Today we’d like to introduce you to Kabira Stokes.
Kabira, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I began as an activist who then found myself working for the City of LA for a young Council Member – Eric Garcetti (now our mayor). In his office, I became newly aware of the issues of poverty, crime and mass incarceration in our City. It really hit me that when people come home from prison, there are so few job opportunities for them, and that seems resoundingly unjust. If they’ve done their time and paid their debt, shouldn’t people have the opportunity to get back into the workforce, support their families and have meaning through work? I resolved to address this problem by creating work opportunities for people coming out of the criminal justice system.
At the same time, I noticed that there was an opportunity to create jobs in the proper disposal of the world’s fastest-growing waste stream – electronics. And so, in 2011 I founded a company called Isidore Electronics Recycling with the mission of specifically hiring and training people facing systemic barriers to work because of a criminal record. We were helped along the way as a portfolio company of the LA Cleantech Incubator and have served clients in healthcare, entertainment, tech, manufacturing, finance and more. In 2016, we were acquired by Homeboy Industries and Homeboy Electronics Recycling was born. We have recycled millions of pound of electronics and expanded the business to include secure data destruction and IT asset management. In doing so we have proudly given work to almost 100 people.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a social enterprise and running it successfully is not a smooth road. We have had to deal with the issues that all businesses deal with: fundraising, HR issues, insurance annoyances and the ups and downs of the market (in our case the commodity market.) But the biggest challenge by far was when, in 2013, five months after moving into a new warehouse in Lincoln Heights, our building had an electrical fire and our business, in essence, burned down. No one was hurt, thank goodness, but it was a huge hit for a young business. Looking back now, I am incredibly impressed that our small team pushed through potential tragedy – I’m looking at you Lulu Kornspan and Brian Fox! They were able to dig down and find the fortitude that led them to the business in the first place to continue on. We found another warehouse. We carried on. And not only did we survive, it made us stronger and we thrived. I credit this with having a business founded in a social mission – it was something to come back to for inspiration again and again as we grew.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Homeboy Electronics Recycling – what should we know?
We offer full, nationwide services for the proper disposal and management of unwanted electronics and IT assets. We help when you are refreshing your company’s computers, disposing of obsolete inventory, or just clearing old electronics out of storage. R2 CERTIFIED RECYCLING Comprehensive nationwide services for the proper disposal of your unneeded electronics. IT ASSET DISPOSITION Customized solutions for maximum traceability and value recovery. DATA SECURITY Onsite and offsite data destruction capabilities designed for the most secure industries. OTHER SERVICES Recalls, relocations, liquidations, and out-of-warranty repair. We hold a host of certifications, including R2 (Responsible Recycling), which govern the way that we handle your sensitive data and potentially hazardous materials while protecting our employees’ health and safety.
We are also a certified B-Corp. These standards have helped us to build a unique, award-winning social enterprise focused on customer service, value recovery, and social impact. Every time you choose us to handle your electronics recycling needs, you help us create quality jobs for people who face systemic barriers to work. This makes us unique in our industry, and of that we are incredibly proud. We can pick up from your headquarters, send you a mailback kit, or you can drop off items at one of our facilities. You will always receive a Certificate of Recycling for all equipment that we process, excellent customer service, and our commitment to do the most good possible with your electronics.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I was a kid who couldn’t wait to get out of suburban Philadelphia. While I was listening to Morrissey and Siouxsie and the Banshees, I was also always obsessed with recycling and always interested in activism. Though I initially thought I wanted to be a costume designer, once I moved to LA, my life took me in another direction – towards local organizing, City Hall and then USC. And though I’m from the east coast, I credit Los Angeles as the city where I really grew up, found my calling and found my tribe.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1370 East 18th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021
- Website: www.HomeboyRecycling.com
- Phone: 323-222-3322
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Eddie Ruvalcaba, Homeboy Industries; Adam Loeb, T Brand.
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