ANNUAL REPORT
2019-2020
OUR MISSION
To change the way young professionals interact and engage with their peers and community.
WE
BELIEVE
RISE represents the creative and compassionate spirit of the 915.
Our members know how to give back as much as they kick back.
They are the goal setting, community-building, networking masters that love their town and revel in its possibilities.
LETTER
FROM
OUR CHAIR
RISE is grounded in discovery, connected by social awareness, and curated by the next generation of El Paso's leaders. Our members know that small actions can have big results in their lives and in the lives of others. It's a great time to live in El Paso, and we want to be an integral part of the changes happening in our city!
Last year was an exciting one for us. We honed our networking, public speaking, and personal branding skills with our RISE to the Top series; experienced the future of tech with Boost Human and Fab Lab at our signature What's on Tap hang-outs; restored the Born Learning Trail in Veterans Park; and celebrated the year with our sister network, YLS, at the Holiday Mixer.
Looking to 2020 and beyond, RISE will continue its dedication to inspire new leaders and be the home of unique experiences for young professionals. We want to use the momentum of last year to enhance our members' experiences, and seek out new opportunities to make our community a better place for all El Pasoans. Most importantly, we want our members to feel fulfilled in their personal and professional journeys.
I challenge each of our members to take reins and inspire many other young professionals to build long-lasting change in our city. We’re proud of the positive impact our organization has made, and are excited to witness our network of leaders make El Paso stronger - together!
Kassandra Huhn
RISE Advisory Board Chair
OUR
APPROACH
1
2
Give Back
RISE is committed to reshaping El Paso for the better using the talents of its youngest professionals. RISE is the best platform for early-career workers (ages 21-30) to take action and experience hands-on volunteering projects with their peers.
Hang-out
RISE brings people together to learn, laugh, and share ideas. Our members enjoy access to exclusive hang-outs and happy-hours that allow them to flex their networking skills and build lifelong relationships.
OUR EVENTS
What's on Tap:
Mixed Reality Lab
At the Mixed Reality Lab, RISE members experienced the high-end virtual and augmented reality tools shaping tomorrow with Boost Human's Chief Technology Officer, Ivan Gris. The Mixed Reality Lab is a collaboration between Boost Human, Microsoft's TechSpark program, and The Hub of Human Innovation that provides our community with access to high-end augmented and virtual reality devices for exploration and experimentation.
What's on Tap:
Fab Lab
What's on Tap Fab Lab featured speaker & host, Cathy Chen, Fab Lab El Paso Co-founder & Director. RISE members met at El Paso's only design & fabrication lab for a Maker Movement presentation, facility tour, and a drink & draw with 3D pens.
What's on Tap:
How Art Empowers El Paso
For What's on Tap: How Art Empowers El Paso, RISE members celebrated the vibrant and empowering art & culture of El Paso with a group of individuals making it their mission to showcase El Paso's rich past, it's bold present and daring future through art. Featured panelists included: Chelsie Evaldi, Owner of Chuco Relic; Jorge Salgado, Freelancer & El Paso Inc. Photographer; and local artist Diego "Robot" Martinez.
RISE to the Top:
Personal Branding
The first RISE to the Top workshop explored what it takes to create, manage and bolster your personal brand online with certified social media strategist and educator; Crysti Couture. Members learned to utilize and curate their social media presence to responsibly grow their networks and improve their career opportunities.
RISE to the Top:
Public Speaking
The second RISE to the Top workshop dared our members to defy their fear of public speaking. Alongside Account Executive at Hello Amigo, Analisa Cordova Silverstein, members flexed their public speaking chops with impromptu panels and mock interviews.
RISE to the Top:
Networking
The third and final RISE to the Top workshop focused on the nuanced skill of networking. Advisor in the Communications and Outreach Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Ruben Ahedo, shared his formula for starting conversations, making meaningful connections, and taking the awkwardness out of the networking process.
ENGAGE Summit
The ENGAGE Young Leadership Professionals Summit is the convergence of our region's influential leaders, entrepreneurs, donor networks, and artists ready to fuel creativity and inspire action among young professionals. Featuring a keynote speaker and three carefully-created panel discussions, attendees walk away with real-world, practical knowledge that can transcend any sector.
Paint Their Path: Restoring the Born Learning Trail
During this volunteer project, RISE members came together at Veteran's Park to help repaint and restore the Born Leaning Trail. The bilingual learning trail is a series of 10 interactive signs designed to boost language & literacy development in young children.
2019
Holiday Mixer
RISE and the Young Leaders Society (YLS) come together each year to celebrate their achievements, welcome the opportunities that come with the new year, and donate a gift for a child. In 2019, the Holiday Mixer was held at Circa 1963 and benefited our Community Impact Funded Agency, the Child Crisis Center of El Paso.
VISION
FOR 2020
RISE will be the home for El Paso's vibrant collective of young professionals looking to advance social and personal change everywhere under the star.
TESTIMONIALS
Being in RISE really helped me come out of my shell.
With each event or project that I've participated in, I feel like I've gotten more comfortable with getting out there and meeting new people
Person, RISE Member
I decided to become an active member of RISE to meet up and coming civic leaders who were interested in being involved with the community. In just a year, I have met individuals involved through United Way's RISE and the El Paso Young Leaders Society (YLS) programs who have inspired and encouraged me to continue participating. I continue to learn from this pool of talented professionals and feel the need to share with other rising young professionals how important it is to get more involved and give back to El Paso.
Jose G. De La Cruz, RISE Affiliate