8 Billion Ones

We're 8 billion ONES! A passion project born out of a love of humanity, created by Randy Bacon. IG SEVEN BILLION WHAT? So 7 Billion What?

Simply put, 7 Billion One's vision is to change the world - through people and their stories. As an ongoing movement we exist to document and share stories to connect and empower people. Seven billion one-of-a-kind creations call this planet home -- each of these "ones" being important, with a story that counts. Yet, the sad truth is that as humans, as the "ones", we easily can get lost in the big

ness of the world -- the seven billion people. Humans lose sight that we each matter and have a unique, compelling, and inspiring story that needs to be told AND shared with the world. Why is it important that we tell and share stories of the "ones"? Because people stories heal, change and empower other humans (including the storyteller). Through the transformation power of stories, the "ones" can then positively impact the "billions" - people will be enabled to more freely live life and fulfill their innate purposes to make this world a better place to live. To accomplish our vision, the movement is fully dedicated to using the art of photography, motion films, and written word to present people's unique stories in an artful, impacting form, so that human transformation occurs exponentially. Our story movement reaches the masses via sharing and connecting people through the enormous power of the world wide web - our dedicated 7 Billion Ones website and social media. In addition, 7 Billion Ones sponsors and presents a variety of humanitarian, outreach events to bring change face-to-face within communities - locally, nationally and internationally. Furthermore, we realize 7 Billion Ones cannot change the world alone. Therefore, a crucial component of the movement is partner with other non-profit and humanitarian organizations to tell their unique stories, including the special people they are serving. Through these humanitarian partnerships, we aim to proactively assist these game-changers to more powerfully and effectively connect with their audience and present their mission -- help them to build a stronger network of advocates and ultimately elicit positive change within the world.

08/28/2026

"Being a good human is hard." - Leea

With that introduction, meet Leea, who is part of 'Love Your Neighbor'. I knew nothing about Leea the day I photographed and we interviewed her. I had never met her before. I didn’t know her story, what mattered to her, what she had struggled with, or what she believed about love. Somewhere in our conversation, a stranger stopped being a stranger. That, more than anything, is what 'Love Your Neighbor' is about. Here is Leea's story...

"As cliché as it is, for me the most important thing in life is family. I have a younger sister who is mine. Ha! She’s eleven years younger, so I spent a lot of time bringing her up. Anytime I have a partner or a new friend, I’m like, “You have to dig with my family. They’re a little crazy, but they are important!”

I’m a very caring person. Once you are a part of my life, you are a part of it forever, and I will always be there to take care of you. I work hard to maintain friendships and relationships once I have them.

I guess all my answers thematically connect because, to me, love means taking care of people. When I love, I do it with actions rather than just words. Words are important, but actions are what really count.
Love for me is like a big cozy hug.

My biggest challenge has been becoming the person I am today. I used to be a very tightly wound, angry little ball of energy as a teenager. Becoming a more relaxed adult who takes time and thinks about their actions and their words—and forming the group of people I’m around today, forming the family and friends and the love and all that jazz—it’s been a struggle.

It’s still a struggle to be kind, and it’s something that is worth working towards.

Being a good human is hard.

I think you have to try to focus on the things that make you happy. I’m lucky enough to have work that I enjoy, but I haven’t always been that lucky.

Find those little moments. For example, I like to bake cookies on my days off, and that’s an hour of time where I am just focusing on cookies and having a good time.

Finding the bits of your day where you can just be happy makes it much easier to get by day to day."

You can read Leea's full story as well as all of our other neighbor's stories on our website at the link below:

https://www.randybacon.com/love-your-neighbor-the-portraits

08/21/2026

"My name is Marvin May.

Like any of the other 8 billion people in the world, I never imagined I'd end up homeless on the streets of Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles for two years. But that's exactly what happened.

For 16 years, I worked as a set decorator in Hollywood, California. I lived in a six-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Stevenson Ranch. The only time I ever went to Skid Row was when we were filming television shows or feature films. By then, security had already cleared the area of the homeless population, and the sidewalks had been power-washed. I never saw the reality of what life there was truly like.

