Hidden GEMS: Generating Employment for the Marginalized and Skilled
About the Initiative
Hidden GEMS: Generating Employment for the Marginalized and Skilled
Hidden GEMS is a multi-phase social enterprise initiative that elevates skilled professionals from justice-involved, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Our goal is to shift hiring systems by connecting employers with resilient talent that’s been too often excluded from traditional pipelines.
We start with a free digital platform where candidates can post anonymized resumes, upload contextual narratives, and tell their story. Our outreach team works directly with workforce boards, reentry programs, LGBTQIA+ centers, disability advocates, and public defenders’ offices to find and support users. Participants receive coaching and may advance through tiers of support—basic visibility, guided coaching, and premier headhunting services.
Our Four-Phase Growth Plan
Phase 1: Platform & Clearinghouse – Launch and moderate our secure platform for posting resumes, context, and professional history.
Phase 2: Community Outreach – Build partnerships with reentry organizations, disability advocates, and LGBTQIA+ centers to onboard users.
Phase 3: Employer Engagement & Coaching – Offer inclusive hiring support to employers and provide participants with tiered coaching and branding services.
Phase 4: National Equity-Centered Recruiting Agency – Transition to an executive and professional recruiter specializing in fair chance, disability-inclusive, and LGBTQIA+ hiring.
Long-Term Vision
We aim to build a self-sustaining, full-service recruiting agency that elevates marginalized professionals and consults with companies nationwide. Our ambition is to license the model across California and beyond, ensuring the hidden becomes seen—and hired.