20th Anniversary Stories
In early 2015, a colleague invited me to see “Fly By Light,” a new film premiering at a local community spot in Washington, DC. Once I saw the movie trailer, I jumped at the opportunity to see it.
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Our students are returning to school after an extremely challenging year, one in which many have grappled with extreme stress and trauma. More than ever, we need to support youth, not punish them, when they are faced with difficulty.
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“It is so thrilling to start with a small idea or concept, then to come together and combine our strengths and resources to create something bigger and more beautiful than we could have imagined.” ~ Michele, OCU School-Based Mental Health Clinician One Common Unity (OCU) and DCPS’ Perry Street Preparatory (PSP) Public Charter School began…
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What’s so special about retreats? One Common Unity’s retreats are where some of the most transformative magic happens. It’s a significant component of our curriculum and something that makes our program stand apart. Students can really immerse themselves, allowing the values and tools we teach to become lifelong allies. We can plan for months to…
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OCU distinguishes itself from other mental health service organizations because we practice a unique approach to breaking cycles of violence. By integrating art and music as a healthy outlet/coping mechanism to achieve a peaceful resolution. My role as a mental health professional with One Common Unity entails providing mental health services to students, staff, and…
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“Our young people are not just the leaders of the future, they are the leaders of today. We hope that through this pillar they build personal relationships with the planet and an understanding of the interdependence between the health of the planet and the health of our communities.” -Madison OCU’s fifth pillar is Environmental Leadership.…
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Hawah Kasat, the Co-Founder / Executive Director at One Common Unity (OCU), has dedicated his life to facilitate interactive workshops, perform, and teach peace. He also leads special trainings for teachers and students in conflict resolution, non-violent communication, positive youth development, social-emotional literacy, mindfulness, social justice, and arts empowerment. “Training the Trainers” One Common Unity…
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“Social justice is the idea that human beings, institutions, and systems can be reborn and reshaped to make marginalized groups better off without making others worse off.” – Johneé Johneé Wilson is a program facilitator and National Training Organizer at One Common Unity. She creates interactive and dynamic learning experiences for middle and high school…
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“Don’t let anyone dim your light or make you feel like less than what you are. Self-Love is the best love, and we should all practice it each and every day as much as we can!” Shardia Strowbridge is a One Common Unity (OCU) Fly By Light (FBL) Alumni Facilitator. She is one of the…
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Miss Intention is a powerful music video shining a light on the injustices many students—particularly Black girls—face inside school systems that use punitive discipline measures like detention and suspension. Miss Intention poses the question to educators: “When she’s crying out for attention, your response is detention. What if we stop to listen for a minute with intention?”…
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