The Community Wealth Building Initiative

“... faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.”  James 2:17-18

OneLight International is invested in the spiritual and economic vitality of our neighborhoods and communities. We understand the growing needs of the diversity in the populations we serve. Our organization advocates on the community’s behalf assuring accountability is upheld among organizations and corporations vying for their resources. It is our mission we expect that intellectual capital is shared, wealth is distributed, and long term sustainability is promoted. We provide oversight in solution based support. OLI also trains our collective of mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, elders, and friends to advocate for themselves economically by starting a business or investing in an existing venture. Our focus is the fiscal design of our living spaces so that our families can live healthy, happy, and productive lives. 

YouthSpeak

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children…” (Proverbs 13:22)

OneLight International is in the business of equipping our neighborhoods and communities with the information, tools, connections, and opportunities needed to gather wealth with the intention of generational transfer. That’s what it is all about: setting up our children to thrive spiritually and financially. The concepts for this program was birthed from conversations within the mentorship relationship of Erica Harris, the Program Director, and Velma Union, the Executive Director. Erica, a serial entrepreneur, needed guidance to navigate the mental, spiritual, emotional, social, and financial demands of owning a business. Velma, a veteran entrepreneur, had an abundance of information to share. Their relationship grew because of their common desire to develop businesses that served community needs and were profitably sustainable. Out of the numerous interactions, discussions, and exchanges sprang the Initiative’s four program areas: Coaching, Business Plan & Strategy Development, Educational Training, and Business Management Services. All areas are designed to assist small and medium sized businesses to grow in wealth, influence, and continue a generational legacy.

Community Stakeholder

Programs

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

Everything we do and attempt on grand scale is to move the culture forward for the progression of the next generation. There is an internal drive within all of us to create a better environment for humanity’s newest eyes, feet, hands, and hearts even as our bodies transition from dust to dust. As citizens of humanity, One Light International understand that all those living are stewards of the wisdom before us and the bearers of instruction to those coming after. As members of our village, we recognize our important role in preparing children the be healthy, productive, responsible, mindful and heartful global citizens. As mother, fathers, uncles, aunts, brothers, sisters, friends and mentors, we advocate for and teach our youth through a Christian lens. We believe that successful generational transfer is a holistic approach: spirit, mind, body, and business.

 OneLight International’s YouthSpeak program was created to offer young people opportunities to speak, be heard, acknowledged, affirmed, encouraged, and guided as they use their God given talents in productive ways. In a capitalistic world, we steer youth to convert their passions into income possibilities. Our targeted population is 9 -18 year olds in the South Central Los Angeles area. We honor the survival skills they have accumulated as a result of their upbringing. Our goal is to hone and shape their innate abilities and perspectives into a nuanced entrepreneurial toolbox.

Our history is filled with successful projects that exposed youth to alternative experiences, people, career opportunities, and paradigms shifts about self and their importance in fabric of humanity. YouthSpeak Through Culinary Arts was a summer project that taught teens the basics of food and how to prepare healthy meals. As instructed by educators Chef Joyce Burkhalter and Nutritionist Jerri Hallyburton, RN, our young people were exposed to a plethora of previously unfamiliar vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices and cooking styles. Some of our youth pursued even careers in the culinary industry including chefs, cooks, and serving staff.

YouthSpeak Through Journalism and Multimedia was an afterschool program that provided training to students to various facets of news, entertainment, and music production & management. Led by national awarded journalist and marketing professional, Sharon Jenkins, young people were taught the business of print production. They created the periodic newsletter YouthSpeak Global Times as an ongoing project.

Throughout the YouthSpeaks program, we have supported successful young men and women who stand on God-inspired principles that serve them, their families, their respective communities, and the world They have grown into remarkable mothers & fathers, college students & graduates, business executives & owners, educators & doctors, athletes & scientists, film makers & musicians, and military personnel. We aim to expand our impact further with plans to teach in-depth age appropriate material to children as they transition from infancy to adult sharing wisdom of how the world functions and best practices.

OneLight International is building upon the foundation laid in the past by developing curriculum that affirms our youth’s present state while rooting their lives in a global-centered future. The world is connected and we are instilling habits and principles that will translate beyond our borders into economic opportunities. The curriculum is currently in the development stage.