Power U Center for Social Change

What Power U Center for Social Change does

Power U Center for Social Change is a Miami-Dade County, Florida-based nonprofit founded in 1999 that develops the civic leadership of Black and Brown working-class students, teachers, parents, and community residents. Its primary work runs through the L.E.A.D. Program, an annual Membership Program with mandatory orientation (80%+ attendance requirement), Teacher Support Spaces, Parents & Community Members programming, MDCPS mobilization during the county school-budget cycle, and committee-based campaigns covering Reproductive Justice, Environmental Justice, Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline, and (as of 2024) Universal Child Care. The organization also publishes the Principles of Unity Zine (5th edition released 2023) and conducts door-to-door canvassing, town halls, and orientation signing-day ceremonies to recruit and retain members.

The technology layer is intentionally low-tech and relationship-driven: a standard web platform on WordPress, NGP VAN/EveryAction for donor/email communications, WooCommerce for branded merchandise sales (apparel and accessories priced $7-$40), and Instagram for organic social reach. There is no proprietary software, no mobile app, and no AI component; the platform exists to support organizing rather than to be a product in itself.

Revenue mechanics are equally simple and undisclosed in dollar terms. Power U operates as a 501(c)-style nonprofit funded primarily through individual donations collected via EveryAction, supplemented by branded merchandise sales on its own WooCommerce storefront and modest earned-income potential from events. With only 15 employees, the model relies on volunteer labor, member dues of effort rather than fees, and a small professional staff led by Executive Director James Lopez, Organizing Director Jessica Martin, and Development Director Ashley. The geographic footprint is single-county (Miami-Dade), with a 2025 expansion node at Florida International University via the Power U @ FIU alumni-founded chapter.

Name

Power U Center for Social Change

Legal name

Power U

Website

https://poweru.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Power U Center for Social Change is a Miami-based nonprofit that runs leadership-development, political-education, and committee-based advocacy campaigns for Black and Brown working-class students, parents, teachers, and community residents across Miami-Dade County, including a 2025 expansion at FIU.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Organizing Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Child and Youth Services (62411), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Leadership, Civic Education & Service-Learning Nonprofits (BPAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)

Keywords

• Community organizing
• Political education
• Leadership development
• Social justice advocacy
• Civic engagement training

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Power U Center for Social Change is a Miami-based nonprofit that runs community organizing, political education, and leadership development programs for Black and Brown working-class youth, parents, teachers, and residents of Miami-Dade County. Its core offerings are the L.E.A.D. Program, an annual Power U Membership cycle with orientation, and committee-based campaigns (Reproductive Justice, Environmental Justice, Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline, and Universal Child Care). It also sells branded apparel merchandise through a WooCommerce shop and collects donations through an EveryAction portal to fund its organizing work.

