Our Work
We are a unique group of passionate industry veterans who have spent our careers focusing on uplifting, powerful work that drives positive awareness. The key to accomplishing these goals is building lasting, meaningful, relationships with infinite possibilities. Critical to the process is working together and combining expertise to build assets that strengthen your brand and support your mission. It’s why we’re here — and it’s at the core of what we do. Across the entire BlueSKY organization, our SMEs bring a willingness to work together towards the best solutions for YOU.
As part of the BlueSKY Connecting for Good Event Series, industry leaders, philanthropists, educators and students attended an interactive discussion introducing The HEALTHi Initiative.
National Strategic Partnership
The Gameplan: A Roundtable Event
The HEALTH Initiative
The HEALTH Initiative represents a groundbreaking, proactive solution to tackle longstanding healthcare disparities within the medical community. The HEALTH Initiative is a coalition of experts in cardiology and sports medicine, research, data analytics, AI and career placement. Led by our HBCU community, we're working to transform medicine and research by harnessing cutting-edge medical innovations, resources, education, and previously unavailable, normative data.
Led by founder Joe Rogowski, Athletic Heart is leading the way in cardiac prevention and care. With over two decades of experience, Joe and Athletic Heart have developed and implemented innovative, comprehensive cardiac screening programs for both active and retired collegiate and professional athletes. Joining the initiative are: The Applied Research Institute for Mathematical and Computational Sciences; The Ernest Everett Just Foundation, Inc.; INROADS; The Urban Oak Initiative, and; BlueSKY Collaborative Partners. Together, their work is defined by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a commitment to pushing the boundaries collaboration, with a specific focus on:
- Research and Innovation
- Health and Nutrition Education
- Career Pathways
- Community Vitality
WE NEED THIS
African-Americans are disproportionately impacted by cardiac health issues when compared to other demographics. In addition, cardiac-related abnormalities are the most common cause of death for African-American student-athletes.
And still, many communities lack the basic resources and expertise necessary to detect these issues, both of which are critical in providing the best medical care. While not all cardiac events can be prevented, those predisposed to Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) — and even those who are not — can benefit from thorough screenings that find potential problems often overlooked by more conventional techniques. Through detailed screenings, The HEALTH Initiative’s intent is to:
- Determine risk stratification and create appropriate action plans for athletic participation
- Close knowledge gaps around medical findings correlated to other increased health risks
- Help determine when disease expression will manifest individuals without underlying disease
- Advance the collection of normative data surrounding the health of African American athletes
- Ascertain whether HBCU athletes are more likely to exhibit aberrant patterns and how closely they are associated with underlying conditions.
Implementation Partners
The HEALTH Initiative will be launched with the support, collaboration and knowledge exchange of respected national institutions. Through regular communication and coordination, partners will share best practices, results, and lessons learned. By leveraging their expertise and resources, The HEALTH Initiative aims to drive meaningful progress towards its objectives and is poised for immediate, scalable success, in every community.
- HBCU Medical Schools
- HBCU Athletic Conferences
- Health Care Organizations
- National Nonprofits
Members of 1315 Logistics, Sterling Transportation, United Way and the City of Baltimore gathered to discuss opportunities in Supply Chain Management.
National Cause Marketing Campaign
Driving Economic Mobility Through Supply National Cause Marketing Campaign Chain Management Careers and Entrepreneurship
Over the past 18 months, 1315 Logistics and Sterling Transportation — with support from national nonprofits, such as INROADS, and 30+ higher education institutions and school districts — have forged a truly innovative initiative that aims to increase economic mobility (at scale). Applying their collective experience, aligning their missions, goals and values, and drawing on their successes, allows these organizations to develop a multi-generational approach to help identify talent, and provide focused programming and extensive wrap around to support and sustain the next generation of Supply Chain Management Professionals and Entrepreneurs.
At 1315 Logistics, we’re dedicated to making a difference in the world of supply chain logistics. As a 501(c)(3), we’re passionate about bringing awareness and opportunities to under-represented communities. Our mission is to create equity and foster growth in the transportation and logistics industry through education and accessibility. Unfortunately, that mission is hindered by a lack of representation and access to opportunities.
