A series of workshops being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center is helping Black women in Los Angeles County find career success.
L.A. Care Health Plan and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan — which jointly operate the center in North Long Beach — are collaborating with the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute to support SheWorks California, the institute’s new workforce development program helping Black women secure stable, well-paying careers.
Designed for Black women who are underemployed, unemployed or rebuilding their lives after incarceration, SheWorks provides comprehensive job readiness training, individualized career development and wraparound support services that help remove common barriers to career advancement, according to a press release.
The free, five-month program provides participants with training in digital skills, interview preparation, resume building, leadership, communication and financial literacy. They also gain access to mentorship from Black women professionals and connections to prospective employers.
The program also provides childcare and transportation stipends, including rideshare credits, that enable participants to fully engage in the experience.
This year’s program launched in January with 30 participants at the Community Resource Center in Long Beach, according to a press release. Monthly sessions continue through May, including the most recent workshop that took place last weekend on Saturday, Feb. 28.
The interactive workshop focused on career exploration, job applications and role-playing for interviews, officials said.
SheWorks California — a workforce development program helping Black women in LA County secure stable, well-paying careers — is being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center. The most recent workshop was held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach)
SheWorks California — a workforce development program helping Black women in LA County secure stable, well-paying careers — is being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center. The most recent workshop was held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach)
SheWorks California — a workforce development program helping Black women in LA County secure stable, well-paying careers — is being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center. The most recent workshop was held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach)
SheWorks California — a workforce development program helping Black women in LA County secure stable, well-paying careers — is being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center. The most recent workshop was held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach)
SheWorks California — a workforce development program helping Black women in LA County secure stable, well-paying careers — is being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center. The most recent workshop was held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach)
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SheWorks California — a workforce development program helping Black women in LA County secure stable, well-paying careers — is being held at Long Beach’s Community Resource Center. The most recent workshop was held on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (Photo courtesy of L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach)
For Inglewood resident Marsha Cole, the program arrived at a pivotal moment. After losing her father and her job in close succession, she said she felt overwhelmed and unsure of her path forward.
“I was always the person others relied on for solutions,” Cole said in a statement. “After my father passed, the well was empty. I realized the Marsha who once had all the answers no longer had one for herself.”
Cole said she left the January session feeling renewed and hopeful – and with a potential employment referral, and timely transportation assistance after her car broke down.
“SheWorks is more than a pathway to employment – it is an engine of possibility,” Kellie Todd Griffin, president and CEO of the California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, said in a statement. “We’re creating spaces where Black women can build meaningful careers, access opportunity, and lead with dignity and purpose.
“Rooted in community, SheWorks represents a powerful model for economic mobility,” Todd Griffin added, “helping women move from simply surviving to truly thriving in California’s workforce.”
More than 300,000 Black women nationwide have faced job losses in recent years, Todd Griffin said, underscoring the need for workforce models that directly address and support this community.
For the first cohort of SheWorks, more than 150 inquiries and 46 official applications were received, and every applicant participated in a personal interview, according to a press release.
The 2026 cohort represents a diverse cross-section of women from Long Beach and the surrounding communities, who are returning to work after career pauses, shifting from service-based roles to administrative careers, or seeking stability after inconsistent employment despite strong talent and experience, officials said.
Throughout the program, participants are also invited to join SheWorks Connect, a webinar series featuring local employers discussing job openings, apprenticeships, and long-term career pathways.
After graduation, participants will continue receiving support through career webinars and job placement assistance, ensuring sustained access to resources that promote career and economic growth, according to a press release. SheWorks has also partnered with Long Beach-area employers to connect participants to potential entry-level opportunities.
“Economic stability is a powerful driver of health,” Charlie Robinson, chief health equity officer and head of community health at L.A. Care, said in a statement. “Programs like SheWorks recognize that supporting women’s career goals also strengthens families and neighborhoods. When women have the tools to build sustainable futures, the ripple effect extends far beyond the workplace and into the overall well-being of our communities.”
Blue Shield Promise and L.A. Care operate 14 Community Resource Centers throughout LA County, offering free fitness and nutrition classes, social services and health education to members and the community. These centers play a crucial role in programs like SheWorks, supporting community health and wellness and ensuring that women have a safe, supportive environment to learn, connect and thrive, officials said.
“By opening the doors of the L.A. Care and Blue Shield Promise Community Resource Center in Long Beach to SheWorks, we’re helping create pathways that empower women to care for their health and advance their careers right in their own neighborhoods,” Jennifer Schirmer, vice president of Medi-Cal growth for Blue Shield Promise, said in a statement. “This collaboration reflects our commitment to meeting people where they are and removing barriers to opportunity.”
Additional SheWork cohorts are being planned for later this year at Community Resource Centers in South Los Angeles and Inglewood.
For more information about SheWorks, visit cablackwomenscollective.org/sheworks.