Service and Leadership in Action: Space Between
ELS’ Mission is “to use our unique professional and personal experiences to create solution-oriented partnerships with our clients; cultivate a dynamic, fulfilled team; and elevate the standard of service and leadership in the community.”
Expounding upon the “service and leadership” pillar of our mission, ELS Partner Jamala McFadden has created Space Between, which changes lives by empowering women of color to achieve economic mobility through entrepreneurship.
Space Between is an accelerator program for women of color who are currently low income that equips them with the skills, resources and community they need to turn their side hustles into their main hustles, as profitable businesses. Space Between’s founder, Jamala McFadden, grew up in a community where women made a way for their families by supplementing their income from jobs that did not provide a living wage with side hustles like baking, jewelry making, cleaning and hairstyling. These women are in the space between economic survival and economic empowerment. We believe that if these enterprising women are provided the necessary foundational support, they could accelerate through that space and not only grow their current side hustles, they could build new, more profitable businesses, create jobs for their communities, achieve economic mobility, and build a legacy for their families.
In 2020, we will pilot Space Between with a three-month program working with six women seeking to grow service-oriented businesses. The program will include 12 learning modules focusing on topics that include mindset, marketing, business plan development, financial management, growth opportunities, and funding, along with other foundational business topics. The modules will be facilitated by subject-matter experts and established women of color business owners. To maximize engaged participation, Space Between will provide wrap-around services that include transportation vouchers, meals during modules, babysitting and a wage supplement. The pilot will conclude with a graduation showcasing the participants and their businesses and an opportunity for seed funding.
We invite you to support Space Between by connecting us with potential program participants, facilitators and resources. For additional information about this great program, please log on to our website at Space Between.
