Power California

Power California is building the voting power and leadership of young people of color to participate in and lead systems of government, ensuring our electorate mirrors the rich diversity of California. Power California organizes young people of color in communities across California to dismantle oppressive institutions and be empowered to make decisions that work best for them. Our ability to mobilize thousands of young voters of color is a testament to the efficacy of long-term investment in building the infrastructure, capacity and voting power of young BIPOC through civic engagement. We are: 1) ensuring full and equal representation of young voters of color by building a powerful and civically engaged community of young people of color across California; 2) building the capacity, infrastructure, and strengthening the youth organizing ecosystem to deepen voter participation, engagement, shift the electorate, and mobilize young voters of color; 3) shifting public perception and narrative about young Californians of color and their power to lead and determine California’s future that centers young people and reshapes the way young people think about how the government and economy should work; 4) building an organizing and political home for tens of thousands of young people of color that can advance a youth-centered agenda; and 5) positioning Power California as a resource and voice for young people building towards our long-term vision for an economy and democracy that works for young people and their families.

Leadership development, political education, organizing skills and strategy, and civic education are core components of our approach towards building youth power long-term and ensuring young people have the tools and resources they need to develop and lead youth organizing work. PowerCA goes beyond traditional civic engagement programs, building deep relationships, talking about shared lived experiences, and creating opportunities to lead on the issues and change we want to see in our communities. Building this movement at the speed we trust, engaging young people beyond voting, getting to know them, their families and what they care about is key in building a sustained voting base around an agenda rooted in justice.

PowerCA has established a robust infrastructure for youth organizing and civic engagement in under-invested regions of California. When we invest in young people we see the impact in our communities, on a state level, and across the country. Expanding our youth organizing work builds a powerful base of young voters of color with the power to impact elections and shape the course of California, our local regions and neighborhoods Expanding our work allows us to create hubs in areas currently lacking collective youth organizing efforts. Young people of color are the overwhelming majority of youth in California and when engaged, resourced, and centered in the work we can ensure that power truly rests with them.

Our Key Strategies Include:

1) Building a youth voter base that mobilizes 200,000+ young voters annually;

2) Building a membership base of 10,000+ BIPOC young people addressing the gaps in the youth organizing pipeline & building stronger leadership pathways;

3) Utilizing art and culture to shift the way young people experience elections & use their civic power both inside & outside of elections and changing the way young people of color are valued & positioned as leaders and decision-makers through narrative strategy in order to shift power to our communities;

4) Building the next generation of leadership of young people to develop, organize, & lead local and statewide campaigns for racial justice & equity through training, capacity building, & leadership development;

5) Building youth organizing capacity, infrastructure, & leadership in underrepresented communities with 20+ youth organizing partners across the state.

Since 2016 PowerCA has built the electoral organizing capacity of 30+ youth organizations across the state & engaged over 500,000 young voters in California resulting in real impact at the polls. By collectivizing our power under one alliance & building alignment at the regional & state level, PowerCA maximizes the strength of individual organizations, deepening our collective impact & increasing the political power of young people. Additionally, PowerCA has engaged young people of color in regions across the state where deep investment in youth of color organizing did not exist, growing our base of young leaders of color & building the political power needed to advance a youth agenda. As the only organization developing & sustaining youth of color organizing in underinvested regions of the state we are increasing the civic infrastructure, leadership, & electoral power of young people of color. This level of impact is possible due to our unique approach that centers young voters of color at the statewide level in the civic engagement field.

Since its inception, PowerCA has centralized the importance of narrative strategy as critical to capturing the imagination of young people & organizing them into a powerful block of voters & activists. PowerCA understands that in order for voters to hear & support any potential policies or solutions to transform our communities, we must connect to shared values & experiences & help masses of young people envision the transformations we seek. Through intensive capacity building with our alliance of youth organizing partners, we are building lasting statewide civic engagement infrastructure. In building up the capacity & leadership in our communities we are preparing the next generation to lead for the long-term & shifting power in California.

PowerCA trains youth & young adults in community organizing & electoral organizing building one of the largest bases of youth leaders across the state. By partnering & building relationships with school districts, elected officials, & county registrars to prioritize civic engagement in underrepresented communities we are increasing the civic learning & leadership of young people of color. Through our innovative approach to movement building, civic engagement, & leadership development young leaders, students, & volunteers are able to connect & engage their peers in civic engagement actions & activities ensuring our work reaches far beyond the thousands of young people we train & educate through our various program areas.

PowerCA fulfills a critical niche in the civic engagement ecosystem by activating young leaders of color & building the capacity & infrastructure for this generation to step fully into their economic, civic, & cultural power. Our long-term investment of building the infrastructure, capacity, & voting power of young people of color contributes to the long-term movement of building power with young people across California.

PowerCA leads campaigns that increase the health, safety, and well-being of young people of color throughout California and creates spaces for youth leaders to engage in a larger dialogue around democracy, inclusion, and equity.

Recent Accomplishments:
Engaged and mobilized over 200,000 young voters annually to exercise their political voice and power
Registered and pre-registered over 85,000 young voters of color expanding the electorate
Since 2018 Power California has turned out young voters at a record 71% on average for the past elections,12 points higher than the state average
Co-launched Working Families Party (WFP) in Los Angeles and the Central Valley with a strong leadership role in statewide WFP
Power California engaged and mobilized over 45,000 young voters for the 2021 Special Election targeting young voters throughout the Central Valley
Developed the leadership of over 3,000 young people of color who are now key decision-makers and leading civic engagement tables changing the landscape of California
Built a base of supporters with over 100,000 young leaders of color across California
Built the capacity of 20+ youth organizations organizing and building power in places like East Contra Costa, the Central Valley, and Southeast Los Angeles in areas where little organizing with young people of color previously existed
PowerCA with our youth organizing partners won the right to vote in Oakland School Board elections for 16 and 17 year olds
Passed resolution to study the feasibility of lowering the voting age to 16 in Los Angeles school district elections
Won $1M for rent, mortgage, and utilities assistance for Merced County residents
Won $1.25M in COVID federal relief money to be invested into youth jobs as part of a Youth Employment Program in Merced

Over the past 5 years PowerCA has established a robust infrastructure for youth organizing and civic engagement statewide through organizing and activating youth leaders, ultimately building youth power by implementing capacity building and leadership development strategies. We will continue to strengthen the capacity of our alliance partners and grow a robust ecosystem of youth organizing needed to advance a youth agenda.