Established in 2019, the Kaleidoscope Giving Circle was born after emerging leaders and young professionals in our community expressed an interest in becoming more meaningfully involved with Chrysalis. Kaleidoscope members have a shared goal of raising $10,000 annually, through donations and/or fundraising, in support of Chrysalis’ mission to help individuals find and retain employment. In addition, Chrysalis hosts special events for members, presenting the group with networking and professional development opportunities, as well as an inside perspective on the organization, where they can get to know our Board of Directors, leadership team, staff, and clients.

We recently sat down for a virtual Q&A with one of Kaleidoscope’s founding members, Jakson.

Chrysalis: Could you tell me a little about yourself?

Jakson: I’m originally from Colombia. I moved to Indiana when I was 12 and I didn’t know any English. There was definitely a culture shock from not knowing the language and being a minority in the area. But, it was very clear how much opportunity there was and how fortunate we were… That’s a huge part of who I am today. I just believed there was a lot that could be done in a good way and there was a lot of opportunity.

I went to Indiana University and studied finance and entrepreneurship. Now, my focus is electric and zero-emission transportation. After college, the company I was working for moved me out to LA. I eventually joined a startup in the battery technology space for transportation, and a year ago, I came together with others in the industry and began our own company focused on bringing electric and zero-emission transportation technology to emerging economies in places like South America.

In June [of last year], things started really picking up. I think 2020 was a catalyst around the world, not just for clean energy and transportation, but also from a status quo standpoint. Everything that seemed in the distant future became like, “Well, why don’t we do this now?”

Chrysalis: How did you find Chrysalis?

Jakson: I kind of married into Chrysalis. My wife has always had a heart to be in the nonprofit environment and when we relocated to Los Angeles, Chrysalis gave her a chance.

I’ve seen the impact that Chrysalis has had in the LA community. [Homelessness] is very common in Colombia, but here in the U.S., I didn’t think it would be to this extent. So I really love that there are organizations looking for solutions. And what I really love about Chrysalis, it’s that they do more than try to create awareness and get people to care about the cause. They’re actually getting very creative when it comes to the enterprises.

I also admire Chrysalis in seeing how the organization reacted to the pandemic. It seemed like everyone really came together to figure out something that hadn’t even been considered before.

Chrysalis: How long have you been involved with Chrysalis?

Jakson: About four years. It seemed like a great organization to get involved with. I volunteered at Butterfly Ball, Poker Night, and other events here and there. And then joined Kaleidoscope of course.

Chrysalis: What made you decide that joining Kaleidoscope was something you wanted to do?

Jakson: [After college], I was involved in United Way efforts that were geared toward young professionals and I thought that was brilliant. I think it’s really smart to cultivate not only new donors, but a new generation of supporters and advocates for Chrysalis. So I really loved that idea. Meeting all the people who are in a similar stage of life as me has been great. There are really good people involved and a lot of potential for this to have a wide impact for Chrysalis and in LA in general. It’s sort of a grassroots approach.

I’ve been involved with Kaleidoscope for about two years now.

Chrysalis: Can you talk about the event or fundraiser you are hoping to do in the future as a Kaleidoscope member?

Jakson: I’d really like to help Kaleidoscope come up with an event that can bring our experiences to clients who might relate or be able to learn about tools and career opportunities. The backgrounds and experiences are totally different, but the tools that help college students get into the workforce might be able to help clients get into it too. I took advantage of those types of things in college and it’s made me who I am today. It was all just leveraging the tools I had learned. [Kaleidoscope] has a very diverse group in different industries like startups, real estate, entertainment, and accounting. Someone who’s interested in that industry might be able to learn a lot… We have a lot of knowledge in our hands, we just need to learn how to spread that.

Chrysalis: Do you have any favorite memories of being involved in Kaleidoscope?

Jakson: I like the meetings and events where Chrysalis leaders come in, like the Breakfast with Mark, because it helps us better understand the DNA of Chrysalis and have good discussions on how to add value. I’ve really enjoyed those and the open discussions we can have.

Chrysalis: What do you hope to take away from your time in Kaleidoscope?

Jakson: First, to help Chrysalis have a wider impact by trying new and different methods to help clients. Personally, I also like the network of people who are like-minded, people who want to help and make a change.

Chrysalis: Thank you for your time, Jakson. We look forward to working with you more this year!