Leadership Development
What is Leadership?
Miami Workers Center defines a leader as someone who has influence in their community and networks, is invested in developing others’ leadership, shows capacity to accompany people in making decisions, learn from challenges and mistakes, learning new skills, and open to personal transformation.
Leadership development is a process that supports and enhances the skills, confidence and analysis of members to strengthen their ability to organize power for their communities, contribute to developing strong organizations, and help build the movement for racial, economic and social justice.
Workers School for Solidarity and Dignity (WSSD)
Our Workers School for Solidarity and Dignity (WSSD) deepens the consciousness of individuals through political education, intersectional issue and situational analysis and leadership development skills training as well as specific leadership opportunities to design, develop and lead campaign work. The program also provides movement mentors for emerging leaders.
WSSD 2021
Our first iteration of WSSD was a rigorous 7-week program to deepen members’ understanding of our shared political landscape, how power is distributed and who benefits from it, the fight for land and housing, reproductive justice, and key organizing skills needed for a powerful mass movement.
WSSD 2022
In 2022, we narrowed our focus in order to deepen our commitment to leadership development, and increase member leaders capacity in facilitation and agenda-building. 15 member leaders engaged in the WWSD and all program graduates have gone on to play key roles leading our worker and tenant committees, leading canvassing, and driving our priorities forward.
2022
Health, Safety, Power! Organizing Fellowship
In Spring 2022, 8 Care worker leaders and members of the Miami Workers Center were selected for the 12-week Miami Care Worker Health, Safety, Power! Organizing Fellowship. They were provided intensive training and support to carry out hundreds of conversations with fellow care workers about worker rights (how to combat wage theft, and identify labor trafficking), our campaign to expand the Human Rights Ordinance to increase protections for care workers, and how to access life saving vaccinations.
Domestic Worker Training & Worker Cooperative Development Fellowship
In Fall 2022, 12 care worker leaders and members of the Miami Workers Center selected for the 10-week Domestic Worker Training and Worker Cooperative Development Leadership Program were provided intensive training on building a campaign to pass a Domestic Worker Bill of Rights to increase protections for care workers, and the history and significance of developing cooperative worker-owned small businesses.
Electoral Justice Fellowship
4 MWC members were selected for the 7-week paid fellowship focused on leadership development, training in voter engagement skills and campaign strategies, and political education.