In the first episode of “At The Moment,” Faris Virani joined us in the studio to talk about the organization he founded, Connecticut Young Professionals, or CTYP. This statewide organization is open to people ages 21 to 40 who identify themselves as professionals.
When Virani, an actuary and Texas native who traveled extensively in his previous work, moved to New Haven about a year and a half ago, he felt a sense of disconnection and noted the lack of a cohesive network of young professionals. He and his co-founders traveled the state to learn about young professionals organizations and ultimately used those connections to form CTYP.
Now, the not-for-profit-profit, non-political organization hosts events, engages with civic issues and works to connect and better the lives of young professionals in Connecticut. In the show, Virani discussed the growth of the organization to its membership of 1,000 people, its impact and its partnerships with businesses, non-profits and governments. He emphasized the “community-building” mission of the organization and addressed what that means in their work.
Click on the sound file above to hear him discuss his organization — and the reason it doesn’t take up issues like income inequality.
