OneJax July 2026 Newsletter

A final message from our CEO:

Out of Many, One

This July, our nation begins the year-long commemoration of America 250, marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This moment offers us an opportunity not only to celebrate our history, but to reflect on the enduring work of becoming the nation we aspire to be.

The Declaration proclaimed a new nation. The years that followed tested whether that proclamation could become reality.

The founders articulated a bold vision—that all people are created equal and are endowed with unalienable rights. And while the Declaration articulates ideals of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it did not conclude with victory. It ended with a pledge:

“…with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Those closing words remind us that ideals alone are not enough. The promise of democracy only becomes reality when people are willing to commit themselves to one another, accept responsibility, and do the hard work of striving for the future they hope to see.

It took more than a decade, through the struggle of war, the uncertainty of self-government, and the work of compromise, before the Constitution emerged. Even then, our forefathers did not claim perfection, they established a framework for pursuing it. “In order to form a more perfect union…” acknowledged the profound truth of continual striving.

Many traditions remind us that growth is born not from avoiding struggle, but from meeting it with humility, compassion, and a willingness to learn. Resilience is not found in returning to some imagined past or reaching a final destination of greatness. It is nurtured through the daily practice of becoming wiser, more connected, and more committed to one another.

Our national motto, E Pluribus Unum—”Out of Many, One”—captures that same ongoing challenge. It does not suggest that unity comes from everyone being the same. Rather, it asks whether people with different histories, beliefs, experiences, and perspectives will choose to build a shared future together.

That question is just as important today as it was generations ago.

In an age of rapid change, technological advancement, and information overload, we are challenged to consider not only the future we are capable of, but how we choose to live together each day. Our tools may evolve, but our humanity remains. Thriving communities are not built by avoiding differences; they are built by developing the courage and curiosity to seek common ground.

This belief is at the heart of OneJax. Our mission has never been to create a perfect community. It has always been to foster the conditions where people can listen across differences, deepen understanding, and discover the humanity they share. Like democracy itself, this work is never finished. It is renewed each day by ordinary people who choose connection over division.

As I conclude my tenure as CEO, and as we commemorate America 250, my challenge to each of us is this: Let us not only remember the ideals that shaped our nation but recommit ourselves to the work required to live them. I hope you will stay curious, listen deeply, and build more bridges than walls. The work of forming a more perfect union has always belonged to “We the People”—people with different histories, experiences, beliefs, and backgrounds who choose, generation after generation, to build a shared future as one.

Elizabeth Andersen

OneJax CEO

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Kicking off this summer with the

Sandy Miller OneYouth

LAUNCH Leadership Summit!

We are incredibly grateful to our sponsors, the Together Strong Community Fund and Florida Blue Foundation, whose support powers OneJax youth programming and helps us invest in the next generation of leaders. Because of their partnership, we are creating dynamic spaces where young people can grow, connect, and lead with confidence.

Our OneYouth programs are designed to meet youth at every stage of their leadership journey:

LAUNCH Leadership Summit (4 Day Summer Experience) – an immersive multi-day summit designed for youth interested in cultivating leadership skills and resiliency.
LAUNCHpad Workshops – an introduction to OneJax programming, designed to introduce and begin building skills for youth before they participate in the Leadership Summit
LAUNCH Fellows – Alumni of the LAUNCH Leadership Summit will have monthly meet-ups designed to further strengthen leadership skills. These meetups will alternate between experiential learning and service projects.
SPARK Leadership Labs – Student-led afterschool clubs with monthly leadership & civil discourse programming.

We invite you to stay connected with us as we continue this important work. Together, we are preparing the next generation of humanitarians—young leaders who will shape a more just and compassionate future.

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Advancing Civic Engagement Through Interfaith Action

OneJax is expanding its interfaith advocacy efforts through the Vote 411 initiative, rooted in the belief—shared by our partners at Interfaith Alliance—that voting is a sacred right. This effort reflects our ongoing commitment to civic engagement as a core pillar of our interfaith work, alongside education and service.

In the coming months, we will collaborate with faith communities and local civic organizations to distribute more than 1,000 “The Vote is Sacred” postcards. Adapted from national materials from Interfaith Alliance, these resources are designed to provide trusted, nonpartisan information while reinforcing local credibility. .

Led by our Director of Interfaith and Cultural Programs, Rev. Rebekah McLeod Hutto, and our Interfaith partners, we will begin distributing these cards to our faith communities and trusted civic organizations focused on voter education and registration. Through this initiative, we seek to deepen partnerships, broaden participation, and help ensure that more members of our community are informed, registered, and empowered to vote in upcoming local, state, and national elections. Reach out to Rebekah if you want more information, rebekah@onejax.org.

Breaking Bread & Barriers – Preview

E Pluribus Unum — “Out of Many, One”

This past season of Breaking Bread & Barriers brought our community together for three timely and thought-provoking conversations exploring Humanity in the Age of Information. Each gathering created space for reflection, learning, and meaningful connection as participants examined how social media, news, and artificial intelligence shape the way we understand one another and the world around us.

As we look ahead, Breaking Bread & Barriers will take on a new and timely focus: E Pluribus Unum — “Out of Many, One.” As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, this next series invites our community to wrestle with one of America’s oldest and most enduring questions: how do we build a shared future across our differences?

More than a theme, E Pluribus Unum is an invitation—to listen with curiosity, to engage with humility, and to consider what it means to belong to one another in a diverse democracy. Together, we will explore not only who we are as a community, but who we are becoming.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this season and helped make these conversations so meaningful. We look forward to continuing this journey with you as we gather around the table once again.

Save the Dates:

Monday, October 26th
Tuesday, January 19th
Tuesday, March 30th
Tuesday, May 25th

Thank you for coming and Save the Date: May 6, 2027!

HUMANITARIAN AWARDS

Thank you to everyone who joined us on April 30 for the 2026 Humanitarian Awards—and to our generous sponsors whose support made this meaningful evening possible. We were honored to celebrate this year’s remarkable honorees, share a memorable night together, and recognize the individuals and organizations helping to build a more compassionate and connected community.

If you attended, we hope the experience stayed with you long after the evening ended. One of the most meaningful moments, as reflected in our post-event survey, was the Interfaith Processional and musical Invocation. We invite you to take a moment to watch this special highlight and revisit the spirit of unity it represents.

Please also save the date for next year’s Humanitarian Awards May 6, 2027. We look forward to gathering again to continue this powerful tradition of celebrating those who inspire and lead in our community.

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