About
Mission
ONE Lowell strives to be the voice that improves the life, opportunities and involvement of culturally diverse people in the Lowell Community.
Our Values:
- Facilitate the integration, self-sufficiency, and respect of diverse
individuals. - Promote engagement of refugees and immigrants in the Lowell community.
- Strengthen education, employment opportunities and community leadership.
- Assist others in providing culturally and linguistically accessible services.
- Build partnerships with other organizations to serve this community.
Since its inception in 2001, ONE Lowell has been dedicated to increasing the integration and self sufficiency of Lowell’s many newcomers by strengthening civic participation, developing strong leadership and increasing access to vital services.
Lowell has always been a home to newcomers. Beginning in the 1800’s immigrants from all over the world came to Lowell to start a new life and through their hard work contributed to the vitality of this great city. At the turn of the century Greek, French Canadian and Polish immigrants poured into Lowell and joined the Irish immigrants to work in the mills. Their labors gave life to the Industrial Revolution which began here in Lowell.
While the first wave of immigration was mostly Anglo Europeans, more recent newcomers are Asians, Latin Americans and Africans coming from Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Laos, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, and a variety of African countries. These newcomers are making Lowell their new home and contributing to the city’s vitality by opening new businesses, providing a dedicated workforce and becoming first time homeowners.
Currently we are working on four major initiatives that address some of the different needs in these communities; the School Success for Newcomer Parents Program, Fair Vote Lowell, ONE Lowell World Cup, and training sessions to promote Refugee and Immigrant Leadership Development as well as multicultural awareness for organizations. Each of these initiatives works in a unique way to break down barriers and give newcomers the tools they need to participate in civic and social life. Please visit the individual links above to find out more about them and to see how you might become involved.
Staff
Victoria Fahlberg- Executive Director. Victoria is ONE Lowell’s founding Executive Director and has been here since 2002. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, she has a PhD in Clinical Psychology and MA in International Health and worked nearly 20 years as a clinical psychotherapist, specializing in Domestic Violence and Child Abuse. She spent 8 years working as a university professor and researcher in Brazil, where she also started a non-profit service organization in the slum “City of God”, in Rio de Janeiro.
William Ferriera-Fahlberg – Tournament Director
Myra Garcia – Parent Liaison.
Luz Mejia – Parent Liaison.
Pitou Phat - Parent Liaison. Pitou came to the USA in 1990’s as a Cambodian refugee. Pitou was a professional soccer player before the genocide. During his years in the USA he has engaged in non-profit service to the Cambodian community.
Marcia Strauss – Parent Liaison. Originally from Brazil, Marcia spent several years working with the Brazilian community through Gear-Up, and educational programs at UML.
Felicia Sullivan – Program Coordinator. Felicia has over 20 years of community-based practice working with community media & technology centers as well as social justice and arts organizations to bring the power of communication, media and information technologies to communities. She is currently working towards her PhD in Public Policy at the John W. McCormack Graduate School at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Board
The following individuals commit their time and energy to the success of ONE Lowell. Note that they all were born in diverse parts of the world and represent the multiculturalism of our community.
Juliet Berk – Zimbabwe
Kahn Dinh – Vietnam
Michael Gallagher – USA
Fru Nkiembeng – Cameroon
Bridget Quinn – USA
Walter Wright – Canada
Sponsors
ONE Lowell could not achieve all of our amazing work without the financial support of key public and private funders. We have recently received support from the following foundations and agencies:
- Access Strategies
- Bank of America Charitable Trust
- Burgess Urban Fund
- City of Lowell Community Development Block Grant Program
- Clowes Fund
- Comcast Foundation
- Filenes Foundaton
- Greater Lowell Community Foundation
- Jericho Road
- Parker Foundation
- Amelia Peabody Foundation
- Peters Memorial Fund
- Shannon Grant via the Lowell Police Department
We have also received past support from:
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- MassVOTE
- Office of Refugee Resettlement
- Schooner Foundation
- Sollidago Fund
Our annual fundraising event the ONE Lowell World Cup receives significant support each year. To see the most recent sponsors for this event visit – http://www.onelowellsoccercup.org/Sponsors.html.
Finally, we would like to thank these individuals for contributing to our work:
| Olisa Adigwe |
| Douglas Amy |
| Edward Barry |
| Sue Beaton |
| George Behrakis |
| Bill Berkowitz |
| Cathy Boucher |
| Allen Casad |
| Richard Cavanaugh |
| Jennifer Connor |
| Pat Costello |
| Sylvia Cowan |
| Suzanne DeLesdernier |
| Matt Descouteaux |
| Peter Diehm |
| Jackie Doherty |
| Richard Donahue |
| Nancy Donahue |
| Carol Duncan |
| George Duncan |
| Linda & Francis Elliott |
| Steve Fisher |
| Robert Forrant |
| Sandra Garcia |
| Cecilio Hernandez |
| Robert Hildreth |
| Steve Jones |
| Dayne Lamb |
| Maria Lopez |
| Peter Lovett |
| Ken MacIver, Jr. |
| John Maher |
| Paul Marion |
| John Matley |
| Margaret McCarthy |
| John McDonough |
| Kathy Muldoon |
| Mimi Parseghian |
| Stephen Perkins |
| George Pillsbury |
| Paul Schor |
| Frances Segendorf |
| Russ Smith |
| Sayon Soeun |
| Tom Southerton |
| Gardener Stratton |
| Kevin Sullivan |
| Pat Vondal |
| Kendall Wallace |
| Beverly Woods |
| Walter Wright |