Philosophy, far from being an intellectual diversion for the elite, can be central to the empowerment of those who are so often disempowered outside of the classroom.
I think the reason why marginalized groups can gain empowerment from philosophy is that, without awareness and reflection on current social problems, and without resistance against unjust social institutions, there would be no political actions that push society forward. Human civilization itself would not be able to progress.
Therefore, the first step in this kind of philosophical education is to shake students out of a complacent and uncritical acceptance of the world as it is.
I think this is one of the most important reasons why we need to study philosophy. When we repeat our daily routines and become accustomed to them, we tend to overlook the injustices within them or we may not even recognize them as injustices. Philosophy enables us to think more critically about the society we live in, its institutions, and the impact they have on us.