“ “As a young Black man who did not come from formal politics, I know how complicated it is to navigate this world. I also know how important it is for young people to run and represent their own neighborhoods. I am excited about the New Power Project because with mentorship and opportunity, we can do more than give voice to the voiceless - we can raise these voices to leadership positions.””
An initiative of New Politics, which itself aims to lower the barriers of entry into politics for outstanding leaders with military or national service backgrounds, the New Power Project is uniquely focused on recruiting and empowering values-driven individuals who have grown up in marginalized or underserved communities. We focus on community-based leaders who are ready to seek office now. The New Power Project will reach out to potential candidates through a number of national networks, including in partnership with Opportunity Youth United. New Power will help candidates overcome the barriers that so often prevent people like them from seeking and winning public office, barriers similar to those faced by women and working class candidates such as lack of social capital, absence of a fundraising base, lack of the “right credentials,” and many more. The New Power Project’s mission is to break down these barriers and expand the pathways into elected office for a new generation of servant leaders.
Our country’s institutions have failed to provide equal opportunity for all. For far too long, the same communities have been consistently neglected and actively disempowered. If we ever want to fully realize the principles on which we were founded, we need to elect more leaders who have experienced first-hand the degree to which these failures have impacted our fellow citizens. Our country’s criminal justice, education, housing, workforce, childcare, and health care systems will never achieve their full potential until we are serious about changing who holds and wields power. New Power will build and expand pathways to public office for servant leaders who, for generations, have been voiceless, empowering them to access the levers of meaningful and lasting change.
“I first ran for elected office after my twin brother Andre died at 29 years old while a pre-trial detainee in the custody of the department of correction. I ran to transform systems that allowed me to succeed but failed him, especially our educational system. The systemic and racial inequities in access to good housing, high paying jobs, excellent schools, and opportunities are not by accident -- they were created by government and therefore can be eradicated by government if we elect and empower leaders who have experienced them firsthand. That's why we need the New Power Project, which will not only assist young leaders in turning their pain into purpose but will also train them to run and win, allowing them to break cycles of poverty, trauma, and inequity in their own communities and beyond. Without us there to share our stories, our systems will never change."
— Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell
Even before the economic downturn of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were an estimated 4.5 million young adults neither enrolled in school nor regularly participating in the labor market. At least half of them grew up in impoverished urban, rural, and tribal communities, the very communities that have long been shut out from the halls of power. Their experiences give them unique perspectives on what can and should be done to change broken systems. New Power supports a new generation of local and state officeholders, creating a deeper “bench” of leaders with their unique voice and perspective. As the millions of Americans who have given up on voting finally see candidates who look like themselves and who understand their lived experiences, they will have more motivation to re-engage in our democracy.
It has never been a lack of plans, ideas, talent or solutions that has kept these young leaders from engaging with our political system, but rather a lack of resources, social capital, and access to the right opportunities. They are a population with the potential to forge diverse coalitions truly representative of all of America.
Our Team
New Power Project was launched by David Abromowitz, who most recently served as YouthBuild USA’s Chief Public Policy Officer. During his decades-long career, David has worked with thousands of young servant leaders from under-resourced communities. He has a long career as an affordable housing attorney, policy adviser, political activist and advocate for equity and opportunity.
New Power’s mission is informed and strengthened by a standout Advisory Council composed of former opportunity youth who themselves have run and won office, or who have led campaigns. In addition, the New Power Project has recruited an all-star Board of Mentors, current and former officeholders dedicated to supporting our candidates with one-on-one advice.
"The New Power Project is important to me because I know intimately what support Opportunity Youth, like myself, need to take back power in their communities, to redesign leadership and policy by being brave enough to run for office locally or statewide. I want to be of service of young adults for pathways out of poverty to elected seats."
— District Leader Shaquana Boykin