OUR WORK
At the Philly Black Worker Project, we believe in bold, Black worker-led solutions to exploitation and injustice. Our work is rooted in a three-pronged approach that meets the needs of our communities while building lasting power.
1
Basebuilding and Campaigns
When Black Workers Organize, We Win.
Black workers have always organized—in formal and informal ways—to demand fair pay, safe conditions, and most importantly, dignity and respect. We believe that the most powerful force for justice is organized workers—especially those who’ve been historically excluded from unions, protections, and fair treatment. We organize alongside marginalized, Black workers to build power on the job and in our communities.
2
Strategic Enforcement
We Make Laws Real.
We know that many of the most vulnerable workers—Black contingent workers, immigrant workers, queer workers, formerly incarcerated workers and others—face abuse even when laws exist to protect them. That’s why we fight for strategic enforcement of labor laws. Strategic enforcement means taking action on bad actors, empowering workers to speak out, and making sure laws are actually enforced in real time—not just written in legal codes. Strategic enforcement is not just paperwork, it builds worker power.
3
Mutual Aid
We Take Care of Us. Always Have. Always Will.
We know that when systems fail us—we don’t wait, we organize. Mutual aid is how Black communities have always survived: by sharing resources, watching each other’s backs, and meeting urgent needs together. Our mutual aid work is grounded in solidarity, not charity. It’s about redistribution, dignity, and collective care, especially for those most impacted by