In 2021, Elijah (Eli) Vakni was working at a big-box store in Santa Cruz, dreaming about a more fulfilling life. College wasn’t on his radar. None of his friends had pursued higher education. Plus, he hadn’t had time to think about it seriously — he was in survival mode.
As a high school student, he was living alone with his dad, who struggled with alcoholism, in an RV on an unkempt property. In 2020, a lightning fire consumed the home entirely. “I had to remove myself from the situation,” explains Eli. He found housing, and eventually got a job. “I had to power through a lot on my own.”
Once he was stable, he signed up for an art class at a local community college — and fell in love. So he enrolled full-time, deciding to pursue graphic art sciences, with a goal to work in UI/UX after college.
But Eli knew that to make it in this field he had become so passionate about, he’d need more than an associate’s degree — he’d need an internship.
Eli was right. Not only are employers more likely to hire entry-level workers with experience under their belts, but internships also correlate with higher wages and better career progression for students upon graduation. Eli applied — and landed — a great gig: a paid internship at BizzNEST, a program that provides paid real-world experience in web, marketing, and media services to first-generation professionals early in their careers. Better yet, the organization has a great track record: Last year, 79% of BizzNEST associates landed paid roles.
There was just one problem: getting there. Eli lived over 40 miles from the BizzNEST office, and he couldn’t afford a car. Getting there meant traveling two-and-a-half hours (and sometimes, with traffic, three-and-a-half hours) by bus — adding up to seven hours a day spent commuting, and a wake-up time of 4 a.m..
Transportation barriers like these aren’t unusual for first-generation professionals, like Eli. A 2019 survey of over a thousand students found that 19% faced a lack of transportation options. It’s factors like these, which put extra logistical and emotional burden on students, that can perpetuate a cycle of inequality: Those who can afford a car can access economic mobility, while those who can’t, remain stuck.
Thankfully, BizzNEST — due to a partnership with the rideshare company Lyft — was able to offer Eli another option to get to his internship: codes for discounted Lyft rides. The commute reduced from over five hours a day to about two, making the internship a more viable option for Eli to pursue.
Due to partnerships with organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada, Lyft has facilitated tens of thousands of rides that have helped young people access economic opportunities, like internships and first jobs. Because of the partnership, BizzNEST has been able to offer ride codes not just to Eli, but to dozens of young people from underserved communities in California, including seven associates who rely on Lyft daily to get to their jobs in Stockton. “This partnership has removed barriers, protected our youth, and opened doors in ways that go far beyond transportation,” explains Jacob Martinez, founder and CEO of Digital NEST, BizzNEST’s parent organization.
Reflecting on the transportation problem that Lyft is solving, Eli is deeply grateful: Now he has time to focus on his school work and cultivate a life outside of school. “It benefited my learning. It benefited my work-life balance. It lets me socialize more and preserve energy, sleep more, have more time with my loved ones.”
Plus, the internship with BizzNEST has given him a network of people supporting him in his goal to create a stable, fulfilling career. He expects to graduate in 2027 and can’t wait for the next step. “I’m making a move that none of my relatives made. I still have so much more to do.”