Then everything changed.

I was incarcerated for a year, and during that time I lost everything I had worked so hard to build. When I was released, I was asked if I had somewhere to go. I didn't. I was told to go to the L.A. Mission, but that didn't work out. Before long, I found myself walking the streets of Skid Row.

To make matters worse, I could barely see. While I was incarcerated, I had to throw away my contact lenses, so I was essentially half blind, wandering unfamiliar streets. I couldn't leave California until my restitution was paid. I had no ID, no Social Security card, no address—nothing. Getting a job was impossible.

Eventually, my grandmother paid my restitution, and I later paid her back. But then COVID happened, and once again, I couldn't leave the state.

As strange as it sounds, that experience became one of the greatest turning points in my life. It humbled me quickly and opened my eyes to a world beyond the comfortable bubble I had been living in. I met some incredible people, and together we mourned the loss of some incredible friends.

Every day—and every night—I believed I wasn't going to make it off those streets.

But I did.

In 2021, I was finally able to leave California and move back to Missouri. My family had moved to California in March 1998, so returning to the place I had left all those years before was a difficult pill to swallow.

Then, on Valentine's Day 2022, my wife passed away.

Since then, I've been learning how to live on my own.

Today, I have my own apartment, and I'm enrolled at OTC, studying Business and Marketing. My days of working as a set decorator on television shows and feature films may be over, but I believe there's a new life waiting for me just around the corner.

I've had quite a journey.

I don't think I would have made it through without my therapist. I prayed and asked my mom to send me an angel, and she did. That angel was my therapist.

One thing I've learned is that none of us truly knows where life will take us. Circumstances can change in an instant. But no matter what comes our way, every new day is another opportunity to be thankful, to stay humble, and to recognize how truly blessed we are."

We're so grateful for Marvin's courage to share his story in the hope of reaching just one person who needs his story. Our stories matter. You can view more portraits of Marvin and read his story, along with many other beautiful stories of hope, resilience, and restoration on our website:

https://8billionones.org/

08/14/2026

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the people I’ve met through LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR—a project that literally began in my own neighborhood.

This fall, I’ll begin creating new LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR portraits and stories in neighborhoods across America.

Maybe I should come meet your neighborhood!

This is Tinsley.

“I’m not just a pretty face. I’m a big joker; I like to hang out, have fun, but I also have that serious side. I want people to know that I’m a person. I want people to feel like they can talk to me, and I’ll listen, and it won’t just bounce off. I’ve had a lot of moments where people opened up to me, and that kind of trust means a lot.

Love to me is someone who sticks with you through thick and thin. I like comic books, so to me it’s like the sidekick or partner kind of a thing where you’re both equal, but at the same time you’re able to kick butt together.

You’ve got someone to fight life’s battles with, and you know they’re not going anywhere. That kind of love—steady, strong, fun—is what I think a lot of people are looking for but don’t always know how to find.

The biggest challenge I’ve faced is getting that sense of community. During COVID, I was alone in a four-person suite. I had no community whatsoever. Just finding somewhere to get rooted is how I got through it. Being surrounded by people who aren’t just surface-level friends but real ones who check in, who pray with you, who laugh and go through life with you—that changes everything.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Have some friends around you who will laugh; get that community in Jesus; pray for peace. Keep things simple.

Keep showing up. That’s what matters.”

— Tinsley

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
Portraits. Stories. Human encounters.
One neighborhood at a time.

https://www.randybacon.com/love-your-neighbor-the-portraits

07/31/2026

"Even though it hurt back then, I forgive you. Because I know that we all go through hard things.

My name is Willow, and one thing I want people to understand about me is that if someone is going through a hard time, I can get down to their level and feel some of the same things they're feeling so I can help lift them back up.

The power of empathy is showing people that they're not alone and that other people understand them.
I've felt alone before.

When I was little, I got bullied. It started when I was really young, around second grade. It got to the point where we had to go to the doctor because nobody knew what was wrong with me. I would get horrible stomachaches and not want to go to school. Eventually, we realized I was making myself sick because I was so nervous about what was happening.

