Urban League of the Twin Cities Partners with Walser for Black Gems Program

MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 6, 2023) – The Urban League of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN) is now partnering with the Walser Automotive Group to help create the black leaders of the future.

The program, named Black Gems, is a readiness program for high school students. The goal of the program is to help students go from high school to college, and beyond, focusing on post-grad education and career development.

One aspect of the program is the tour they take in the spring. They visit HBCUs, civil rights monuments, and local museums. As part of the partnership, the 20 program participants will have all their travel fees covered by the Walser Foundation, which is funding the partnership.

Urban League interim CEO and President, Marquita Stephens, said, "Walser came to our students in December, ready and excited to present who they are and what they do as a community employer. It set the bar for students on what they should seek and expect from employers in the future. We see this partnership as especially beneficial for our college students and Black Gem alumni."

"Beyond the financial donation, it is critically important to us that we begin a relationship with this next generation of incredible future leaders," said Sherry Schultz, Walser’s Chief Human Resources Officer. "We feel strongly about digging earlier and deeper to connect with talented individuals we hope to see in our organization one day very soon."

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