| Many organizations observe Black History Month. And that’s great. But as my TV screen and internet scrolling are filled with images and stories of great Black leaders, I remember that organizations like OIC of America bear a greater responsibility to Black History Month. We don’t just observe Black History Month. We are the result of Black History Month. OIC of America was born out of the civil rights movement, and every day we wake up in order to carry that work forward. Training the workers of the future so they can be leaders in science, technology, engineering and math. Training the workers of today and tomorrow for sustainable-wage jobs that can transform their communities. It is all a continuation of the dream of our founder, Rev. Dr. Leon H. Sullivan. Before he founded OIC of America in 1964, Dr. Sullivan led the selective patronage campaign from his Sunday pulpit at Zion Baptist Church in Philadelphia. The program targeted businesses where people of color held few if any positions of power, and white workers were both predominant and paid more. The selective patronage message was straightforward: Don’t shop where you can’t work. From 1959 to 1963, 29 selective patronage campaigns opened an estimated more than 2,000 skilled jobs to workers of color in Philadelphia, with additional downstream hiring effects that would ripple across industries. The results reverberate in 2025, as #BoycottTarget takes hold in communities across the country looking for a way to react to the spreading anti-diversity-equity-and-inclusion backlash. We must learn from the efforts of those who came before us. This is why I recently joined the board of directors of the African American Museum in Philadelphia. Yes, understanding history captures the atrocities of the past. But it also chronicles the sources of progress. It gives us the roadmap. In Black History Month—and every month—it’s incumbent upon all of us to tell that story. Years from now, generations to come will celebrate their own Black History Months. It’s up to us—the progress we will make and the legacy we will build—to make sure they have even more to celebrate.  Louis J. King II President and CEO OIC of America, Inc. |
Celebrating Five Years of STEM Saturdays
This month, OIC of America marked five years of STEM Saturdays educational programming for students and their families. Ten times a year in multiple cities, 150 students gather for unique, hands-on educational programming that introduces them to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and sets them on the path to in-demand careers.
“What started in the Twin Cities in 2020 has now spread to cities across the country, with more on the way,” said Louis J. King II, President and CEO of OIC of America. “The way that we get these kids to see themselves as scientists, as chemists, as biologists, as mathematicians, is to introduce them to careers that will open any door they can imagine.”
For this fifth anniversary celebration, OIC of America was joined by Minnesota State Senator Bobby Joe Champion (District 59) and Eric Mahmoud, CEO of Harvest Best Academy.
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OIC of America Brings the Delaware Valley Alliance to the PA Legislative Black Caucus
This month, Pennsylvania state Rep. Napoleon Nelson, who chairs the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC), invited OIC of America to discuss ways to make public spending in the commonwealth more just. The Delaware Valley Alliance, led by OICA, is building the blueprint for an economic model that addresses the systemic barriers that keep people—especially those in poverty and in the justice system—from fully participating in today’s economy.
In Pennsylvania, the regressive gas tax disproportionately affects forgotten people living in forgotten places, while the public works that it funds disproportionately employ those already overrepresented in the construction trades. With PennDOT spending billions annually, we have an opportunity to ensure those who pay the most are able to benefit from the jobs created.
We’re looking forward to working with the PLBC to increase justice in Pennsylvania’s training and hiring. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram for updates.
Louis J. King II Selected as One of the KYW’s GameChangers 2025
KYW, Philadelphia’s CBS affiliate, recently selected OIC of America President and CEO Louis J. King II as one of its GameChangers, leaders who are making a difference in communities of color.
In an interview, King explained the work of OICA, from educating kids in STEM fields to preparing workers for jobs that will enable them to enter the middle class.
“How did the Black middle class grow? A lot of poor people got out there and protested,” he said to KYW’s Racquel Williams. “We’re being put to the test now on our resolve, and we have to realize that the true power lies in working together.”
Read and listen to the KYW profile
OIC Affiliate Highlight: Tri-County OIC Expand as Delaware Valley Alliance Heats Up
For nearly 60 years, Tri-County OIC has been providing adult education, workforce development and reentry training to people who need assistance.
“Everybody needs a place they can come to and not feel ashamed for not being where they should be,” says Christina Johnson, the affiliate’s executive director. “Tri-County OIC gives hope to people who are hopeless.”
Among five Pennsylvania sites that will make up the hub of the Delaware Valley Alliance (more on this above), Tri-County OIC will be an anchor, given their history of creating and running successful programs in career and technical education (CTE). The organization has multiple facilities, and is working toward hosting virtual training—which would allow them to reach far beyond the Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry and York counties that they currently serve.
For Johnson, as the programming expands—and her small but mighty team rises to meet the additional need—she keeps her focus on the individuals who rely on the work to transform their lives.
“I run it like a track team,” she says. “There will be sprinters who sprint to the front, and we have runners who will hit hurdles.” She mentions one former student who had spent 43 years in prison. “I saw him yesterday and he’s now homeless, so we’re starting all over again. You may stumble and fall, but we’ll always be here for you to help you get back up.”
Explore Tri-County OIC’s work
Honoring Delores Shelton Emeritus OICA Board Member
Delores Shelton (center, in blue) and others celebrate Chester’s 333rd anniversary in 2015.
We are thrilled to honor Delores Shelton, who recently became an emeritus board member of OIC of America after serving on the organization’s board of directors for more than 30 years. Ms. Shelton worked closely with OIC founder Rev. Dr. Leon H. Sullivan on his local, national and international initiatives, and chaired the organization’s Volunteer Committee, raising money and awareness with her unmatched fashion shows during annual convocations.
Throughout her career, Shelton, a former schoolteacher, has been a steadfast champion for her City of Chester—the first city in Pennsylvania. “Our people take pride in our community,” she told the Philadelphia Tribune in 2015.
And our community takes pride in Ms. Shelton. Thank you for your service!
