We Got Us: A Community Empowerment Project

What We Got Us: A Community Empowerment Project does

We Got Us: A Community Empowerment Project is a student-led nonprofit grassroots coalition founded in 2020 by LaShyra 'Lash' Nolen during the COVID-19 pandemic and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The organization serves Black and minority communities in the Greater Boston area by addressing systemic racism in healthcare through three pillars: education, access, and healing. Its core program offerings include one-hour Empowerment Sessions on topics ranging from Hypertension and Diabetes to Medical Racism and Maternal Health, the WGU Youth Program that trains high-school and college-age youth to lead community-based projects, and the Small Steps Healing Project, which operates free pop-up clinics offering acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, and sound healing. Additional offerings include multilingual Appointment Empowerment Kits (English, Spanish, Portuguese), downloadable COVID-19 educational resources, health policy briefs, podcasts, and research initiatives such as the Youth for Youth Text Message Survey and a Telehealth Pilot Program for unhoused individuals.

The business model is that of a small donation-and-merchandise nonprofit rather than a technology or services enterprise. Revenue derives from individual donations routed through The Climate Network (tcnetwork.org) and merchandise sales (t-shirts $30, cotton face masks $10, logo stickers $3) via a Squarespace-hosted e-commerce storefront. There is no proprietary technology platform; the underlying stack is a standard content website plus basic e-commerce. Distribution is community-led and multi-channel, combining in-person outreach at farmer's markets, parades, festivals, and pop-up clinics across Dorchester, Mattapan, and Roxbury with virtual Zoom Empowerment Sessions, an email newsletter, podcasts, and earned media coverage. The organization operates with a 12-person team of specialized directors and a board, and is supported by a dense network of community and clinical partners including VitalCXNS, Housing=Health, LifeScience Cares, BHCHP, MGH CARE Team, Boston Medical Center, and BMC CEAL.

Name

We Got Us: A Community Empowerment Project

Legal name

We Got Us Project

Website

https://wegotusproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

We Got Us is a Boston-based, student-led nonprofit founded in 2020 that delivers health education, healing services, and youth programming to Black and minority communities in Greater Boston. It combines Empowerment Sessions, a youth leadership program, free holistic-healing clinics, and multilingual resource kits, funded primarily by donations and merchandise sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Education Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Health & Health Equity Organizations (BPAGACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Health Promotion, Prevention & Community Health Programs (BPAIAJAC), Health Access & Social Care Innovations (Community Health, Telehealth for Underserved) (BPAGALAG), Health Equity, Access & Social Determinants Programs (BPAIAJAO)

Keywords

• Community health education
• Health equity programs
• Youth empowerment services
• Holistic healing clinics
• Vaccine education outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Merchandise Sales: The organization operates an e-commerce store selling merchandise including t-shirts, face masks, and stickers to raise funds and promote awareness.
2. Donations: Accepts donations through The Climate Network platform to support the organization's health equity work and community programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

We Got Us is a student-led, Boston-based community health coalition that delivers health education, healthcare access support, and healing services to Black and minority communities to combat racism in healthcare. Its core offerings include one-hour Empowerment Sessions on health topics, the Small Steps Healing Project providing free acupuncture and holistic healing clinics, the WGU Youth Program for youth leadership development, free Appointment Empowerment Kits available in English/Spanish/Portuguese, policy briefs, and educational podcasts. The organization supplements its mission-driven services with merchandise sales and donations.

Product overview

We Got Us is a student-led community health organization offering educational programs, healing services, and resources focused on combating racism through health education and access. The core offerings include Empowerment Sessions on health topics, the WGU Youth Program for youth engagement, the Small Steps Healing Project providing free holistic healing clinics, Appointment Empowerment Kits for medical visits, COVID-19 educational resources, Policy Briefs on health legislation, Podcasts on health equity topics, research initiatives like the Youth for Youth Text Survey and Telehealth Pilot Program, and a merchandise store. These programs work together to address health disparities in Black Boston communities through education, access, and healing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Small Steps Healing Project: Program providing free acupuncture and holistic healing services including acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, and sound healing to historically marginalized populations in Boston.
• WGU Youth Program
• Appointment Empowerment Kit

