How Women Entrepreneurs Can Overcome Societal Barriers with PCC Women's Business Center Interim Director, Lizzy Okoro Episode 123
Release Date: 07/09/2024
The Future Of Work
Gene Seroka [00:00:00]: We also have an MOU, a Memorandum of Understanding, which is an agreement to work together between the California Community Colleges and the Port of Los Angeles to help build curriculum, to help guide education for certification and training. Those who can build syllabus and classwork as a profession can bring that here to the port so we can work on these various training modules and career progressions for our workforce. Dr. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:31]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of...
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We are diving into the evolving landscape of the Goods Movement with Gene Seroka, Director of the Port of Los Angeles. Our host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo and Gene Seroka have a candid conversation about the challenges and innovations shaping the goods movement sector and how turbulent changes in trade policy, tariffs, and technology are impacting supply chain management. They also discuss the importance of steady leadership and long-term investment in careers and future-forward problem solving. Gene Seroka shares insights on launching the Port Optimizer—a groundbreaking digital platform that’s...
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Jesse Diaz [00:00:00]: I believe these pathways are vital because they can collapse right the distance between learning and earning, allowing people to start working toward a career and income at the same time, which is crucial in this current economic climate. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:14]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. And we are starting the conversation about the Future of Work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to...
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For many students, alternative career pathways are the key to unlocking systemic barriers and breaking through rigid environments that keep economic mobility out of reach. Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Jesse Diaz, the Director of Market Development Los Angeles at Propel America to unpack how to build more equitable career opportunities. As a first-generation Latino college graduate and lifelong educator, Jesse brings a powerful personal journey—growing up in Boyle Heights and navigating nontraditional pathways from athletics to nonprofit leadership. Together, they dive into the challenges...
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Chris Kelley [00:00:00]: The tribe has been a very critical part of the design of Hard Rock Tejon from the earliest of days. And so what it looks like and what it feels like, they have been directly involved in. And so from the moment that you walk through the doors, you really see and feel that. But they're also team members. You know, Hard Rock Tejon tribal members are a part of that workforce today and will be every day going forward. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:27]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, vice president of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this...
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What does it take to introduce a brand new industry to a community? That is the challenge Chris Kelley, President of Hard Rock Casino Tejon, is tackling in opening the Hard Rock Casino Tejon in Kern County. With more than 20 years of experience in gaming and hospitality, Chris shares inspiring insights on Hard Rock’s partnership with the Tejon tribe, the creation of thousands of jobs, and the impact of introducing an entirely new industry to a region traditionally dominated by agriculture and energy. From discussing amplified guest service and meaningful community relationships, to revealing...
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Ali Mir [00:00:00]: Our communities are well versed in what they need. So how do we allow our communities and how do we empower our communities to be front and center in developing the solutions to the problems that they know that they have. And a huge part of that is workforce development and a pipeline of talent from the very communities that are in need of planning solutions, design solutions, engineering solutions. Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:27]: Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast. And we are...
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What does it really take to transform the way Los Angeles moves—and who gets to design the future of our city’s transit? In this episode of The Future Of Work podcast, host Salvatrice Cummo sits down with Ali Mir, Senior Vice President and West Regional Planning Lead (WSP) and a leader in regional planning, to uncover the stories and strategies behind LA’s public transit evolution. From his own transformative experience as a student riding every mode on the LA Metro—and realizing just how diverse and essential ridership is—to incorporating solution-based innovation related...
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Eloy Ortiz Oakley [00:00:00]: Far too often, we assume as educators what they need instead of actually asking them, the employers and folks in the community, what they need. So we need to do all of those things, and we need to do it in a way that is as intentional as the way that we have been designing our curriculum for the last five decades. We have to have the same intentionality around designing curriculum in the multiple other ways that we now know work and work well for working learners. Christina Barsi [00:00:34]: The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and...
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The demographic of students in California is changing and education must change with it. Dr. Salvatrice Cummo is joined by Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President and CEO of the College Futures Foundation, to unpack the challenges facing a massive and underrepresented sector of today’s learners—students primarily over the age of 25 who are working at the same time as attending school. They cover the impact of outdated educational models, the rapid pace of technological change, and the urgent need for flexibility and employer partnerships. Tune in for a forward-thinking discussion on disrupting...
info_outlineDespite leading 42% of new businesses in the U.S., women are 20 times more likely to be denied traditional business loans than men, with an even larger gap for women of color. Success for women entrepreneurs hinges on a supportive ecosystem, which Women's Business Centers foster by addressing funding disparities and resource limitations. Inspired by her immigrant father's entrepreneurial spirit, Lizzy Okoro, the Interim Director of Pasadena City College’s Women’s Business Center, leverages her media, consulting, and public speaking experience to help women overcome these barriers. She emphasizes the importance of fostering empowering mindsets, increasing awareness, and providing tailored support and mentorship. Supporting women entrepreneurs not only launches new businesses but also transforms work cultures, creating safer and healthier environments that align with younger generations' desire for authenticity.
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More from Lizzy Okoro:
Visit http://www.lizzyokoro.com/
Email: Lizzy@lizzyokoro.com
LinkedIn: @lizzyokoro
Instagram: @lizzyokoro
Facebook: @lizzyodavidson
Twitter: @lizzy_okoro
Partner with us! Contact our host Salvatrice Cummo directly: scummo@pasadena.edu
Want to be a guest on the show? Click HERE to inquire about booking
Find the transcript to this episode here