Power U Center for Social Change-Miami, FL
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. Power U works with low-income residents, women, and youth of color who want to organize for social change.
As a Communities Creating Healthy Environments grantee, Power U will focus on advocacy to address childhood obesity in the historic African American community of Overtown in Miami.
This breakthrough project will focus on policy change to increase breastfeeding and institutional support for breastfeeding (workplace, clinics, hospitals, etc.) – a key, evidence based intervention to reduce childhood obesity. Other objectives include leveraging Sustainable Community Benefits Agreements (SCBAs) to increase local access to food and recreation; and a restorative justice policy in Miami public schools to limit detention and increase access to recreation alternatives.