A member of the Health Sector Collaborative, Charles R. Drew University (CDU) is providing free COVID-19 testing to Los Angeles County residents. The work is being done in collaboration with the City and County of Los Angeles and Martin Luther King, Jr. Outpatient Center (MLK OPC). “As the statistics are now showing, under-resourced communities of color are being disproportionately affected by the novel coronavirus. However, there have been very few, if any, COVID-19 testing sites in these communities,” said Charles Drew University President and CEO Dr. David M. Carlisle. 

UNITE-LA is conducting a survey of students to better understand how they make decisions about their education. This will be part of a project to make information about available credentials transparent and easily accessible through technology. Working in partnership with Credential Engine, the project aims to build an open-source online registry of all degrees, certificates, certifications, licenses, badges, apprenticeships and other types of educational and occupation-related credentials.

Several school districts in L.A. County have adopted the Early Development Instrument (EDI) as a tool to measure early childhood well-being and readiness for kindergarten. But as schools have shifted their focus to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the county’s planned EDI collection efforts are at risk of being seriously disrupted, and some are in danger of being eliminated. With growing concerns over what the future will look like for young children, having data, like the EDI, may prove to be more valuable than ever.

Back in April, L.A. City Mayor Eric Garcetti launched the L.A. Emergency Child Care Connection program to help essential employees at participating hospitals access child care. With many child care centers still closed because of the pandemic, Garcetti expanded the program in May to include additional emergency responders employed by the City of L.A.

As many businesses and organizations adapt to the "new normal," UNITE-LA is similarly reimagining some of its work to ensure youth are able to become successful, productive, future members of the workforce. UNITE-LA has partnered with Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation (CSOD Foundation) to enhance virtual workforce development and programming through their new online learning initiative called WorkforceReady.

On May 15, UNITE-LA convened a virtual roundtable with 17 regional corporate responsibility leaders on how COVID-19 is impacting our education and workforce systems and the ability of corporations to remain involved in preparing the next generation of employees. Participants represented a diverse range of industries and corporations, including The Boeing Company, City National Bank, Dolby, Majestic Realty, Paramount Pictures, Riot Games, The Walt Disney Company and Wells Fargo.