YWCA Minneapolis stands firmly with Somali Minnesotans as many face fear, harassment and dehumanizing rhetoric. Our mission calls us to protect dignity, safety and belonging for all. We reject racism and Islamophobia, and we commit to concrete actions that ensure our Somali neighbors know: You belong here. You are valued. You are home.

YWCA Minneapolis is partnering with One Good Deed to combine the organization’s annual Children’s Centers winter clothing drive with One Good Deed’s Scarf Bombing campaign. Together, they aim to collect clothing and cold-weather gear for community members in need this winter from Nov. 1–Dec. 15. 

Food, music and community spirit will fill the heart of Minneapolis on Saturday, October 11, at YWCA Minneapolis Midtown Strong. All are welcome to gather in the YWCA Midtown parking lot from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. to enjoy food trucks, family-friendly activities and live music. YWCA Minneapolis will also be celebrating 25 years as a cornerstone of the community.  

The 2025 YWCA Minneapolis Women’s Triathlon brought together 1,074 individual participants and 13 relay teams at Lake Nokomis, celebrating the power and diversity of women and those who identify with womanhood. Athletes ranged in age from 11 to 83, reflecting the event’s inclusive spirit. 

YWCA Minneapolis is proud to announce Heid E. Erdrich as the 2025 recipient of the Camille J. Gage Fellowship. The fellowship recognizes Minnesota-based artists whose creative work is rooted in community impact and activism. 

We are in a time of great upheaval. Action was taken at the federal level to try to freeze funding for organizations like ours that dare to have a mission like we do. Efforts to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives threaten the progress we’ve fought for, while policies targeting immigrant communities undermine the very fabric of opportunity and justice.

An update on the YWCA Minneapolis Uptown building.