By Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald
Chandra Pitts, President and CEO of One Village Alliance, is a woman leading a tireless mission for our community. She launched the One Village Alliance (OVA) with the vision of “one village of healthy children, strong families, and thriving communities.” Her goal: To address the pervasive sense of division and hopelessness — “generational curses,” as she notes — that have become the all-too-common narrative for historically marginalized children and families.
“My goal is to inspire children, make them feel valued, tell them of their true greatness,” Pitts says. “Then provide the resources and support to help them achieve [that].”
In July of this year, the OVA organization marked its 15th anniversary, commemorated by the purchase of a full city block to be transformed into a communal space promoting health, wellness, entrepreneurship, and vibrancy. That event also unveiled an outdoor greenspace intended to create a place for community gathering, healing, and well-being.
“I’m blown away by the impact we’ve been able to make — to bridge the gaps, provide vital support, and promote real life connections,” Pitts says.
One of the signature programs of OVA is its annual Girls Can Do Anything! conference, which recently celebrated sold-out attendance at its October 25 event. The conference aims to redefine womanhood and what it means to be a girl; promote goal achievement through education, empowerment, and vision; and inspire the next generation of powerful young women.
“Our work is so relevant, so culturally informed, and so impactful because it comes from my own life experiences as a first-generation Mexican-American-Black woman and a single mother raising a son,” Pitts says.
In her journey, it is perhaps not surprising that another program closest to Pitts’ heart is Raising Kings. “It’s a scaled-up model of the approach I took to raise my son,” she says.
The Kings program engages men, mentors, and other community members who help to shift the image, expectations, and outcomes for men and boys of color. Red Clay School District Superintendent Dr. Dorrell Green currently serves as the event Chair. Numerous Black entrepreneurs, physicians, attorneys, and educators participate annually to share stories of their successes and connect with community youth. And the impact is evident — Pitts notes there are men who participated as youth and still maintain connections with their Raising Kings mentors.
Other programs, such as Freedom Mondays, incorporate free haircuts, health screenings, and family book clubs. OVA also aims to combat the Northeast Corridor’s food desert challenges with staples provided by its Fresh Food Fridays — free CSA/pantry-style pickups of produce, baked goods, and meats provided by local businesses.
To do this work requires not only a holistic approach but also support from the entire community. Along with hundreds of volunteers, OVA’s wide-ranging partnerships include Red Clay Consolidated School District, Delaware Health Equity Coalition, Amerihealth Caritas, Welfare Foundation, Crestlea Foundation, WSFS Foundation, Delaware Humanities, and the Delaware Division of the Arts. Local business owners — including those of Concord Mall’s Chick-Fil-A and several Wilmington-area barbershops — also generously bolster OVA’s programming efforts.
One of the organization’s most noteworthy achievements will be the launch of its OVA Freedom Center, which will be celebrated with a grand opening event on Tuesday, November 11. The block-long campus, located at 31 W. 31st Street, stands as Delaware’s first community-based urban wellness center.
The over 15,000-square-foot interior encompasses studio, classroom, and co-working spaces; a rentable indoor and outdoor event space; a licensed commercial kitchen, as well as the aforementioned urban greenspace. Within its walls, OVA will not only offer support for burgeoning entrepreneurs but also provide residents of Wilmington’s Northside access to 24/7 preventive and wellness services at no cost, with the goal of reducing health inequality and expanding education and awareness.
“Now, those same founding funders [from our July event] get to see what their philanthropic investment has created, and new donors will be invited to join us, broadening our impact,” says Pitts.
— To learn more about, support, and volunteer with One Village Alliance, visit IAmTheVillage.org
Michelle Kramer-Fitzgerald is the Director of Marketing & Events for the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, as well as the manager of the blog Delaware Arts Info, and the Board Chair of City Theater Company. She is a self-described “cheerleader” for the arts and animal rescue, a die-hard Penn Stater and a doting dog mom. A big fan of The Beatles, Bon Jovi, strong java and red blends, she’s pretty sure that in a parallel universe, she’s a writer for Rolling Stone. She, hubby Scott, and furbaby Eli are proud residents of the City of Wilmington.