Products and services

• Empowerment Sessions One-hour community educational sessions hosted by Black pre-health and health professional students covering health topics including Hypertension, Diabetes, Food Apartheid, Maternal Health, COVID-19, Mental Health, and Medical Racism. Sessions are delivered via Zoom or in-person and are intended for Black and minority community members in the Boston area.
• WGU Youth Program Platform for youth (high school to graduate level) of color in Boston to participate in decision-making for social change, developing and implementing community-based projects and leading educational workshops on health disparities. The program builds unity among youth tackling health disparities in Greater Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
• Small Steps Healing Project Free pop-up acupuncture and holistic healing clinics providing acupuncture, acupressure, reiki, and sound healing services to historically marginalized populations in Boston neighborhoods. The program addresses economic and geographic barriers to holistic healthcare.
• Appointment Empowerment Kit Downloadable and printable empowerment kit designed to help community members feel confident during medical appointments, available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese with QR code resources for additional information.
• Policy Briefs Health policy analysis documents providing concise analyses of current health policy issues, including Bill S.782 (Medicaid doula coverage) and Bill H.2264 (Equitable Approaches to Public Health).
• Podcasts Audio content series including 'Adulthood Pending', 'Interdisciplinary - a healthcare podcast', and '#maxout time' discussing vaccine equity, medical racism, and public health awareness for community audiences.
• WGU Store Merchandise Merchandise store selling We Got Us branded items including t-shirts ($30), cotton face masks ($10), and logo stickers ($3) to raise funds and promote awareness of the organization's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,550 resource kits distributed
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• VitalCXNScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner collaborating with We Got Us on health education and community outreach initiatives in the Boston area.
• Housing=HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Unhoused Outreach Initiative program to meet health education and resource needs of unhoused people. Partners on the Telehealth Pilot Program for Unhoused Individuals.
• LifeScience CarescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner supporting We Got Us mission to combat racism through health education and access.
• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner collaborating on serving unhoused community members' health needs.
• MGH CARE TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on the Empowerment Session Focus Group research project to evaluate impact of empowerment sessions on COVID-19 vaccine perceptions.
• BMC CEAL (Boston Medical Center Community Engagement Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Youth for Youth Text Message Survey research project engaging youth of color in Boston.
• Boston Medical Center (BMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating on telehealth pilot program for unhoused individuals and research initiatives.
• Boston Healthcare for the HomelesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in telehealth pilot program to provide equitable access to medical care for unhoused individuals.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Health Leads: National nonprofit addressing social determinants of health by connecting patients to community resources. Comparable to WGU's Appointment Empowerment Kit and resource distribution model, with broader geographic reach and institutional funder base.
• Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP): One of the largest and most established healthcare programs for unhoused individuals in the U.S., based in Boston. Directly comparable to WGU's Unhoused Outreach Initiative and Telehealth Pilot Program; BHCHP is also a named WGU partner.
• National Minority Quality Forum: Research and education organization working to reduce health disparities in minority communities. Comparable to WGU in mission and a known recognition-giver to the founder; operates at a national scale with deeper institutional funding.
• Mass General Brigham Community Health: Health system-led community health programs addressing health equity in Greater Boston. Comparable to WGU's locally focused health education and access work, with substantially larger financial and clinical resources.

Direct peers

• BLKHLTH: Black-led health education organization focused on health education, narrative change, and community mobilization for Black well-being. Comparable to WGU in its youth-adjacent leadership, grassroots events model, and health equity mission.
• SisterSong: Southern-based reproductive justice collective of women of color organizations. Comparable to WGU in its community-led, anti-racism framework and use of policy advocacy and grassroots education to address health disparities.
• Center for Black Health & Equity: Public health nonprofit working to advance health equity for Black communities through education, advocacy, and policy. Mirrors WGU's anti-racism framing, community-led approach, and emphasis on culturally sensitive health information.
• The Loveland Foundation: Nonprofit focused on mental health support for Black communities through therapy access and healing programs. Comparable to WGU's Small Steps Healing Project and mental health Empowerment Sessions targeting historically marginalized populations.
• National Birth Equity Collaborative: Nonprofit organization focused on eliminating Black maternal health disparities through research, advocacy, and community-based programs. Directly comparable to WGU's work on maternal health Empowerment Sessions and policy briefs on doula coverage.
• Black Women's Health Imperative: National nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity and well-being for Black women and girls through policy, advocacy, and education. Directly comparable to WGU's mission of culturally tailored health education and systemic health equity for Black communities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wegotusproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about We Got Us: A Community Empowerment Project