Meet Lytoni Brown Beckham of Speak Into the Light

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lytoni Brown Beckham.

Hi Lytoni, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
name is Lytoni Brown Beckham, founder of Speak Into the Light, a Cleveland-based nonprofit that I started in 2011 with a focus on community empowerment, youth development, and neighborhood resilience. My work began from simply seeing the gaps in my own community — young people needing guidance, families needing support, and neighborhoods needing investment that truly included the people already living there.

Over the years, that work grew into programs focused on workforce development, soft skills, mentorship, hospitality training, and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth and young adults through initiatives like the Y.A.S.S. Program. As I continued working directly with residents, I also became deeply involved in neighborhood green spaces, urban agriculture, and food access work.

That led to the development of Thrive From The Ground Up, a neighborhood-based urban growing and resilience initiative focused on helping residents grow food in their own backyards, porches, and small city spaces. My approach has always been community-centered — teaching people practical skills, building local networks, and creating opportunities that are sustainable long term instead of temporary programs.

Today, my work combines nonprofit leadership, urban agriculture, workforce development, and community organizing. I collaborate with growers, residents, youth organizations, and local partners across Cleveland to help create stronger neighborhoods through education, food access, economic opportunity, and community connection. Everything I do is rooted in the belief that real change starts from the ground up — by investing directly into people and the communities they already call home.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a completely smooth road. A lot of the work I do has been built from the ground up with limited resources, while trying to balance community needs, funding challenges, and building long-term sustainability. One of the biggest struggles has been navigating systems that are often difficult for small grassroots organizations to access — whether that’s funding, partnerships, or opportunities that usually favor larger organizations with more infrastructure.

Another challenge has been wearing many hats at once: community organizer, mentor, program developer, fundraiser, and leader. In grassroots work, especially in underserved communities, there’s always more need than capacity. I’ve also learned that building community trust takes time, consistency, and patience.

At the same time, those struggles helped shape the direction of my work. They pushed me to focus on practical solutions, collaboration, and creating programs that are truly rooted in the neighborhood. Every challenge became part of the learning process that helped me grow both personally and professionally.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Speak Into the Light is a Cleveland-based nonprofit focused on youth development, workforce readiness, urban agriculture, and neighborhood resilience. Since 2011, we have worked to create community-centered programs that connect residents to opportunities through mentorship, workforce training, food access initiatives, and neighborhood engagement.

What sets us apart is our grassroots, neighborhood-first approach. We focus on building with the community by combining practical education, entrepreneurship exposure, green space activation, and youth development in ways that are accessible and culturally connected to the residents we serve.

Through programs like Y.A.S.S. and Thrive From The Ground Up, we help create pathways for personal growth, workforce development, and community leadership. We are also proud to be a 4-star rated nonprofit on Charity Navigator, reflecting our commitment to transparency, accountability, and long-term community impact.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
A huge part of the success of Speak Into the Light comes from my board members, who have supported the mission and stood beside me since day one. Their guidance, encouragement, and commitment helped keep the organization growing through every stage.

I also give a lot of credit to the community members, volunteers, youth, growers, and neighborhood supporters who continue to believe in the work and actively participate in building stronger communities together. The organization has truly grown through community support and collaboration

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.speakintothelight.org
• Instagram: Speak.intothelight
• Facebook: Speakintothelight