🌟 What a night to celebrate 10 years of Basta!

Ten years after Sheila Sarem founded Basta, what began with 40 students in New York City has grown into a national organization reaching more than 85,000 students across 300+ campuses. We celebrated this milestone with joy and purpose.

Against the spectacular backdrop of New York City at Jazz at Lincoln Center, more than 250 guests came together for a celebration full of energy, powerful stories, and a shared belief in what’s possible.

From the incredible Vicky Nguyen, Anchor of “NBC News Daily”, kicking off the evening in style, to a beautiful, captivating performance by Will Butler and Sarah Neufeld (formerly of Arcade Fire), the night was unforgettable.

Basta alumni were present on stage and in the room to share their stories of ambition, resilience, and achievement and brought to life what this past decade has been about. Special shoutout to Keyshawn Wright, Lynn Fernandez-Ponce, Viva Sachdev, Sofia Escobar, Soré Agbaje and Jibreel Jalloh.

We were honored to celebrate alongside longtime champions and partners including Bloomberg and BNY, and to welcome SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. Their presence highlighted the importance of strong connections between higher education and the workforce, and our shared commitment to ensuring that a college degree leads to meaningful career opportunities.

As Randy Moore reminded us, a job is about so much more than a paycheck. It's about dignity, opportunity, and the freedom to lead a life full of choices.

That belief has powered Basta's first decade. And it's what energizes us as we look toward the next one, with an ambition to impact one million careers by 2030.

To our alumni, partners, supporters, and everyone who made this extraordinary evening possible: thank you.

Here's to the next decade of opening doors and expanding what's possible.

#Basta #OnceInADecade #CareerMobility