One Earth Collective

One earth local ("oel") works collaboratively to build and develop replicable models for environmentally sustainable and socially just communities in the greater chicago metropolitan area. Oel's work includes (1) westside environmental justice alliance (weja), working with other leaders, activists and community-based organizations throughout chicago's westside neighborhoods to coordinate, support and amplify our collective environmental justice efforts; (2) food & film showcases for austin eats, a consortium of 26 organizations working in the westside of chicago, highlighting health disparities in black, brown and indigenous communities and the power of exercise and diet on health outcomes; (3) climate ready coop (climate outreach oak park), helping the village of oak park's sustainability and resilience department lead educational programs and outreach regarding oak park's climate action plan, heat safety, local climate coaching, and energy grants for homeowners; (4) green block parties, delivering 30-minute environmental educational programs for block parties across oak park, il, reaching more than 120 residents with action-sparking information about green energy, native plant gardening, residential flooding, local climate coaching, and waste/recycling.

One earth youth voices empowers young people to engage meaningfully in the climate and social justice movements through art, activism, and leadership development, with programming including (1) young filmmakers contest (yfc), which invites students from grades 3 through age 25 to create short, focused films addressing climate change and sustainability. In 2025, we received 363 submissions and winning films and filmmakers were celebrated at awards ceremonies in september and featured at the april film festival, where their voices are elevated to a broad audience; (2) youth advisory council (yac), where youth guide the development and execution of youth-focused programming during the one earth film festival; and (3) austin grown, working with build chicago, to engage high school participants in agricultural and horticultural arts, culinary skills, and food education, a hands-on experience that connects youth to the land, to one another, and to the community.