An ambitious, community-focused Palm Springs non-profit organization is ready to move into 2025 with newfound vigor.
We Are One United, a nonprofit that promotes equity, well-being, and opportunity, will expand its mission to provide education, positive youth development, resilience building, and skill-sharing beyond Coachella Valley.
“I’m excited that we’re going to be working on a project in San Diego that builds upon the work that we’ve been doing in Palm Springs, taking it to a broader audience in San Diego County,” said Quana Hall-Beverly, Executive Director of We Are One United. “It’s an uplifting boys and men of color project with a life course-mapping element.”
Whereas We Are One United offers tutoring and social-emotional support as the basis of its programming in Palm Springs, life course mapping looks at the whole life trajectory of the youth—what impacts their lives from birth through the age of 26.
“It’s all about how we pull the right levers to ensure that they have the most successful journey that they can have,” Hall-Beverly added of the endeavor ahead.
Meanwhile, locally the nonprofit continues to expand, thanks to a recent CIELO Fund grant via Inland Empire Community Foundation.
“The funding assisted us with our Campus Connect program, which we host at a local middle school,” Hall-Beverly said. “It provides the students with activities during lunch break and is a social/emotional learning opportunity.”
As such, on some days, games will be offered. Others may feature art projects.
“We also have STEM activities and we’ve contracted with a boxing coach to come in and provide boxing lessons to the students,” Hall-Beverly said. “It gives the students some impactful things to do during their time off. It’s really a productive use of their time.”
We Are One United is impactful in other areas as well.
The nonprofit offers a vast array of curricula and programs for the public, local leaders, organizations, and various communities. Regardless of ethnicity, national origin, religion, it aims to provide individuals and groups vital access to information and skills that would help advance their endeavors.
The Virtual Community Cafés, for instance, which sprang to life during the pandemic, went from being a series of webinars to covering a variety of topics, such as youth development, community mental health and wellness, innovation, technology, and economic development.
We Are One United’s Social Entrepreneurship and Employment program is also significant. Designed specifically to increase economic opportunity in the community, the program offers a nuanced approach to preparing individuals for success in the workplace and meaningful careers, and economic prosperity.
Also available is a unique forum that allows youth, community mentors, and behavioral health specialists to connect in an effort to address mental health concerns. Similarly, the nonprofit’s community wellness and resilience-building initiatives come into play, providing additional support and resources to the disadvantaged communities.
And with the nonprofit’s Youth Development program continuing to garner positive attention for how well it leaps off the Spark and Thriving study by the Search Institute, We Are One United remains committed to understanding the development of young minds.
Meanwhile, We Are One United welcomes volunteers. Hall-Beverly suggests individuals email her directly at qbeverly@weareoneunited.org to receive more information.
When asked about what she appreciates most about being involved with the nonprofit, she is candid.
“My treasured time is when I get a chance to spend the day with the kids, making sure that they’re happy and getting what they need, because they’re our future,” Hall-Beverly said. “I really want to make sure that they’re set up for success.”
Learn more at weareoneunitedinnovation.org.
This story originally appeared in The Desert Sun, December 2024
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