This story was submitted as part of the #Pledge1Gives GivingTuesday campaign, which celebrates the many ways our member companies are having an impact around the world.
Looker, a leading modern Platform for Data, believes everybody should have access to reliable data to make better and more informed data-driven decisions. Through our Looker for Good initiative, which includes pledging 1% of our product and of our employee time to ensure success with the platform, we have aspired and achieved the creation of more data-driven leaders in the business world.
However, Looker Cares, our employee volunteer program, knows that leaders of tomorrow begin with our youth today. Looker employees, better known as Lookers, from all departments this year have played a major role in creating access to data literacy and mentorships to a diverse group of youth and young adults in our communities, truly exemplifying the core values and mission of our company.
Looker partnered with Code Naturally, an organization dedicated to teaching coding to kids, to provide Looker HQ as the classroom space and Lookers volunteer once a month to offer free coding classes to kids ages 7 to 17. Looker has been fortunate enough to host numerous groups of local high school students in both our Santa Cruz and New York offices to teach about why data is important, how to use data in a way that is relatable and fun, as well as offering career panels for students to attend.
Additionally, our company was grateful to work closely with Girls + Data in 2019 to expose middle school girls to data analytics through hands-on data camps held in our Santa Cruz, San Francisco, and New York offices.
Beyond making our software equitable and accessible for companies through Looker for Good or inspiring the next generation of data leaders via Looker Cares, both Looker programs partnered for numerous holistic partnerships in 2019, most notably with The Downtown Streets Team. The Downtown Streets Team, an evidence-based organization aimed at ending homelessness through the dignity of work, has been an exemplary and rewarding partner. Looker Cares was privileged to help program participants create resumes, teach interview techniques and tips in addition to assisting with job searches and submitting job applications. While helping a local chapter was rewarding in itself, through Looker for Good we were able to provide our software to the organization. Using data, the Downtown Streets Team can more broadly illustrate the successes of their program and lead the way on shattering stigmas associated with homelessness while using data for good.
The Looker Cares and Looker for Good teams are eager to develop new partnerships and deepen existing relationships within our community in 2020 and hope that other organizations strive to do the same. As John C. Maxwell said “Leading well is not about enriching yourself- it’s about empowering others”, so consider empowering any of the organizations named above by making a contribution. Or be an organization of leaders who creates more leaders by developing meaningful partnerships with organizations in your own community!
