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.

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. 

Julie Schlueter Engen will join YWCA Minneapolis as the Vice President of Human Resources effective Monday, Oct. 24. Engen comes to this senior leadership post with more than two decades of experience in the field of human resources.

Nickelodeon star, rapper, dancer and model, Lay Lay will visit YWCA Minneapolis for a special meet and greet with the organization's youth community, Friday, Oct. 21.

In honor of the extraordinary endeavor by YWCA Minneapolis to further its mission to eliminate racism, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has proclaimed Oct. 18 as "It's Time to Talk Day," recognizing the organization's annual event marking a coming together of the community to participate in critical dialogue to dismantle systems and structures of oppression.

YWCA Minneapolis, in proud partnership with Birchbark Books, will host "An Evening with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi" at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, Thursday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.  Media may request passes and interview time.

Laurie Ohmann is joining YWCA Minneapolis as its first Chief Financial and Operating Officer effective Sept. 6. In this position, Ohmann will exercise oversight of finance, IT and the organization’s Early Childhood Education, Girls and Youth, and Health and Wellness programs.

Determined to position youth for future success, the 3M Open Golf Tournament and Wings Financial presented YWCA Minneapolis with a combined donation of $50,000.The check presentation also served as a backdrop to financial literacy sessions delivered by Wings to YWCA participants in the Eureka program, a 5-year STEM-based pathway for high school girls.

YWCA Minneapolis is pleased to name Elizabeth Bierman, Amy Dragland-Johnson, Kim Ford, Hyun Mee Graves, Kimpa Moss and Amy Phenix to its Board of Directors, while bidding farewell to retiring board members, Kathy Longo, Remi Kent, Deborah Hilke, Lana Slavitt and Susan Williams.

YWCA Minneapolis is pleased to announce the construction and unveiling of a brand new, kid-designed playground, July 15, along the resurging corridor of East Lake Street at YWCA Midtown.

YWCA Minneapolis is excited to announce that its downtown location is a musical stop for the Minneapolis Downtown Council’s annual Pianos on Parade, sponsored by PNC Bank during the month of June.

YWCA Minneapolis is honored to present the 2022 Woman of Power Award to Professor Duchess Harris, Ph.D., and the inaugural Kate Berman Leadership Award to Wenda Weekes Moore. 

YWCA Minneapolis is proud to announce the appointment of Shweta Jhanji, Charlene Lee, Kael Peterson and Rachel Whitcomb to its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors is chaired by Carissa Rollins, chief information officer, Illumina.

On March 23, YWCA Minneapolis will host Beyond Access: Disability Justice & Radical Inclusion, a virtual forum featuring leading disability and social justice advocate Talila A. Lewis.

YWCA Minneapolis announced that it is opening nominations for its 2022 Woman of Power Award.

YWCA Minneapolis is excited to announce that Hayley Mueller will join the organization as Chief Development Officer on March 28.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announces that one of the Pathways to Prosperity Grantees will be YWCA Minneapolis.