Our Work

The People Over Profits Florida is a non-profit organization dedicated to standing against corporate influence and fighting for the rights of everyday people. Founded in 2019 by former Florida State Representative Sean Shaw, People Over Profits is working to center our political discourse around the people who work the hardest, not those who can afford to speak the loudest. Florida and the nation deserve a bold vision — a future where every American has equal access to the ballot, where a fair day’s work earns a living wage, where health care is a right and not a privilege, and where every family enjoys clean air and clean water. We’re building a progressive movement to make that future a reality.

In 2020, People Over Profits was the leading progressive organization in the fight against Florida’s Amendment 3, known as the “Top-Two Open Primaries for State Offices” Initiative. An unforeseen outcome of the proposal was the loss of minority representation in both legislative chambers. Florida’s Constitution requires that state house and senate districts must be drawn compactly and equal in population. Both the federal 1965 Voting Rights Act and the 2010 Fair Districts Amendment to Florida’s Constitution require that racial minorities be able to elect candidates who reflect their communities. Black representation in the Florida Legislature is secured in Democratic primaries in which Black voters form a significantly greater proportion of the electorate than in the population at-large.

Due to the work of People Over Profits and progressive partners, the initiative failed. We are committed to defending the voting rights of communities of color, young voters, and the economically disadvantaged for generations to come. In 2021, People Over Profits was awarded a grant from the Tides Foundation to continue this work. Tides is the leading fiscal sponsor for social change initiatives in the United States.