Rosie & James McCorkle, Co-Founders of Upper Pathways

Milestones in Community Economic Activism

Start up: Rosie Safe Streets & James YEAH in 1995-96

1989
  • The first meeting with Foss High School led to Safe Streets.
  • Haas School of Business – Young Entrepreneurs at Haas (YEAH) funded by Michael Millikan launches court-ordered community development
  • Safe Streets launches its first community project. Volunteers paint over gang-related graffiti on weekends.
  • Ash Street Shootout in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma.
1995
  • Safe Streets is awarded the Outstanding Coalition Award from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.  Upper Pathways launched under Safe Streets 501(c)(3) – Rosie McCorkle with James McCorkle developed the Survival Skills Program to motivate Youth in partnership with Nordstrom’s. The core curriculum for Safe Streets helping impoverished communities mired in Tacoma Washington’s Crack Epidemic is well-received off and on Tribal Indian Reservations starting with the Puyallup Tribe.
1996
  • Safe Streets receives the letter of commendation from President Bill Clinton and is invited to attend the White House Leadership Conference on Youth, Drug Use and Violence.
  • James McCorkle while studying at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and at a time when Affirmative Action was being canceled nationwide quit his job at a leading law firm to Design and Implement the Mentoring Program under the  Young Entrepreneurs at Haas 501(c)(3)
  • Safe Streets launches Youth Leading Change program.
  • YEAH – Launches first Student-Run Credit Union in the Country at McClymonds High School, Oakland California.  Students win 7th place in a stock trading competition against private schools.
2007
  • Safe Streets begins its March Against Crime campaign, which organizes community marches for the last Friday in June.
  • Upper Pathways helps thousands of kids and young adults leading Rosie McCorkle to become a juvenile advocate for Washington State and the states Human Rights Commissioner
2008
  • Safe Streets works with a South Tacoma neighborhood to restrict the sale of high-alcohol products through an Alcohol Impact Area, which is approved by the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
  • YEAH Students help DMX and Ruff Riders draft the first business plan to do the first-ever American Hip Hop concert in Africa
2012
  • James McCorkle reconnects with YEAH, now graduating up to 300 teenagers per year  and establish ties with www.tribalinx.com for American Indian youth
2014
  • Relaunch of UP^/YEAH for both American Indian high school student and adult workforce development.  Additionally, UP^ entered into discussions with UC Berkeley Haas School of Business to assist YEAH program deployment in Asia.
2021
  • Transition and relaunch as Independently Operated Division of the United Voices of Peace Network (UVPN) a NGO in accordance with Philippine Law located in Cotobato City, BARMM in the Philippines as the Corporate Social Responsibility for both www.communitywireless.ph (Phillipines), www.careerwize.com (USA) and www.c360inc.com (USA and Philippines)..