I distinctly remember one time when I wanted to hang out with some friends. They told me no because I wasn't wearing the same bracelets as them. Things like that happened, and I took them to heart.

For a while it turned into a lot of self-doubt.

I was terrified. But I learned something from that experience. I learned not to let people walk all over me. I learned not to care so much about what they think. Most importantly, I learned to stay true to myself.

There have been people in my life who helped me get through hard times. Some of my favorite people in the world showed me that I wasn't alone. They understood me, and because of that, I understand how important it is for other people to feel understood too.

What happened to me shaped who I am today. It makes me stand up for other people whenever something is happening to them and make sure they're okay.

When someone's down, I can usually feel it without them even saying anything. And when I feel that, I'm there for them if they need me.

That's probably what I'm most proud of about myself.
The empathy.

If I met someone going through the same thing I went through, I would tell them to stay true to themselves. Find the people who make them feel happy instead of tearing them down. Find your people and lean on them.

I think everybody is going through something.

That's why, if I could say something to the people who bullied me, I would tell them that even if they think bullying someone is cool, it's not the solution. If they're going through something difficult, they need to find their people and lean on them instead of taking it out on someone else.

Because other people are going through things too.
I wanted to share my story because there are people who are going through the same things I went through, and I want them to know they aren't alone.

This is happening everywhere, but they can get through it.
I know that because I got through it.

And for the people who bullied me, even though it hurt back then, I forgive you.

Because I know that we all go through hard things."

We're grateful to Willow for bravely sharing her story with us. To read Willow's full story on our 8 Billion Ones website, please click the link below:

https://8billionones.org/story-library-six/willow-i-forgive-you

07/16/2026

"There’s a phrase that’s followed me through the hardest parts of healing.

Two simple words: “More, please.”

The first time I heard it, it was said gently spoken by my therapist on my eating disorder recovery team as I sat, ashamed and scared, in front of a plate of food. I was used to silence. I was used to shame. I was used to hiding. But she glanced in my direction with so much calm, so much belief, and simply said, “More, please.”
And somehow… it didn’t feel like a demand. It felt like an invitation. Because she saw me, in all of my mess, and cared for me. I could exhale and at least try to face the battle before me. That moment stuck. Because over time, “More please” became more than just about food. It became a symbol of the life I was slowly—sometimes painfully—fighting to reclaim.

More energy.
More connection.
More confidence.
More joy.
More healing.
More rest.
More peace.
More LIFE.

But getting there hasn’t been easy.

I started out in life as a pastor’s kid. I had a whole church love on me. I excelled in school, had good friends, had a supportive family…but mental health does not discriminate.

Depression and anorexia consumed me, but I somehow snuck around in the shadows. At least enough to never really have to deal with it head on. I got into the habit of avoiding or numbing quickly, which escalated to the point of unsafety frequently. Thankfully, I survived, but I didn’t heal.

I’ve had to face trauma I didn’t want to name, let alone relive. All on top of learning to leave the trauma I was living in. I’ve had to learn to navigate single parenting, safety concerns, the legal system, and the ache of being misunderstood. There were days I couldn’t breathe from the weight of it all. Nights I couldn’t sleep because I wasn’t sure if the walls I’d built were keeping me safe or just keeping me numb.

But through it—because of it—I’ve also begun to heal. I have learned how to FEEL instead of numb.
And that’s what I want people to know.

You are seen.

Mental health does not have to equal shame.

Trauma does not define you.

And you are never as alone as you think you are."

Thank you to Amy for so vulnerably sharing her powerful story with all who need to hear it and for the reminder that we are never truly alone. You can read Amy's full story on our 8 Billion Ones website at the link below:

https://8billionones.org/story-library-six/amy-more-please

07/09/2026

"A stranger started pushing Izzi's wheelchair without asking."

Meet Izzi.

"Hi, I am Izzi, and I'm 16 years old. I love my friends. My best friends mean the world to me."

I decided to ask her what she liked most about herself, she smiled...

