The Courage Collective Launches Boundless to Create Access to Job and Internship Opportunities for Underrepresented Groups in Marketing, Consulting and Tech
The Courage Collective, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consultancy, announced Boundless, a company and fellowship program designed to create access for underrepresented identity groups in marketing/advertising, consulting and technology. Boundless was created as a way to connect dynamic talent who are often overlooked with meaningful career opportunities, while also solving an ongoing problem for organizations in their DEI efforts.
“As soon as I accepted the offer to intern at redpepper, I could feel the importance of my presence at the organization”
“Without fail, every single organization we have worked with through The Courage Collective is trying to figure out how to bring more people from underrepresented groups into their company,” said Daniel Oppong, founder, Boundless. “And while recruiting certainly isn’t a ‘fix all’ for the myriad of DEI challenges many organizations face, increasing representation should certainly be a focal point.”
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Boundless will partner with companies in the three industry verticals of marketing, consulting and technology – all of which, according to Oppong, have historically lacked diverse representation. Employers can use the Boundless platform to share jobs with Boundless’ talent network. They can also work directly with the Boundless team to identify candidates for open job or internship positions.
Oppong first piloted the program in 2021 with redpepper, a Nashville based creative agency, who also led the brand design process, and has signed on as a program partner.
“The mission of Boundless is vital to our organization at its core,” said Samara Anderson, VP sales and marketing, redpepper. “redpepper’s goal is to create an environment where creativity is free to thrive, and we believe wholeheartedly that the environment we create must be accessible to all. That’s why we’re proud to partner with Boundless on their journey to empower.”
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“As soon as I accepted the offer to intern at redpepper, I could feel the importance of my presence at the organization,” said Lamar Morgan, co-founder of Boundless and former redpepper fellow. “I felt valued and empowered to make an impact. After my experience, I knew I wanted to create a similar feeling of belonging for future fellows, so we got to work building Boundless!”
For early career candidates, the program will begin in May 2022, and run for 12 weeks, with a focus on professional development, career growth and community. Candidates who identify as Black, Hispanic/Latinx, Native American/Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, Multi-racial/Multi-ethnic, or as part of another ethnic minority group can apply for the fellowship program on the Boundless platform.
“As someone who has been ‘one of the few’ or ‘one of the only’ [people of color in mostly white organizations] throughout my professional career, this brand feels especially important to me. Back in 2015, Marcus Whitney (of Jumpstart Nova) created an opportunity for me at Jumpstart Foundry, and it changed the trajectory of my professional career. I want to do exactly the same thing for others,” said Oppong.
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