Urban Alliance believes that all young people -- no matter their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background -- deserve equal access to the skills training, paid work experiences, and professional networks needed to achieve economic mobility. In partnership with over 200 employers, we've provided over 5,700 internships to underserved youth since 1996.
CEO Eshauna Smith's statement
Learn how UA reimagined our High School Internship Program to ensure that Black and Brown continue to have access to economic opportunity during COVID-19.
Urban Alliance's new brief explores the economic impact of COVID-19 on youth, the ripple effects of youth employment across communities, and how employers can ensure that today's students can successfully transition into tomorrow's workforce, even during a pandemic that has seen record youth unemployment and disconnection rates.
Help Urban Alliance youth - who rely on their paychecks to keep coming regularly - during the COVID-19 outbreak
In partnership with over 200 employers, we level the playing field for young people of color by equipping them with the tools to overcome the systemic barriers preventing them from equitably accessing economic opportunity.
William Bates
Baltimore, 2013
William is now an employee at his high school internship site, Wells Fargo, and a senior at Bowie State University majoring in Accounting. “I looked at the program as more than a job,” William said. “It was an opportunity to better myself.”
Alexandria Renew
Interview with Karen Pallansch, CEO, and Johnnie Wallace, Environmental Health and Safety Manager
“If you are on company or nonprofit boards, if you work for an organization that doesn’t have Urban Alliance interns, please talk up this amazing and impactful intern program or ask your organization to provide internships or resources to Urban Alliance.” Read More
80%
Urban Alliance alumni connected to economically-mobile pathways
5,700
Young people placed in paid, professional internships
100%
High school graduation rate
20+ Years
Connecting underserved youth to economic opportunity
Baltimore
Learn how Urban Alliance partners with Baltimore City Public Schools, banks, energy companies, and beyond to develop Baltimore's youth for the workplace.
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Baltimore
Chicago
Urban Alliance partners with Chicago Public Schools, law firms, financial institutions, tech firms, and more to provide Chicago youth with their first work experience.
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Chicago
Detroit
Urban Alliance (UA) brought our flagship youth employment model – the High School Internship Program – to Detroit in fall 2018.
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Detroit
Northern Virginia
From Alexandria to Reston, businesses and nonprofits are partnering with Urban Alliance to provide meaningful work experience to high schoolers.
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Northern Virginia
Washington, DC
Government agencies, nonprofits, law firms, banks, and more partner with Urban Alliance to develop today's high schoolers into tomorrow's industry leaders.
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Washington, DC
