Empower DC

Empower DC builds power to amplify the community's voice. Founded by two local organizers who understood that the people most impacted by inequitable systems are often excluded from the decision-making process, Empower DC has worked directly with hundreds of Black and Brown residents who become confident, informed, and outspoken advocates --testifying at hearings, giving interviews to the media, and developing policy. It organizes with residents to advocate for public housing, environmental justice, racial equity, and equitable development, and has won increased funding for childcare subsidies, fought against closing public schools, proposed zoning amendments for affordable housing, and advocated to close a chemical facility that has made Ivy City residents ill. Empower DC disrupts inequitable systems by organizing community power so residents can shape the policies and decisions that affect their lives.