WHY I CREATED 

WE THE PEOPLE UNITED FOR CHANGE, INC

A Message from Founder & Executive Director, Mustafa El Shabazz Bey

I founded We The People United For Change, Inc. because I witnessed firsthand how many individuals and families are left without access to the resources, education, and opportunities needed to create lasting stability in their lives.

Throughout my own journey, I experienced challenges that included addiction, incarceration, financial hardship, housing instability, and the struggle to rebuild my life. During that process, I learned that many people are not lacking determination or potential—they are lacking access, guidance, and opportunity.

As I worked to rebuild my life, I began to recognize that many of the challenges facing our communities are interconnected. Financial illiteracy contributes to poverty. Poverty contributes to housing instability. Housing instability contributes to displacement and the breakdown of communities. When residents are not equipped with the tools to build wealth, they are often unable to benefit from the improvements taking place around them.

WTPUFC was created to help change that reality.

My journey to founding We The People United for Change Inc. began during one of the most difficult periods of my life. While living in Columbia, South Carolina, I experienced homelessness firsthand. During that time, I witnessed not only my own struggles, but also the struggles of countless individuals and families who were facing housing insecurity, poverty, and a lack of access to opportunities that many people take for granted.

As I spent time in shelters, transitional housing programs, and communities affected by economic hardship, I saw a system that often focused on managing homelessness rather than creating pathways out of it. I met veterans, seniors, working adults, young people, and families who wanted stability but lacked the resources, support, and opportunities needed to move forward.

What concerned me most was seeing discussions about reducing or closing existing shelter and transitional housing resources while many vacant buildings throughout the community remained underutilized. I believed there had to be a better approach—one that expanded opportunities instead of reducing them.

Motivated by what I witnessed, I organized petitions and community advocacy efforts calling on local leadership to invest more resources into existing shelters and transitional housing providers. My goal was simple: encourage the expansion of proven programs into vacant and underused properties so that more individuals could access safe housing, supportive services, workforce development opportunities, and pathways toward self-sufficiency.

Those experiences taught me that homelessness is not simply a housing issue. It is connected to financial literacy, employment, health and wellness, education, community investment, and access to opportunity. I learned that lasting change requires more than temporary solutions—it requires empowering people with the tools, knowledge, and support systems needed to rebuild their lives.

These lessons became the foundation of We The People United for Change Inc. Today, our organization works to address the root causes of economic instability through financial literacy, homeownership education, community outreach, and strategic partnerships that strengthen neighborhoods and create opportunities for residents.

My experiences in Columbia shaped my belief that every person deserves dignity, every community deserves investment, and every individual deserves the opportunity to build a better future. WTPUFC was created to help turn that belief into action.

Our mission is rooted in the belief that every individual deserves the opportunity to achieve financial stability, pursue homeownership, and remain a part of the communities they helped build. We believe revitalization should not come at the expense of long-time residents. Instead, residents should be empowered to participate in and benefit from the growth of their neighborhoods.

Through financial literacy education, homeownership preparation, community engagement, and anti-displacement initiatives, WTPUFC works develop strategic partnerships and programs to provide practical tools that help individuals and families create stronger futures for themselves and future generations.

This organization is more than a nonprofit—it is the result of personal experience, community observation, and a commitment to ensuring that others have access to opportunities that can transform their lives.

My vision is to see communities where residents are not merely surviving but thriving; where families can build wealth through homeownership; where young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills to succeed; and where revitalization strengthens communities without displacing the people who call them home.

WTPUFC exists because I believe meaningful change begins when people are empowered with knowledge, opportunity, and a voice in shaping their future.

Anti-Gentrification and Community Protection Commitment