Power U’s mission is to organize low income communities directly impacted by institutional oppression by utilizing leadership development, promoting self-determination, and building community power to create an equitable and just society.
They work with low-income residents, women, and youth of color who want to organize of social change. Membership is approximately 80% women, 86% African-American, 10% Haitian/Caribbean, and 4% Latino. In 1999 Power U Center for Social Change was incorporated as a separate, community-owned grassroots organization. Since then, they have organized several town hall meetings, vigils, and marches to City Hall where residents spoke out against luxury condos requesting low-income housing. They’ve introduced a new program called Powerful Women & Families as well as Co-founded Root Cause and sponsored 34 mile march against the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Power U has helped establish the Overtown Alliance. The Alliance is made up of organizations, groups,and individual residents who want to fight for a Sustainable Community Benefits Agreement and community control over development and resources in Overtown.As an organization they stand shoulder to shoulder among all people in Miami as an ethically represented, thriving community in control of its resources & the preservation of its history.
If you want to get involved or learn more, contact Keith Ivory at Power U,info@poweru.org.
