Once again, thank you for inviting me to be the new Chief Executive Officer of OneJax. These early days have rewarded me with many new friends from the broadest reaches of our City. The greatest reward has been in more fully understanding OneJax’s trusted position as a conversation partner and facilitator as Jacksonville continues to make progress toward being a city of Belonging.
We are navigating a centuries-old structure of pronounced division. Understanding where that structure comes from is what lets us write a different, more unified story for Jacksonville going forward.
That structure is older, and more ordinary, than we tend to think. Consider a discovery made a few years ago in the city of Pompeii. Archaeologists clearing volcanic ash from a small house found charcoal drawings low on an interior wall, and beside them, the outline of a four- or five-year-old child’s hand, pressed flat.
The drawings seemed to have been made not long before Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. That catastrophe preserved a child’s ordinary afternoon: charcoal in hand, drawing what she had seen and couldn’t stop thinking about. Gladiators: stick figures unmistakably fighting in the arena.
What she captured wasn’t just harsh entertainment from the amphitheater. It was Rome’s social order on full display: that life is a competition, that the strong deserve to survive and the weak deserve to fall, that the proper response to human struggle is to watch from the stands and render a verdict. Thumbs up. Thumbs down. The crowd deciding who lives.
The dualities were absolute: free and slave, citizen and outsider, winner and loser. Every person in that city, from senator to child, was shaped by that same logic. It was the water they swam in; simply how things were, so this child drew it the way another child might draw a rainbow – without a second thought.…
Nominations Now Open for 2027 Humanitarian Awards!
Nominations are open during the month of September! Start thinking about the individuals or groups in your life who exemplify bridge-building, respect and compassion – and make sure to get your nomination form and supporting statement in by September 30th.
Save the Date: Join us in celebrating neighbors who live OneJax’s mission through action, inclusion, and service. Save the date for the next OneJax Humanitarian Awards on May 6, 2027.
At this summer’s LAUNCH Leadership Summit, one participant, Shrihan, reflected on how meaningful it is when others take the time to understand a culture different from their own.
For him, LAUNCH reinforced values he already holds close: having respect and kindness for others. Inspired by the lessons of Diwali and the triumph of good over harmful traits, he described leadership as choosing kindness—even when others are struggling or have not treated you well.
As an eighth grader, he also recognizes the responsibility of setting an example for younger students. “What we do is what they’ll follow,” he said. “We want to set a good example so they can grow into good people.”
Through LAUNCH, he found a space to learn alongside peers, strengthen relationships, and build bridges of understanding across differences. “We’re learning and working together to become better people,” he said.
What’s Next: Stay tuned for more OneYouth programs! For details or to get involved, visit OneJax/OneYouth or contact Director of OneYouth Programs, Joseph Ray, at Joseph@onejax.org.
This fall, join OneJax for our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Gratitude Service—a beloved Jacksonville tradition that brings neighbors of many faiths and backgrounds together in reflection, gratitude, and unity.
This year’s theme, “Gratitude Through Music,” will explore the ways music can express what words alone cannot: appreciation, hope, connection, and our shared humanity. Through meaningful musical offerings and voices from across our community, we will celebrate the many traditions that enrich Jacksonville and the spirit of gratitude that can bring us together.
Mark your calendar now for Thursday, November 19, 2026! OneJax’s annual service is free and open to the community. More details coming soon.
Our next Breaking Bread & Barriers series takes on a timely and enduring question: How do many become one? Centered on the theme E Pluribus Unum — “Out of Many, One,” this four-part series invites our community into conversations about identity, belonging, religious liberty, justice, and the common good as we reflect on what shared civic life asks of us today.
Each session will feature personal stories, fireside conversations, and guided table discussions designed to foster curiosity across differences and deepen understanding. As we recognize America’s 250th anniversary, this series will explore how our differences can strengthen community rather than divide it.
The four conversations will include:
Becoming American: Who Belongs?
Freedom of Conscience: Can We Live Together with Our Deepest Differences?
The Pursuit of Justice: What Does Equality Require?
The Common Good: What Do We Owe One Another?
Save the dates and stay tuned for more details on the full series.
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.
Over the next few 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 and The League of Women Voters, 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. Reach out to Rebekah if you want more information, rebekah@onejax.org.
Wednesday, September 2nd – 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Jacksonville Campus Ministry
Lavendar Welcome
Join Jacksonville Campus Ministry for a welcome event where you can meet organizations around the community that can support you in your journey through college!
UNF Student Union Ballroom (3rd floor) Wednesday. September 2 from 6 – 8 pm.
The Refugee Journey Experience is a walk-through, immersive experience that invites you to step into the story of a refugee and see the journey through their eyes. As you move through each station, you will follow a real refugee story—from the moment everything changes, through the long process of seeking safety, arriving in America, and beginning the difficult work of rebuilding a life in a new country.
This experience is designed as a self-paced walk-through. Groups will enter every 15 minutes and will take up to 60 minutes to complete. Please plan accordingly so you have enough time to fully engage with each station without rushing. Recommended for Ages 14+ Due to the reading-based format and the sensitive nature of some refugee stories, we recommend this experience for ages 14 and older. Some content may be difficult or emotionally challenging for younger children.
The Jacksonville chapter of The Daughters of Abraham book club starts back this September on the 24th at 6:30pm. They meet monthly from September to May to discuss various books. Nationally, the Daughters of Abraham Women’s Interfaith Book Group was created in response to the events of September 11, 2001 by and for women of the three Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They read books that deal with their religions and the practice and experience of living as a religious person. Books can be of various genres: biography, fiction, memoirs, history, poetry, etc. The books help them to talk about faith experiences. They learn about one another’s religions. By so doing they come to know one another as members of a unique community of friends. If you are interested in joining this book club, please contact Rev. Rebekah Hutto at rebekah@onejax.org .
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Stay Connected, Your Way
At OneJax, we are grateful for your continued engagement and the role you play in building a more connected community. We want to ensure that the information you receive from us is meaningful, relevant, and aligned with your interests.
To help us be more intentional in our communications, we invite you to update your email preferences at any time. By sharing what matters most to you, you enable us to deliver updates, programs, and opportunities that best reflect your priorities.
Do you have a community event you’d like to share, or are you interested in partnering with OneJax? We’ve launched a new Event Submission Portal on our website to make it easier than ever to connect.
We encourage individuals and organizations to submit events for consideration, and to reach out if you’re interested in exploring partnership opportunities. Submit your event here.
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