At Upwork, we’re passionate about driving meaningful social change, which is why we’re so excited about our second Upwork CoLab partnership!
We collaborated with acclaimed chef and entrepreneur Kristen Kish to create “It’s All in the Sauce”, a unique culinary journal for children—with a social mission.
Upwork CoLab is a unique brand partnership program that gives independent talent an opportunity to work on innovative and meaningful projects with renowned brands, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders.
The end product of this collaboration—the culinary journal—gives back to a cause Kish is passionate about. Proceeds from sales of the journal will be donated to the Austin-based nonprofit organization WhatsintheMirror?.
WhatsintheMirror? is a nonprofit and social justice movement that provides mental health support and suicide prevention awareness for communities of color through art, advocacy, and affirming care.
Their Connect to Care program connects Texas’s communities of color, including LGBTQIA+ communities and persons living with HIV, to mental health services for free. The organization was involved in having the city of Austin proclaim an LGBTQ Suicide Prevention Awareness Day. They also host an annual Art Heals festival in Austin, where they showcase marginalized artists and feature work with themes that pertain to their mission.
Founder and Executive Director of WhatsintheMirror?, Tarik Daniels, started the organization to connect with and give back to a community of people he identifies with.
“We serve the communities that we are a part of. I am a person living with HIV and constantly in mental health recovery myself. I have personal experience with a family member attempting suicide. We connect with our community through all of this lived experience and our shared stories and aim to support them through various WhatsintheMirror? initiatives,” said Daniels.
Proceeds from the journal will be donated to help further WhatsintheMirror?’s cause.
Preorder your copy of the journal here.
Adopted from Korea by American parents, Kish endured her own battles with identity growing up, as she tried to find her place in the world. Supporting WhatsintheMirror? is especially meaningful to Kish as it aligns with her own passion for helping others embrace their unique identities.
“I grew up struggling with my identity and place in the world, and it wasn't until I started to embrace my own identity and uniqueness that things really started to take off for me. I’m extremely passionate about helping others do the same,” said Kish.
It’s no surprise then that the central theme of this CoLab partnership is all about embracing identity and celebrating uniqueness.
Kish collaborated with Upwork to build a dream team of diverse creative professionals to help bring her journal vision to life. Their experience, unique perspectives, and creativity come together to make this culinary journal truly one-of-a-kind.
The CoLab video series goes behind the scenes as Kish and her team bring this impactful project to life. In the series, Kish shares why it’s so fitting that this diverse team joined hands to bring her dream to fruition. “I think we’ve all collectively struggled with a lot of identity issues and figuring out where and how we fit into the world, and then eventually learning how to embrace our own uniqueness and what makes us so special and sharing that with the world. This journal is a reflection of all our experiences,” said Kish in the series.
Watch episode 1 of the video series here.
This project also comes full circle as it aligns closely with Upwork’s own commitment to social impact and building a more diverse and inclusive future.
“Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging is who Upwork is and what we do. Partnering with WhatsintheMirror? was a no brainer and it allowed us the opportunity to positively impact and provide direct support to historically underserved communities, which in turn aids us in building a more inclusive future for all,” said Jesse Gutierrez, Upwork Belonging Community Manager at Upwork.
To foster a sense of workplace belonging, we created Upwork Belonging Communities which center on a shared social identity and create spaces that focus on the professional needs and goals of employees who identify as LGBTQIA+, Black, Latinx, Pan-Asian, veterans, women, and caregivers.
“One of the strategic pillars for our Upwork Belonging Communities is 'Community’. Partnering with WhatsintheMirror? created a newfound relationship between the organization and our UBCs, providing Upwork with an opportunity to shed a light on health inequities and stigmas queer communities of color face and how we all can support the creation of an inclusive future for all,” said Gutierrez.
Learn more about Upwork’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DIBs) initiatives and social impact in our 2020 Annual Impact Report: Building Back Better.
Interested in learning more about Kish’s culinary journal and how it all came together? Watch the five-part docu-style video series that follows Kish on her journey of finding and collaborating with the Dream Team on Upwork to bring this journal to life.
Over the course of the series, you will get a first-hand look at how a creative project, powered by a remote team, comes to life. You will also meet the creative professionals from around the world who collaborated to pull off this unique project.
“By collaborating with Upwork, I’ve been able to form a dream team of talented freelancers to bring my passion project to life. This experience has shown me the power of working with freelancer talent and the endless opportunities that are made available through Upwork’s incredible network of freelancers. I can’t wait to share it with the world,” said Kish.
Tarik Daniels also makes an appearance in the final episode of the series when the team presents the work. He is overcome with emotion at the thought of these talented, creative professionals coming together from around the world to create something so meaningful for his organization. "I am just overwhelmed with joy! Never thought anyone other than me would care about WhatsintheMirror?. Now, to have this beautiful journal centered around identity, to support our cause, is just so meaningful to me. I am beyond grateful!"
As we get ready for the upcoming launch, we will share more about the dream team behind the scenes of this unique project. Keep an eye on the Upwork blog for more updates.
Show your support for WhatsintheMirror? by purchasing a copy of the journal. Preorder here.
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