DEFEND THE MISSION
Empower Baseball is more than a nonprofit—it is a lifeline.
Founded in 2020 by Brian Straley, Empower Baseball is a 501(c)(3) organization serving youth in Barahona, Dominican Republic. What began as one person’s commitment—largely self-funded—has grown into a powerful program helping children pursue both education and baseball, without having to sacrifice one for the other.
For over six years, Empower Baseball has built something rare: a program where 100% of participating youth are enrolled in school and maintaining their education while receiving high-level baseball training, meals, uniforms, and mentorship. In a region where many children leave school early to chase the dream of professional baseball—often facing exploitation and limited futures—Empower Baseball offers a different path: education first, opportunity always.
Brian’s mission began decades ago, when he witnessed firsthand the poverty in the Dominican Republic and saw children playing baseball with sticks and stones. He never forgot them—and he never gave up on building something better for them.
Today, Empower Baseball serves over 50 boys and girls each season and is changing lives every day.
But now, that mission is under threat.
A for-profit baseball bat company, M^Powered Baseball, has issued a cease-and-desist demand, insisting that Empower Baseball give up its name and URL. Despite clear differences in mission and legal guidance indicating no infringement, the company is threatening legal action. This is not just a naming dispute—it is a direct threat to a nonprofit working to keep kids in school and safe from exploitation.
We cannot ignore this challenge.
Funds raised through this campaign will go directly toward:
- Legal fees to defend Empower Baseball’s name and protect its mission
- Continuing education support, mentorship, and baseball training for the children we serve
In the Dominican Republic, baseball is a dream—but too often, it comes at the cost of a child’s education and future. Empower Baseball is proving that it does not have to be that way.
Now we need your help to continue.
Your support will allow us to stand up to this challenge, protect what we have built, and ensure that these children continue to have access to education, mentorship, and hope.
Together, we can defend this mission—and change lives, one child at a time.