"I'm cute."

She for sure is just that! And then, Izzi began laughing about her answer and I joined in. It was such a nice moment with her. And, then Izzi told me more (which, again, was followed by chuckles).

"Yeah, my dad calls me Pickle. That's his nickname for me."

In case you are wondering, Izzi was born with spina bifida.

"I'm disabled from the waist down. This all started when I was a newborn, so I didn't really think about it. I went through a lot when I was a baby, and now I'm better."

Her mom, Becki, remembers the day they learned the diagnosis during a 20-week ultrasound.

"I made the mistake of Googling it, and it was a terrible experience."

Then she said something I hope people will carry with them.

"Most of the time, she does not see herself as disabled. She feels disabled only when we can't access buildings. When there are steps and she can't get inside. That's when it shows up, but it is not her identity. People assume she can't do things because she's in a wheelchair. A few days ago, someone just started pushing her in a parking lot without asking. She looked panicked. He thought he was helping, but she has her own agency. If people ask her if she needs help, she'll tell them."

And finally, Becki shared the dream every parent understands.

"She lives a fulfilling life, and I believe she always will. I want her to be seen as the positive, joyful person she is. She loves her friends, her family, and baseball. I want her to pursue what fulfills her. And, as a mom, I do dream she gets married and has kids someday, if that's what she wants. But not anytime soon (laughter)."

Izzi...not a diagnosis. Not a wheelchair. A joyful 16-year-old whose life, like all of ours, is defined by far more than what others first see.

The Life I Choose made in partnership with Abilities First, opens this Saturday. C-ART Gallery, 208+ 212 E Commercial Street, Springfield, MO.

07/02/2026

Have you ever made an assumption about someone because of their disability?

I hope you'll meet Maria before you answer.

"When we moved to the United States, we learned to love our traditional dancing more than anything. It became a way to identify ourselves. For my daughter, Maria, it became her dream—to dance, to be on a stage, to be the spotlight."

"It wasn't easy. Her coordination was not the same. It's never perfect, but it is what she is. And so we fell in love with dancing."

"Her diagnosis is autism and intellectual disabilities. There was a time when I stopped caring about the diagnosis. What mattered was her future. I told myself, we have to work together. We have to believe in a better future. We have to continue going."

"There were moments when we went many steps backward—times of despair, desperation, and no hope. But then we would breathe, and we would continue. And every single day, she amazes us. She teaches me every day."

"Some people think that someone with a disability is dumb. That is not true. She knows more than me. She feels more than anyone else. She knows when true love is there, and she gives it back. She knows when something is not truthful, and she will let you know."

"I want her to be seen as who she is—a Latin woman. I want people to see the beauty of being different and diverse."

"I want her dreams to come true in the way she wants. I want her to be happy. To be herself. To travel the world without me. To set her own rules. To be happy—every day, every minute. I am so proud to be her mother." —Ana, mom,

Maybe changing the world begins by changing the way we see one another.

"The Life I Choose", created in partnership with Abilities First is opening July 11-September 5 at C-ART Gallery, Springfield, Missouri

06/18/2026

Some portrait sessions stay with me long after I put my camera away. My time with Kayla was one of those.

As she sat for her portrait holding photographs of her son, Jackson, her story hit my heart hard. There was a depth of love in her words that I won't soon forget. By the end of our conversation, I found myself thinking not only about Jackson's life, but about the value we place on every human life.

"What I want people to know is that my son had infinite value. His life mattered deeply. And I believe every person in this world carries that same value." — Kayla

The thing I loved most about Jackson was his resiliency. He faced so many hardships in his life—needles, surgeries, procedures he didn't understand but had to endure so we could keep him alive. Yet no matter what he went through, Jackson always came back to joy. When it was over, he would smile. He would laugh. And then he would reach out and hug me.

Jackson gave that same love to everyone he met. It didn't matter who they were. He had this incredible strength inside of him, even though he was so small. I still don't fully understand how he carried that strength, but it inspires me every day. I loved waking up every morning and being his mom.

