Miami Workers Center, Power U unveil vision for social justice hub in Liberty City

WLRN Public Media | By Amelia Orjuela Da Silva | Miami Times

The Center for People Power will be a hub of social justice, community organizing and activism.

In the heart of Liberty City, a transformative new project is taking shape that will redefine Miami’s social, economic and cultural landscape. “The Center for People Power,” a collaboration between the Miami Workers Center and Power U Center for Social Change, aims to become a hub for social justice, community organizing and activism in Miami-Dade County — all while fulfilling the organizations’ vision in which working-class communities of color have dignity, respect and resources. It would also work to combat gentrification, displacement and rising rents in historically Black and Hispanic neighborhoods like Liberty City, Overtown, Little Haiti, Allapattah and Brownsville.

The project is part of the broader 3C Initiative spearheaded in the city by Miami Homes for All, a national effort led by the Center for Community Investment (CCI) to address housing needs and racial inequities in five U.S. cities.

A new vision

The Center for People Power emerged from a pressing need to create a permanent space for social justice and grassroots organizing, said Santra Denis, executive director of the Miami Workers Center.

“We do anti-displacement work, which has been the core of our mission since our founding,” she said. “But we are also thinking about how nonprofits in the area are being displaced and how people thinking about systems-level issues, housing, whether it be environmental — they also need a place to come together, to have space to train, to have space to learn.”

The Center will serve as a movement-oriented hub for community mobilization across Miami-Dade.

“We understand that in order to build social change, we need a strong civil society,” said James Lopez, executive director of Power U. “That requires community spaces where people can go for free to engage with each other.”

Renderings for The Center for People Power presented at Miami Homes for All 3C initiative groundbreaking ceremony.

Multipurpose space for the community

The Center will be located on land owned by the Miami Workers Center in Liberty City, spanning 12,500 square feet across three floors designed for collaboration, education and entrepreneurship.

Denis called it one of their biggest legacies.

“We want to double down in that legacy by having a place where if people need information, they can come. If there will be a mobilization, an action, a rally, they know they can come. If they wanna be trained and educated, they can come to Miami Workers Center,” she said.

Denis also noted the importance of the project in light of rapid development in Miami.

“You really don’t hear about what’s in it for the people of Miami who’ve historically been here,” she said.

The ground-floor plans feature a civic center, urban kitchen, café and catering kitchen, creating a platform for local entrepreneurs and chefs. It will also include a computer lab and a venue for community events. The second floor will offer flexible meeting rooms, conference spaces and private offices for small businesses and nonprofits. These spaces will host workshops, trainings and larger community gatherings.

The second floor will be used as civic and commercial space.

The third floor will house co-working spaces and additional private offices, fostering collaboration among local organizations and businesses. The rooftop will include a green oasis, offering shaded areas for community events and promoting environmental sustainability.

“We want to make sure there’s greenery so people can have some shade,” Denis explained. Liberty City, along with other predominantly Black or minority neighborhoods, are known to have high levels of concrete with disproportionately low levels of tree canopy, putting them at higher risk of extreme heat.

Art and culture will also be vital at the center, with murals, artist exhibits and a memorial dedicated to local leaders. The Center will additionally be used to foster collaboration among community organizations, and intergenerational programs plan to empower youth looking to engage in social justice and activism.

Affordable housing

One of the center's most central features will be its affordable housing model. The building will include five residential units for individuals and families earning less than 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Denis explained that these units could offer transitional housing or incorporate community ownership models to ensure residents remain in their communities without displacement.

Lopez emphasized the importance of such a model amid Miami's growing housing crisis.

“The number one expense that leads to Miami’s unaffordability is rents and the cost of housing,” he noted.

Annie Lord, executive director of Miami Homes for All, applauded the project’s mixed-use development.

“Mixed-use development — even on a small scale — creates walkability and a sense of community. It’s more urban and really appropriate for our community,” she said.

Lord also commends the Miami Workers Center for taking on the responsibility, noting how difficult it is for a non-development nonprofit to undertake such a project.

“It’s an important undertaking that showcases to other nonprofit organizations, including faith-based ones, that it can be done,” Lord said.

What’s next?

The Center for People Power is the focal point of a $10 million capital campaign launched in October 2024 to fund its construction and ensure long-term sustainability. The funds will cover both the building’s construction and ongoing operations. Goals for this year’s phase of the project include submitting the building permit and securing community support.

Construction of the Center is expected to begin in 2026, with completion slated for 2027. In the meantime, both organizations are focused on expanding their impact and building community support.

Miami Workers Center's campaign "No Eviction Without Representation" helps defend tenants against landlords.

Throughout 2025, the Miami Workers Center will continue its fight for housing justice — including through its No Eviction Without Representation campaign, which aims to help tenants defend themselves against landlords — and initiatives aimed at securing rights for domestic workers.

Power U, in turn, will expand its youth engagement programs and continue grassroots organizing around issues like universal childcare and public education defense.

Through the Center for People Power, the Miami Workers Center and Power U aim to reshape the future of Miami.

“We are proud to be in Liberty City and remain committed to the communities surrounding,” Denis said. “This is a focus on our people, for us, by us; to really say that this kind of development can happen alongside the community, with the community.”

This story was produced by The Miami Times, one of the oldest Black-owned newspapers in the country, as part of a content sharing partnership with the WLRN newsroom. Read more at miamitimesonline.com.