Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is a left-leaning voter mobilization group that aims to coordinate the efforts of other left-leaning activist groups in Louisiana. The group is associated with State Voices, a nationwide coalition of left-leaning nonprofits that has created a voter mobilization infrastructure for supporting liberal causes. ¹ As of March 2021, the organization is an independent non-profit organization with tax exempt status. ²

Founding and History

The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice has been active since at least 2016, when the group organized a voter outreach program to reach 30,000 infrequent minority voters in various parishes in Louisiana. The group has participated in various large-scale voter drives, and organized on behalf of the campaign to end the use of non-unanimous juries. ³ In 2021 the group received tax exempt status. ⁴

Finances

The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice received tax exempt status in March of 2021, and as a result, no financial filings are available as of late 2021. ⁵

Issue Areas

The Power Coalition for Equity supports and actively advocates for a variety of left-of-center policy proposals in the state of Louisiana. This includes increasing the minimum wage, opposing work requirements for Medicaid eligibility, and opposing voter identification laws. ⁶ The group states that “intersectionality,” a left-progressive ideological view of interlocking “oppression” along lines of race, sex, and sexual orientation related to critical race theory, is mandatory for policy advocacy. ⁷ The group is also involved in the Louisiana redistricting process that will be finalized in February of 2022. ⁸

Partners

The Power Coalition for Equity and Justice is comprised of a coalition of Louisiana-based left-progressive groups. ⁹

Vayla New Orleans

Vayla New Orleans is a left of center organization that is focused on combatting perceived racism in New Orleans and considers itself to be an intersectional organization that engages in identity politics, specifically focused on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. ^{10 11}

Louisiana Budget Project

The Louisiana Budget Project is a left-of-center think tank that works to promote left-of-center economic policy in Louisiana. It advocates for the establishment of a state minimum wage that would be higher than the federal minimum wage, the expansion of Medicaid, and the expansion of unemployment insurance, among other issues. ^{12 13 14}

Women with a Vision

Women with a vision is a left-of-center Black female activist group that works to decriminalize prostitution and to defend access to abortions. ¹⁵

New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice

The New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice is a left of center intersectional organization focused on racial and immigrant identity and labor. The group is involved in union activist and organizing activities. ¹⁶

Step Up Louisiana

Step Up Louisiana is a left of center activist membership-based organization that advocates for an increase in the minimum wage and opposes school choice. ¹⁷

Other Partners

Other partner organizations include Housing NOLA, Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children, Jericho Road: The Episcopal Housing Initiative, and the Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families. ¹⁸

Leadership

Ashley Shelton is the founder, president, and CEO of the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. She is the former vice president of programs at the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. ¹⁹

Janea Jamison is the director of programs at the Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. She is focused on racial and gender activism and has organized many of the group’s initiatives, including census activities and a program to cultivate female leaders. She has held positions with local levels of government in Louisiana. ²⁰

1. ^[1] State Voices. “Louisiana.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://statevoices.org/state-tables/louisiana/.
2. ProPublica. “Power Coalition For Equity And Justice.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/832511340.
3. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “About.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/about/.
4. ProPublica. “Power Coalition For Equity And Justice.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/832511340.
5.  ProPublica. “Power Coalition For Equity And Justice.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/832511340.
6. “Louisiana Policy Guide for Equity and Opportunity.” Power Coalition for Equity and Opportunity, n.d. https://powercoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/PCEJ_PolicyGuide.pdf.
7. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “About.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/about/.
8. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Redistricting.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/redistricting/.
9. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Partnerships.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/partnerships/.
10. VAYLA. “Home.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://vayla-no.org/.
11. VAYLA. “History.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://vayla-no.org/about/history/.
12. Louisiana Budget Project. “Minimum Wage.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.labudget.org/category/economic-opportunity/minimum-wage/.
13. Louisiana Budget Project. “Unemployment Insurance.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.labudget.org/category/economic-opportunity/unemployment-insurance/.
14. Louisiana Budget Project. “Medicaid.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.labudget.org/category/health-care/medicaid/.
15. Women with a Vision. “Home.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://wwav-no.org/.
16.  NOWCRJ. “OUR WORK.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.nowcrj.org/our-work.
17. Step Up Louisiana. “Step Up Louisiana.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://www.stepuplouisiana.org.
18. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “Partnerships.” Accessed September 21, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/partnerships/.
19. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “About.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/about/.
20. Power Coalition for Equity and Justice. “About.” Accessed September 22, 2021. https://powercoalition.org/about/.