Sometimes we miss the most beautiful parts of life because we decide someone's worth before we truly know them. This isn't about charity. It's about humanity. Every person deserves dignity and respect because they are human, created in the image of God.

My hope is that we'll live in a world where disability is not seen as a tragedy, but as another way of living life. Jackson showed me that life can still be full of beauty, joy, and strength.

This portrait and story are part of "The Life I Choose", a portrait and film project created in partnership with Abilities First.

Opening July 11–September 5 • C-ART Gallery • Springfield, Missouri

06/11/2026

"I never thought I'd have twins. They were a total surprise. They're the girls that I dreamed of.

They arrived early—with flashing lights and screams and chaos. For a while, I didn't believe they were mine. I didn't believe I'd get to keep them. I didn't get to hold them when they were born. They came home with oxygen and apnea monitors, and I had to learn to love them, because I was scared they'd be taken away.

My journey into motherhood is coming into this beautiful love for these two girls that get to be mine.

Alex is sassy and sweet and really hilarious.

Ainsley is creative and thoughtful and introspective. Very curious.

Now they're ten years old. They're just two beautiful girls. You're going to laugh with them and play with them. It won't be the way you thought—but it will be even better.

People living with disabilities don't get as many choices, and that's not fair. So, for Alex, we do what we can, so she has a voice—what shirt she wears, where she goes, who pushes her chair. Even if it's purple or pink, she still gets to choose.

Success is that my girls are alive and here. Living, breathing testaments to success.

My dream is that Alex lives a happy, safe, joy-filled life, that people listen to her and believe in her. For Ainsley, my hope is that she has her own journey. They are two separate and beautiful individuals.

At the end of the day, my dream is that we come back together, each day, as a family and have those beautiful moments.

I want people to see sisters. Two brave, beautiful warriors. Two creative souls.

I want them to be seen for who they are on the inside."

— Andrea, mother of Alex & Ainsley

I am grateful to Andrea for sharing her family's story and allowing me to share a small glimpse into the lives of Alex and Ainsley. They are two of the remarkable individuals you will meet in 'The Life I Choose.'

If you're in Springfield, I hope you'll join us for the opening of 'The Life I Choose' created in partnership with Abilities First, on July 11 at C-ART Gallery, 208 and 212 East Commercial Street. The exhibition will remain on view through September 5.

04/10/2026

There are some sessions you don’t forget… and Ryan is one of those people you don’t forget either.

The way he cares, the way he shows love...it’s genuine, joyful, and completely his own. And yes, the glasses slipping down his nose? That’s classic Ryan.

Towards the end of our time together, Ryan lit up and asked if he could go get his girlfriend, Hannah, to be in a few photos. How can you say no to that?

But, after reflecting on the session, what stayed with me most is the story his parents shared…

“Being Ryan’s parents… it’s a gift that I don’t think we fully understood where he would take us. We’ve been very blessed because of it, to get to meet a whole new world that we would have missed.”

“He’s been amazing. He’s brought out the best in us. It’s not always smooth sailing… there have been challenges and heartbreak… but it’s made us who we are as a family.”

“He sets the tone for our family. It’s better. The tone of our family is way better than if we wouldn’t have had Ryan.”

“We’ve always had expectations for him—just like our other kids… maybe with a little more patience. And he’s never disappointed us. He rises to the occasion.”

“We were once afraid of what his future might look like… but those fears were replaced by the community he built for himself.”

Ryan is out in the world—working, connecting, showing up.
An usher at Busch Stadium. Working at Enterprise Center. A MetroLink ambassador. A host at The Fox Theater.

He doesn’t just belong… he creates belonging wherever he goes.

And in Ryan’s words:

“I’m very friendly and easy at making new friends. I’m a hard worker. What makes me happy is hanging out with my friends, my family, and my romantic partner, Hannah… Belonging means making sure people with disabilities know that this is their place and they belong.”

This is Ryan. Full of joy. Full of purpose. And full of love.

Address

212 East Commercial Street
Springfield, MO
65803

Website

http://8billionones.org/

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