Juma Ventures Seattle

Mission:

A job is about more than a paycheck. Work brings dignity, and studies have shown that a positive early employment experience alongside education and asset building opportunities, helps young people overcome the trauma of racism, poverty and inequality, and gives them the tools they need to build stronger, safer and more equitable communities.

But in Seattle, 25,000+ young people want to work, but lack access to the education, skills and confidence they need to get and keep a job.

Unless given a chance, these young people will remain trapped in a cycle of poverty, struggling to survive in a city facing historic rates of gentrification, dislocation and income disparity; 

Juma Ventures Seattle’s (Juma Seattle) YouthConnect program gives them that chance. 

About Us:

Seattle's YouthConnect combines employment and training at our social enterprises (concession stands at Climate Pledge Arena, Husky Stadium, Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park) with services focused on helping youth earn a paycheck, learn job skills, find their next job and set out on a path to a well-paying career.  

Juma Seattle supports youth ages 16-24 years old who reside in Seattle-area neighborhoods with some of the highest rates of poverty and unemployment. Many of the barriers our youth face are rooted in trauma associated with abuse, foster care experience, poverty, homelessness and violence. 91% identify as BIPOC and 100% live at or below the poverty level.  

Since launching in 2013, Juma Seattle has hired 1,000 young people who, in addition to collectively earning $2.2 million in wages while working at our social enterprises, have taken the first step toward a more stable and successful future. 

Essence's Juma Seattle Story:

Essence (pictured right) was always driven to succeed. When she heard about Juma Seattle from a counselor at school at age 16, she knew it was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up.

“When I found out about Juma Seattle I was already motivated,” recalled Essence. “The stadiums sounded like a really exciting way to learn new skills and meet new people.” Essence applied and was hired. She walked into a professional sports stadium for the very first time soon thereafter. 

At Juma Seattle, Essence found a place to grow and challenge herself. “Juma Seattle motivated me. When in-seat vending didn’t work out for me, I could have just quit, but instead I stepped out of my comfort zone and communicated with my managers and that got me into a better position. That was the best gift,” recalls Essence.

After completing the program, Essence found her way to a position as a full-time store manager for Starbucks.

“At that age I didn’t know what I wanted to do,”  Essence recalled. “Juma Seattle was working with coffee stands back then as well so that gave me the experience to make coffee drinks and realize I enjoy it. I also realized I enjoy talking to people. It helped me figure out what I want to do in life.”

After a few successful years at Starbucks, Essence was pleasantly surprised when her former Juma Seattle manager reached out to her about a job. With stadiums beginning to welcome fans again, Juma Seattle needed a reliable manager to help run stadium operations and mentor young people. Essence was excited for the opportunity to pay it forward and soon began her new role as the head of Juma Seattle’s all female team of social enterprise leaders.

“It was an honor to know Juma Seattle wanted me back in that environment,” said Essence. “The youth managers are all women right now and that motivates me even more because I can see myself in them. I see where I started and I know what they can become and I’m so excited to be a part of that.”