The Story of One Vibe Media’s CEO:
Simon Javan Okelo grew up in the slums of Manyatta in Kisumu, Kenya, serving as the Field Director of Solace International and Co-Director of the Young Generation Centre from 2002-2010 where he directed humanitarian projects in Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, Liberia, and South Sudan. He also worked in music as a DJ and producer, organizing Unite The People concerts in 2008 in the wake of the post-election violence and founding One Vibe Africa. Since coming to the US in 2010, he has organized events and digital campaigns celebrating the African diaspora locally and globally. This includes producing Madaraka Festival since 2014, which was featured by CNN for African Avante Garde, a new series that features innovators and creators working across art, design, music, film, and fashion. During the eighth Madaraka Festival in 2022, Simon partnered with the Friends of the Waterfront to host a unique event at the Seattle Waterfront on Pier 62. The event was held on August 13 & 14, attended by over 7,000 community members, and featured over 30 black-owned small business vendors and organizations.
Simon has additional experiences promoting in-person and online events that include, producing Africa Day in-person for the Gates Foundation, producing Africa Day on the Clubhouse platform featuring influential Africans across the world, hosting the African Father in America podcast, developing of Antioch University’s social media strategy and podcast, and growing personal brands across all social media platforms.
One Vibe Media (OVM) is a full-service media consultancy and a relative organization of One Vibe Africa (OVA), a nonprofit dedicated to promoting empathy, joy, and a sense of community for the African diaspora and their allies. Over the last 12 months, OVM’s main focus of work has been offering digital media content and event production to help leaders, their organizations, and communities thrive. For example, through digital marketing and event production, OVM builds the capacity of:
-Ignited Phoenix Project, a community-driven Environmental and Social Justice program based in the South Park neighborhood in Seattle.
-Mission Africa, a South King County-based organization that empowers the African community through poverty alleviation and education programs.
-African Chamber of Commerce of the Pacific Northwest that has been facilitating events and connecting African businesses with much-needed resources