offering financial assistance to workers, the fund also sends officials to mediate wage theft disputes between an employer and a worker. Kyra Greene, Executive Director of CPI, said, “People fear that if they file a complaint, their employer is just going to kick them out of the job altogether. The Workplace Justice Fund is designed to try to encourage more people to address the issue of wage theft in real time.” ? ? Learn more in The American Prospect: https://lnkd.in/eQMEBpJk?

Youth workforce development programs help young people gain the skills, resources, and support to build meaningful careers and connections. However, funding gaps make it hard for these programs to offer competitive wages that can attract and retain experienced staff. This is why the Los Angeles Opportunity Youth Collaborative, convened by the Alliance for Children's Rights and UNITE-LA, partnered with Irvine #BetterCareers partner Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) to explore the needs of youth workforce development programs. NFF found that, on average,?organizations have approximately $1.1 million in unfunded expenses that would support them in providing their current level of services under more sustainable conditions.?The report also highlights actionable recommendations, including centering outcomes over outputs and simplifying reporting requirements. ? In this video, youth workforce development nonprofit providers share the challenges they face, why sustainable funding matters, and the impact of their programs on LA’s youth: https://lnkd.in/gxHkG3Cu Check out the full report at: https://irvine.ly/3F4jPDJ?

Do you know a leader or a leadership pair who are advancing breakthrough solutions to critical issues facing California? Nominate them for a 2026 The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards! Each award recipient’s organization receive $350,000 and support in sharing solutions with policymakers and other leaders in their communities. Want to learn more about how to nominate a leader? Check out the informational webinar at: https://lnkd.in/g-S--aee Nominations due March 12. #IrvineAwards

The threat of mass immigration raids has sent shock waves across the Central Valley, where a largely immigrant workforce helps harvest a quarter of the food grown in the U.S. The three-day immigration raid in Kern County offers a glimpse into the new reality?that California farmworkers are facing. Advocates on the scene said the raid indiscriminately targeted Latino farmworkers commuting from the fields and day laborers soliciting work in the parking lots of big box stores. Sofia Corona, a directing attorney with Irvine partner UFW Foundation, said, “In our perspective, it was definitely meant to terrorize the community, and especially the Latino and farmworker community. And sadly, it really did have that impact.” Farmworkers, who put food on our tables, now weigh the risks of coming to work each day: Should they make the lengthy drive to earn a day’s pay? Or stay holed up at home, with dwindling resources, to lessen the chance of being pulled over? Read more in Los Angeles Times: https://irvine.ly/43nyGDo This article is part of The Times’ equity reporting initiative, funded by Irvine, exploring the challenges facing low-income workers and the efforts being made to address California’s economic divide

March is #WomenHistoryMonth! In this episode of Two Minutes With..., Renee Roux, Irvine’s Director of Technology, shares how she started in the tech field, what it was like to be one of only two women in her department, and her perspectives on A.I. and Irvine’s values. ? ? Renee shared, “I think I was one of two women in a department. And it was sobering in terms of how to present ideas, how to move forward, having to really be outspoken, which is typically not my nature, but in order to get things done, really leaning into that was important.” Two Minutes With... is a video series that offers a chance to get to know Irvine board and staff. Check out the other episodes at: https://lnkd.in/g3nN5wQB