OIC of America Inc.

OIC of America began as a vision of economic empowerment 60 years ago - our affiliates have trained more than 2 million students since the OIC model was built by Rev. Leon Sullivan. Next week we're officially launching the Sullivan Training Network - modeled after Rev. Sullivan's vision, raising the bar on what workforce training can do for our communities and economies. Come see what it's all about: https://lnkd.in/gsZf4Adk

Today is #GivingTuesday—Let’s Make an Impact Together! This Giving Tuesday, I’m thinking about the causes that matter most to me: education, economic inclusion, entrepreneurship, and empowering girls and women. Education holds a special place in my heart. Thanks to my grandparents’ commitment to educating their 19 children, our family was able to rise from chattel slavery to opportunity and self-empowerment. It’s a reminder of the transformative power of knowledge. While I'm in South Africa, I’ll be giving (time, talent and treasure) to entrepreneurial organizations that drive innovation and opportunity in underserved communities. Economic inclusion and education are key to breaking cycles of poverty. Giving is a powerful way to align our values with action. What causes are you supporting today? PHILIPPI VILLAGE Akron Community Foundation Cuyahoga Community College North Coast Ventures The BOW Collective OIC of America Inc. Mt Sinai Baptist Church #GivingTuesday #Education #EconomicInclusion #Entrepreneurship #Empowerment #MakeADifference

For six decades, OIC has been empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and creating opportunities. This Giving Tuesday, we’re inviting YOU to join the celebration: This year, we celebrate 60 incredible years of OIC empowering individuals and transforming communities. Together, we’ve paved the way for brighter futures. ✨ Donate $60 to honor 60 years of life-changing impact! ✨ Your gift will help us continue providing education, training, and resources to those who need it most. Together, we can create opportunities for the next 60 years! 💪 💳 Donate today: “Link in Bio” 📣 Send to a friend to share the legacy!

🌟 Big news! OIC of America is partnering with the NBA Foundation to bring FREE hands-on STEM education to Minneapolis in 2025! 🚀 This collaboration is empowering K-12 students and their families with interactive STEM Saturdays (starting February) and a huge STEMFest on June 21. Together, we’re inspiring future scientists, engineers, and innovators! 👩🔬👨💻 Read our full Press Release here: https://lnkd.in/erUA_pe9

Happy Thanksgiving from the OIC family of affiliates! 🦃🍂 This season, we’re especially grateful for each of you—our dedicated affiliates—who make our shared mission possible. Your passion, commitment, and hard work inspire us every day. Together, we’ve achieved incredible growth this year, built stronger collaborations, and made a meaningful impact in the communities we serve. None of this would be possible without the collective strength and determination of our network. As we reflect on this year’s successes, we’re filled with gratitude for the journey we’ve shared and excited for the opportunities ahead. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous Thanksgiving filled with love, peace, and togetherness. 🧡

"This Thanksgiving Day, let us not only count our blessings but also ask ourselves how we can be a blessing to others. True gratitude is shown through action—lifting up those in need, sharing what we have, and building a stronger, more united community. Remember, the power of change begins with each of us. Give thanks. Give hope. Give love. Happy Thanksgiving from the OIC Family 🦃✨ #GratitudeInAction #CommunityFirst #ThanksgivingBlessings"

This afternoon OIC of America Director of Affiliate and Community Relations Kevin Cooke joined former Councilmember Jannie Blackwell and ACANA to distribute Thanksgiving turkeys in Africatown in Southwest Philly. We all have a role to play in transforming communities, and we're privileged to support the important work that ACANA does. 

"The training centers, the apartment houses, the shopping centers, the factories and the stores ... They are not ideas, or hopes, or dreams. They are real! Conceived by African Americans and run by African Americans with the support and aid of others who truly care. And these are many. The same processes can be repeated a thousand times, over and over again." --Leon Sullivan, 1969 This week the Philadelphia-based Sullivan Entities—OIC of America, OIC Philadelphia, Zion Baptist Church, Progress Investment Associates and the Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust—came together and broke bread for the first time in decades. We convened over the legacy of Dr. Sullivan and shared the ways we all carry his dream forward. To support each other in this work is both a blessing and an imperative. Left to Right: Rear: Gail Younger, OICA  Jeff Barg, OICA Rev. Dr. Robert Collier, Zion Baptist Church Kevin Cooke, OICA Daryl Debrest, Progress Investment Associates, PIA Front Row: Anthony Johnson, Progress Investment Associates, PIA Stanley Straughter, AfricaTown and OICA Consultant Mable Welborn, Leon H. Sullivan Charitable Trust, LHSCT Louis King, OICA Evelyn Sample-Oates, OICA Seated: Rev. Dr. Gus Roman, Zion Baptist Church Not Pictured: Sheila Ireland, Philadelphia OIC Marshaun Hymon, Philadelphia OIC

Last week OIC of America met with industry leaders and thinkers in Minneapolis to outline how we change lives and communities. It starts with the youngest learners: STEM education for kids as young as kindergarten to prepare them for the jobs of the future. For workers, we give them credentialed training for jobs that pay a livable wage. This is what leads to economic mobility. It's time to change communities.

Thank you, Rep. Dwight Evans, for your longstanding leadership in building the People’s Pathway out of poverty. We’re proud to work with you to create stronger communities and economies.