Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Castellanos. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Stephanie Castellanos is a national facilitator, justice & equity strategist, and the founder of Uproot Talent – an award-winning boutique talent advising and executive search firm that specializes in hiring and keeping leadership who mirror and reflect the people served.
Her commitment to co-creating equity in the workplace stems from her experiences as the daughter of immigrants and a single mom, the granddaughter to a Bracero, navigating higher education as the first person in her family to graduate from high school, two decades of grassroots organizing, and growing up as a kid from Inglewood, CA.
Her experiences include leading the talent, DEI&J, and recruitment strategy for multiple start-up organizations – including founding a multi-sector grassroots coalition dedicated to recruiting and retaining teachers of color and matching over 600 leaders (90% identify as people of the global majority) to nonprofits, foundations, public school districts, and child welfare agencies across the country. As the creator of WOKESHOP™, she’s also facilitated over 1,000 un/relearning experiences alongside over 23,000 participants since 2015.
Stephanie’s expertise goes beyond the “professional” realm.
She’s organized thousands of community members to become the first U.S. city to defeat Walmart’s expansion while in high school, spent countless hours preparing her neighbors & family for interviews growing up, and co-founded a standing mentorship program (CAMBIO Academy) for girls of color while a student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
It’s this lived experience that Stephanie centers and uplifts in all she does.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been less than linear. Sometimes, I’ve had to take steps backward in order to take a leap in the direction of my purpose and gifts. As a kid of immigrants and daughter of a single mom — I grew up seeing hustle and love for the community all around me. I also grew up in a predominantly Black and brown community, seeing and experiencing the inequities, the lack of resources and access first-hand.
That saying, “it takes a village” is something I deeply believe in and hold as one of my core values because I wouldn’t be a 30-something years old Latina founder without the people that poured into me. That believed in my brilliance from day one.
I’ve also experienced harm in the workplace, seen the ways anti-Blackness and the -isms harm others, unpacked my privilege as a white Latina, and used it to advocate for/with people of the global majority. These experiences have fueled my passion and vision to co-create a company that embraces our cultural diversity and global power. Together we achieve more — just ask the orcas!
We’ve been impressed with Uproot Talent, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Uproot Talent is an award-winning talent advisory and executive search firm dedicated to attracting, hiring and *keeping executive leadership and co-creating anti-oppressive cultures.
We do this by partnering with social impact organizations to match talent to opportunities, facilitating un/relearning experiences (Wokeshop®) for teams, and serving as a connector for thousands of people of the global majority seeking their next opportunity. As part of our commitment to creating room, access and opportunities, we’ve recently launched a job board and network for leaders of the global majority in social impact – the Uproot Talent Network.
We are most proud of the ways we nurture talent, the intention behind every part of our hiring process — aimed at disrupting ways racism and anti-Blackness shows-up in hiring processes, as well as the clients we work with. Our clients are public school districts, foundations, nonprofits, edtech companies who are equally committed to transforming cultures and reimagining the way they hire and retain talent.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Yes, people had a lot of time to dissect and reflect on their own personal experiences, the ways they show up in the workplace and their purpose. We’re seeing a movement of leaders who are more in-tuned with themselves — seeking for more purpose-driven opportunities that make meaning of their lives and those around them. We’re also seeing organizations shift internal processes and cultures to adapt to the market — not just in creating more remote opportunities but being called to action to co-create spaces that keep talent. This is a candidate’s market, and if they’re not being intentional about the ways they are going to keep them (cue: salary transparency, setting aside budgets for professional development, intentional career pathing, etc.) — then they will be caught in a cycle of hiring. It’s not just a smart business decision; it’s a non-negotiable for companies hoping to attract, hire and retain diverse top talent.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.uproottalent.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uproottalent
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093479379703
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uproot-talent/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UprootTalent
- Other: careers.uproottalent.co
Image Credits
Photos where the founder/Stephanie Castellanos is wearing an orange suit are from Uproot Talent’s 1 year anniversary celebration. No credit needed. The other two photos are the founder/Stephanie Castellanos facilitating “Wokeshop” trainings.