Product overview

Power U Center for Social Change is a community organizing nonprofit that operates primarily through programs and merchandise. The organization offers branded apparel merchandise sold through a WooCommerce-powered e-commerce platform, including hoodies, t-shirts, longsleeves, hats, shorts, sweatpants, accessories, and bags priced between $7-$40. Beyond retail, the core offerings include the L.E.A.D. Program (Leadership, Education, and Development), annual Power U Membership cycles with orientation and political education, Teacher Support Spaces, Parents and Community Members programming, MDCPS Mobilization campaigns, Committee Campaigns (Reproductive Justice, Environmental Justice, and Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline), and the Principles of Unity Zine publication. The organization uses NGP VAN/EveryAction for email communications and newsletters, and WooCommerce for e-commerce operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The L.E.A.D. Program Leadership, Education, and Development (L.E.A.D.) program that builds leadership capacity of students, teachers, families, and community members for transformative movements; targeted at Black and Brown working-class constituents in Miami-Dade County.
• Power U Membership Program Annual membership cycle for Miami-Dade County residents including orientation, political education, leadership development, and committee work; new members must attend 80% of orientation sessions and are inducted at Membership Signing Day ceremonies.
• Teacher Support Spaces Collegial organizing space for Miami-Dade County Public Schools educators to discuss school matters, develop action plans, support one another, and pursue collective organizing without bureaucracy.
• Parents & Community Members Program Organizing and parent engagement programming that brings parents and community members together to learn from each other and improve children's education and parent engagement in Miami-Dade County schools.
• MDCPS Mobilization Campaign Annual mobilization effort around the Miami-Dade County Public Schools budget process and school board advocacy, including direct member testimony at MDCPS budget hearings and committee-driven campaign priorities.
• Committee Campaigns (Reproductive Justice, Environmental Justice, Against School-to-Prison Pipeline, Universal Child Care) Member-led committee campaigns on specific policy areas: Reproductive Justice (healthcare access, nurses in schools); Environmental Justice (infrastructure, trash/recycling in underserved neighborhoods); Against the School-to-Prison Pipeline (restorative justice, counselor-not-cops); and Universal Child Care (publicly funded early childhood education in Miami, added in 2024).
• Power U Branded Apparel and Accessories Branded apparel and accessories line sold through the Power U WooCommerce shop at poweru.org/shop, including hoodies (Power U Assata, Everyday People Organize, Community Organizer Zip Up, Ella Baker Pullover), longsleeves (Freedom Means No Fear, I AM AN ORGANIZER, Swimming In Honey), tees (Miami Grown Organizer Tee), hats (Power U Trucker Hat in Green and Red, Power U Bucket Hat, Power U Visors), bottoms (Varsity Shorts, Varsity Sweatpants), and accessories (lanyards, Everyday People Tote Bag); pricing ranges from $7 to $40.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of public speaking portion at MDCPS budget hearings in 2021
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Community Change: National racial-justice and economic-equity intermediary that supports grassroots organizing groups and runs large-scale civic-engagement campaigns. Broader incumbent peer in the same movement ecosystem, with overlapping funder relationships and policy goals.

Direct peers

• Forward Together: Multi-racial, intergenerational membership organization advancing gender, racial, and economic justice through leadership development and policy campaigns. Closely comparable in intergenerational organizing and base-building approaches.
• Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ): National network of local chapters organizing white people and others to act for racial justice, supporting base-building and campaigns led by groups of color. Comparable in committee-based, volunteer-driven grassroots organizing infrastructure.
• Mijente: Latinx and Chicanx organizing hub and political home for migrant and racial-justice movements, running campaigns on immigrant rights, criminal justice, and civic participation. Comparable to Power U in its identity-rooted, member-led base-building model.
• BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100): National member-based organization of Black youth aged 18–35 organizing for racial justice, police accountability, and Black liberation. Closely comparable to Power U in its youth-centered, base-building, Black-leadership development model.
• Faith in Action: One of the largest U.S. faith-based broad-based community organizing networks, using intensive leadership development and local congregation-based committees to win policy campaigns. Closely comparable in intergenerational base-building and committee-based campaign structure.
• Miami Workers Center: Miami-based grassroots organization organizing low-wage, Black, and immigrant workers for power and policy change. Operates in the same Miami geography with comparable base-building and direct-action organizing methods.
• Dream Defenders: Miami-based, youth-led social-justice organization founded in the wake of Trayvon Martin's killing, focused on Black and Brown youth leadership, civic engagement, and policy campaigns. Operates in the same geography and demographic with overlapping base-building and direct-action playbook.
• Make the Road: Member-led community organization building power of immigrant and working-class communities through leadership development, organizing, and policy advocacy. Comparable in base-building, leadership development programs, and issue-based campaigns on education and justice.
• New Florida Majority: Florida statewide civic engagement and organizing organization focused on expanding the political power of Black, Brown, and young Floridians. Operates in the same Florida geography and demographic with overlapping voter engagement and leadership development methods.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/poweru305

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Power U Center for Social Change