Who Are We

ABOUT US

In 2012, the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) was formed by the anchoring community-based nonprofit organizations in the Overtown Community: Urgent, Inc., Overtown Youth Center, Touching Miami with Love, Lotus House, and Dress for Success with the support of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and City of Miami District 5 City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. Within months, additional stakeholders joined and worked together under the umbrella of Overtown Children and Youth Coalition. The groundbreaking step towards addressing the needs of Overtown’s children and families with a collective impact and systems-level approach instead of a service-based structure with needs addressed in siloes was well-received by the community.

OCYC continues to serve as the backbone organization to support anchoring community-based organizations to empower Overtown as a community where all children and youth reach their full potential.

Join Us

MISSION

Through a collective impact model Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) serves as the backbone to support Overtown’s anchoring organizations to empower all the community’s children and youth to reach their full potential.

VISION

Overtown, a community where all children and youth reach their full potential.

VALUES

Collaboration, Integrity, Continuous Communication, Leadership, Empowerment, Accountability, Community

PURPOSE

Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) ensures resources remain within the Overtown community to allow the children and youth to reach their full potential.

MASTER PLAN

In 2012, the Overtown Children and Youth Coalition (OCYC) was formed by several community organizations, supported by the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency and City of Miami District 5 City Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones. The OCYC has dedicated itself to creating a shared vision of excellence and empowerment for Overtown's children and youth, preparing an application for Florida’s fourth Children’s Initiative, and developing a pipeline of integrated pathways for youth success. After two and a half years of strategic planning, focus groups, interviews, surveys, and monthly meetings, the OCYC has successfully completed the community’s first Children and Youth Master Plan – an investment blueprint that aligns with existing plans in Miami Dade County. The Plan seeks to leverage current assets and mobilize private and public investment, as well as an asset bank of cash and in-kind contributions from cross-sector stakeholders. Read More | Download the 2022 Annual Report

Anchoring Nonprofit Organizations

Testimonials

By joining forces with the Coalition, we have unlocked a powerful network of dedicated partners and stakeholders, uniting our efforts towards a common goal of empowering children and youth in Overtown.
Dr. Saliha Nelson , Urgent Inc.
OCYC is a premier organization that not only gives voice to the needs of youth, families, and community spaces but they provide solutions and resources to alleviate generational issues.
Trina Harris, Touching Miami with Love
"Remaining Knowledgeable, Maintaining a quality reputation, and being able to Endure any challenge is a Boss. I'm so thankful for the boss of my life conference because I'm now able to apply everything I learned into the boss I will be one day!"
Srudent, Genesis Love

Board of Directors

Saliha Nelson

Chairwoman
Urgent Inc.

Tina Brown

Co-Chair
Overtown Youth Center
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
– Helen Keller

Keon Williams

Secretary
Overtown Optimist Club
“We did not come here to fear the future. We came here to shape it.”
-President Barack Obama

Sonia Jacobson

Treasurer

Suited for Success

“Women are like teabags... you don’t know their strength until they get in hot water.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Trina Harris

Touching Miami With Love

Delerene Pitts

Regions Bank

James McQueen

CRA

Staff Members

Anthony Robinson, Executive Director, OCYC

Anthony L. Robinson

Executive Director

Ruth-Ann Bennett

Impact Officer

Lakeisha Rushing

Grant Manager