One Common Unity

One Common Unity is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization started in 2000 by a group of artists, educators, and community organizers intent on promoting non-violent conflict resolution in light of a rash of street killings impacting neighborhoods throughout Washington DC. Our mission is to use media & arts-based programming to educate youth, educators and communities on peaceful resolutions to conflict and violence.

For over a decade, OCU has facilitated training programs that promote the use of the arts and social-emotional learning (SEL) based strategies when working with young people impacted by violence and other risk factors in their communities.

Voices of a Movement & The Common Folk Awards

One Common Unity produces the monthly “Voices of a Movement,” open mic at Busboys and Poets in D.C.. Voices of a Movement promotes healthy dialogue around critical social issues while instigating reflection on how to build a nonviolent culture.

MLK STREETS PROJECT

Our youth film making program “A Nu View” finalized its second documentary film, which deals with the depressed states of Martin Luther King Boulevards across the nation. The trailer for the film was selected for and screened at the VONY Film Festival in New York City in 2010.

A WEIGH WITH WORDS

A Weigh With Words is a blunt, no-holds barred investigation of the power of language, focusing on how words have been utilized to create both conflict and compassion. This film was created by six District of Columbia high school students who participated in every aspect of production.

FLY BY LIGHT

In the summer of 2011, 15 high school students from diverse neighborhoods across Washington, DC were uprooted from the hustle of inner-city life to beautiful mountain vistas and springs.It was a transformational week of boundary-stretching and social-emotional learning, reflecting the love, struggle, compassion, pain, laughter, and friendship of their daily lives.