Poder Popular (aka Nashville People Power) is an organization of immigrant workers across Tennessee who work in the construction and hospitality industries and are fighting for better conditions at the workplace, at home, and for workers to have a say in how and what gets built here in Tennessee.

Hospitality

One of Poder Popular’s first campaigns supported Oaxacan kitchen workers at Twin Peaks Restaurant in Brentwood, TN where they led a one-month strike against their violent manager in January of 2023. The strike united both back-of-house and front-of-house workers despite language barriers, who joined forces to fight back against the abusive conditions that both groups were experiencing. In April 2026, a group of 15 service workers at Twin Peaks Restaurant returned to work after winning their jobs back and receiving a $200,000 settlement. Coordinated collective action between front- and back-of-house staff is rare in the restaurant industry, making this outcome particularly significant.

Construction

Construction work is the main source of income for many families in our tenant unions, an occupation that often comes with serious injury or death. We support workers in their fight for accountability against their bosses. A key part of this work has been raising funds for the Resilient Committee for Injured Workers through yard sales, community outreach, online campaigns, and more.

Women’s Committee

In response to the escalating attacks against immigrant working-class families in the U.S. and in Middle Tennessee, the women of Poder Popular formed a Women’s Committee called “Movimiento de Mujeres en Lucha” or “Movement of Women In Struggle” As ICE deportations continue to ramp up caused by the crisis of imperialism, the mothers, wives, and women in our tenant unions at Cedar Glen (Unidos Por Nuestras Familias) and Suburban (Unidos Por Un Cambio) Mobile Home Communities have watched their husbands, brothers, and family members get deported, which has left many women working multiple jobs with multiple children to survive. The women in the Movimiento de Mujeres en Lucha have come together to learn how administer their own funds and lead their own fundraising efforts including hosting community yard and food sales. They are also working on collectivizing by taking care of each other’s children, sharing information about who needs space or rooms to rent, and building a mutual aid infrastructure. Learn more about how to support them here.

Poder Popular helped build the LARGEST tenant unions in Tennessee!

Poder Popular helped guide the formation of three tenant unions in Middle Tennessee including in Antioch (Unidos Por Un Cambio), LaVergne (Unidos Por Nuestras Familias) and Clarksville (Todos Unidos Inquilinos De Belleglade). Poder Popular also played an advisory role in the formation of Vecinos Unidos de Wheel Estate in West Tennessee’s Memphis. Together, these tenant unions collectively represent hundreds of immigrant workers and families across the state.

Cedar Glen Mobile Home Park forms Unidos Por Nuestras Familias (Unidos)

Through the support of Poder Popular, residents at Cedar Glen Mobile Home Community form Unidos Por Nuestras Familias (Unidos)—a militant tenant union of 300+ Families, now with Independent Leadership. After meeting their initial demands (ending predatory parking fees, overdue renovations, and harassment by former property manager), Unidos established a new membership and leadership structure and are planning to expand their work.

“Our goal is to create a force capable of challenging poor management and corporate owners, and drive changes that benefit the residents of Cedar Glen, Yes! Communities, and the working class.”

— Unidos

Suburban Mobile Home Park forms Unidos Por Un Cambio

Unidos inspired the residents at Suburban Mobile Home Park in Antioch, TN, to form Unidos Por Un Cambio. In December 2024, 80 residents came together to intercept an act of predatory car towing against a single mother at Suburban Mobile Home Park. The residents are fed up with management’s new parking policy, which states that they will tow cars for any family with 3 or more cars— a classic harassment tactic against working-class residents. With the support from Unidos Por Nuestras Familias and Poder Popular, residents at Suburban are organizing, making them the third tenant union at a TN mobile home park organized in 2024.

Belleglade Mobile Home Community form We All United Belleglade Tenants / Todos Unidos Inquilinos De Belleglade

In September 2026, over 400+ working class residents in Belleglade Mobile Home Community in Clarksville, TN came together to fight increasingly exploitative and abusive practices by new management. Residents from all types of backgrounds, including Black, White, and Latino formed the tenant union “We All United Belleglade Tenants / Todos Unidos Inquilinos De Belleglade”. The organizing at Belleglade Mobile Home Community is part of Poder Popular’s growing work to build tenant power across Middle and West Tennessee.