Pros
The org has a great mission and the staff work absolutely tirelessly to support students and families in Los Angeles. The best part of working for 826LA is getting to work with students, families, teachers, and schools throughout Los Angeles and fellow staff who are like-minded and passionate about dismantling educational inequity.
Cons
The Executive Director and the Board are disconnected and ineffective. Staff are expected to perform work beyond their pay grade, beyond their hours, and beyond their purview with meager pay. Promotion and growth opportunities are difficult to come by. The organization has operated through white saviorism in its past and worked hard to shift its structure in order to combat that, but still has a way to go in that area, particularly in the way that the board views the work of the org. The board is more interested in standing behind the Executive Director than they are in listening to and understanding the staff doing the on-the-ground work. The Executive Director and board are hyper-focused on an unhealthy increase in numbers year over year rather than focusing on the quality and impact of the work, which leads to burnout and dissatisfaction on the part of staff and volunteers. It also negatively impacts the students and schools that the org is serving.
