creating opportunities for our community

Our communities have a long history of socioeconomic injustices, which have created generational disparities; making it more difficult to advance in society. Our Own serves as a catalyst for innovation and epicenter to provide those who are underserved access to resources, knowledge, tools, and skills that empowers them to reimagine their communities. 

We are dismantling systemic barriers in nutrition, education, entrepreneurship, mental health and physical fitness to further ensure racial equity and social justice. 

Dustin is a Mentor, Physical and Mental Health Advocate, and the Founder of Our Own. After graduating with a degree in Psychology and Sociology, Dustin went on to work for various nonprofit organizations that focused on behavioral prevention with inner city youth. His firsthand experience has given him deep knowledge and understanding of issues in providing optimal health that helps individuals achieve greatness. Such awareness equips Dustin to offer unprecedented and exceedingly outstanding care to our youth and young adults. Having a strong connection with the community and the traumas our youth face daily, he decided to dedicate his time on creating solutions that would help communities grow and utilized non-traditional engagement strategies to assist with reducing stigma related to mental health treatment. Dustin’s phenomenal energy, friendly and approachable personality, as well as affection for people are what makes him unique and truly for the people.

Lee Johnson is a Branding Expert, Community Advocate, Entrepreneur and Co- Founder of Our Own. Originally from the east coast, he grew up in situations that found him and his family living in homeless shelters surrounded by violence daily. Being adopted by his grandparents helped him understand that giving to those in need was a privilege never a burden. Following a move to California, Lee launched a consulting firm focused on brand development and marketing. He used that success to impact the community with independent community initiatives before joining Our Own. With a present creative spirt, Lee continues to work toward developing community programming for Our Own in Los Angeles and across the country. His business experience and years of living in abhorrent conditions allows him to uniquely understand how to create opportunities that show those in the community “the possibility of a possibility.” His goal is to turn the overlooked into the overachievers.