We’ve made it our goal to empower and uplift communities by equipping leaders with the necessary tools and knowledge to excel in this field. Our team of dedicated and experienced professionals are committed to making a positive impact in the world of supply chain logistics. Through various programs and initiatives, including scholarships, mentorships, training, and job placement, we help individuals build successful and lasting careers.
We’re excited to pilot this program in ten states and Washington, DC, and collaborate with organizations and individuals who share our vision — those who are dedicated to advancing the supply chain logistics sector while making a meaningful impact in our communities. Let’s embark on this journey together and drive towards a brighter tomorrow.
To advance opportunities for 5,000 new leaders from port to delivery, we’re engaging experts who can impact every level of our industry — companies like Sterling Transportation, who offers freight, programming and scheduling; organizations like United Way, who’ve been supporting for communities for decades; and higher-ed institutions (both PWIs and HBCUs), who have a long history of providing REAL opportunity for tomorrow’s workforce — all lending their expertise and support to guarantee the road ahead leads to a better tomorrow.
BlueSKY has collaborated with INROADS on a number of initiatives around career pathways. Their work has been instrumental in preparing more than 164,000 students with pre-employment skills.
National Strategic Partnership
Career Pathways, Placement and Support
Founded in 1970, INROADS delivers innovative programs and creative solutions that identify, accelerate, and elevate the development of underrepresented talent throughout their careers. Through this development, students become equipped for corporate and community leadership that affects community renewal, social change and elevates economic status and quality of life.
VISION
We envision an INROADS with an active and engaged Alumni base, serving as the primary source of coaching, mentoring, and financial support for the thousands of INROADERS to be served annually. We envision an organization skilled and financially resourced at a level allowing programs to scale, shift and evolve with the demands of evolving workforce development needs. We desire to be the go-to organization for critical DEIB impact research for corporate America.
HISTORY
For more than 50 years, INROADS has been a leader in advancing diverse youth in corporate America. We offer talented, underrepresented youth a pathway from high school to college and throughout their career that breaks through the glass ceiling and closes the opportunity and generational wealth gaps. With over 164,000 students prepared with preemployment skills and more than 40,000 INROADS Alumni, INROADS career development pathway extends a support system that can last a lifetime.
WHY?
The statistics are telling: among those without a college degree, white families earn almost 41% more than Black families; for those with a college degree, white households earn income that is 44% higher than Black households. However, 34% of individuals who complete the INROADS process have median incomes that exceed college-educated White households.
Yet INROADS currently lacks the resources and brand awareness to celebrate this improvement and achieve our Vision. With support, we can significantly:
- NARROW generational wealth gaps
- ENGAGE interested and financially supportive Alumni and stakeholders
- INCREASE unrestricted financial reserves and investments
- IMPROVE brand awareness and knowledge of partnership opportunities among employers and community and philanthropic stakeholders
THE PLAN
A multi-pronged approach will scale programs through partnerships with like-minded organizations, securing annual operating funds and building reserves.
Annual operational support and funds for reserves will come primarily from 1) the generosity of INROADS Alumni and other individuals and 2) Innovative national collaborations with Corporate America and programmatic partners.
National partnership will raise funds for annual operations and scaled programs and increase INROADS brand awareness. Partnerships will grow INROADS sphere of influence, allowing for a larger individual and institutional donor base from which we will raise additional annual operating funds.
BlueSKY Magazine is our way of sharing not only what we do, but who we are... who YOU are. It's about the work that we hope to accomplish, alongside some of the most creative thinkers in their industries.
BlueSKY
Magazine
A digital publication covering everything BlueSKY
Our first issue set the tone, highlighting what BlueSKY is about, from our history to the visionary leaders we're collaborating with. From there we've introduced The OR's — today's generation ushering in a new vision of Leadership — and discussed what Weaving Our Tapestry truly means. Cover to cover, we know the people behind the stories will energize and encourage us all to do better.
