We give kids a strong start! Last year, 92% of our early childhood education kids were ready for kindergarten - far above the state’s average of 60%.

One tool we use to help kids thrive is in-house field trips. by combining STEM experiences with play-based learning, we’re preparing kids to thrive in school and life.

We challenged Girls Inc. Eureka! participants to engage in artistic engineering by building kinetic sculptures during a unique bike engineering camp.

Participants learned STEM engineering skills and used their creativity to design and build moving sculptures on bikes.

Learn more about the camp from a participant and the volunteers who made it happen.

Michelle, a 17-year-old senior at Blake, recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of Girls Inc.’s eighth cohort of the Teen Advocacy Council.

The group flew to Washington, D.C. for a four-day event to voice their desire for change at the highest levels of government.  

Read more about Michelle's experience as a youth advocate.

Creating meaningful change toward eliminating racism in Minnesota is within our reach. YWCA Minneapolis used live events to spark meaningful change in the last year. Learn more about It's Time to Talk: Forums on Race™ and It's Time to Act!™ and how participants learned about leaning into discomfort and confronting uncomfortable histories.

We celebrated the strength and resilience of female athletes and those identifying with womanhood at our 15th annual YWCA Minneapolis Women’s Triathlon on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, at Lake Nokomis. It is one of the largest triathlons of its kind in the contiguous United States.

Our school systems have failed to live up to the promise of providing quality and enriching education for all students. In some states, legislation actively hinders inclusive practices. Here in Minnesota, we have a unique opportunity to lead the charge for transformative change by fostering elements of DEI in schools.

Our Girls Inc. Eureka! youth recently visited Brooklyn Center. They toured city facilities and discussed government careers with several influential women.

While swimming can be fun at any time of year, it can also be fatal. No matter where you swim, remember the importance of safety rules in swimming.

Minneapolis local Tamara Moore played six seasons in the WNBA and overseas before becoming a trailblazing coach. She recently shared her journey and her connection to the YWCA.

Women’s Triathlon participant Mari Ruddy recently published the book “Extreme Healing.” We spent some time discussing the book, her health challenges and how they fueled her experience as an endurance athlete.

The Youth In Action (YIA) group at South High School (students who identify with girlhood — freshman to senior) meets every other week to share their views and experiences, learn about social injustice and discover how their values and identity can be transformed through advocacy and activism. By the end of the year-long program, the YIA cohort will implement an advocacy project that improves their community in a tangible way. YWCA has structured the TAC experience around community building, shared expectations, and learning through activities, field trips, and guest speakers.

On April 19, 2024, former YWCA Minneapolis Board Member Sharon J. Lubinski passed away. Learn more about the trailblazing achievements of Lubinski and her legacy of service.

As we continue to explore the “Web of Racism” and its focus on systemic racism in the United States, health care stands out as an institution that historically reproduces race-based disparities. A closer look at what is meant by “health care disparities” includes the different ways that racism is manifest in the clinical and hospital experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Taking time to learn about the varied layers of racism at work within the healthcare system produces several different lenses with which to learn more about this topic.

At YWCA Minneapolis Early Childhood Education centers we use the Social Responsibility “The We Care” Curriculum. Explore what that means, how it looks in an early childhood classroom and why it’s so important.

The Web of Systemic Racism identifies areas wherein Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) experience unequal or lack access to resources everyone needs to thrive in mainstream society. Examined here is systemic racism in housing practices, touching on access to high-opportunity neighborhoods, access to basic housing quality and homeownership.

Franklin Middle School Beacons is moving full STEAM ahead with engaging students into project-based learning. Evidence of this was shown at Franklin’s recent 1st Annual STEAM Fest where students, families, and staff all participated in fun and engaging STEM and STEAM learning activities.

When a child is enrolled in an early childhood education program, it is often their first community outside the home and is very influential in children’s development. Community involvement and engagement produce long-term benefits in the lives of children. It gives them a sense of belonging and is crucial to building their identity.

Carliene Quist, Girls & Youth Program Manager, arrived in Milwaukee for the October 2023 Women’s Convention with a suitcase and her work laptop. She returned home to Minneapolis with a truckload of donations for participants in Girls & Youth programs!