New growth helps WE WIN — and Black youth — succeed
For nearly three decades, the WE WIN Institute has been a cornerstone of educational empowerment for Black children in North Minneapolis. It offers a nurturing environment where youth are encouraged to excel academically while celebrating their cultural identity.
Founded by educator and activist Titilayo Bediako, WE WIN has grown from a small afterschool program to a nationally recognized community asset. Moving into 2025, the Institute is poised to expand its impact, providing more resources to youth and their families.
In 1996 Bediako was a sixth-grade teacher who saw the struggles Black children faced in the Minneapolis Public Schools system. While the school system was quick to focus on behavior, little attention was given to the academic success of Black students. Bediako was frustrated by the disproportionate suspensions and low academic expectations for Black children.
“The last time a white teacher asked me why so many Black children weren’t succeeding in school, I told myself that I would never answer that question again and that I would demonstrate Black student success,” Bediako said.
From that determination, WE WIN Institute was created to provide Black youth with the tools they need to succeed academically, socially and creatively. This organization offers programs focused on intellectual enrichment, ancestral wisdom, leadership development, and community engagement. The core belief of WE WIN is that children only need caring adults in their lives who believe in them and expect nothing but the best from them to be successful.
In addition to its core programs, WE WIN Institute has life-changing initiatives like the Women of Distinction mentoring program. It’s operated by a peer guidance system that emphasizes academic and social success.
The initiative is designed to help young African American women build positive relationships and support one another in navigating the challenges of high school. Through shared experiences, including bonding activities like overnight retreats and college tours, participants create deep sisterhoods that have led to incredible outcomes. Nearly all the girls involved in the program graduate high school and pursue higher education.
The institute has been very successful in helping children improve their literacy skills. Through the We Win When We Read initiative, WE WIN focuses on literacy development as a gateway to academic success. Children are given access to books written by Black authors and are taught to recognize their own potential by seeing their stories reflected in the literature they read.
One of the many success stories from WE WIN’s programs is Regina, an 8-year-old who came to WE WIN struggling with reading and behavioral concerns. Before joining the program, she had been kicked out of two other afterschool programs. Regina was behind in reading and reluctant to participate in activities.
Through acceptance, patience and kindness, WE WIN supported her greatness and motivated her to flourish. “In eight short months, Regina is laughing and has a group of friends in the program who she calls “sister,” Bediako said. “She also mentors a kindergartner with her reading.” Now that Regina is in an environment offering her access to literature that illustrates people just as Black and beautiful as she is, she has developed a newfound passion for books.
Beyond academics, WE WIN has several mentorship programs, community engagement opportunities, and cultural rituals that help children develop a strong sense of self-worth. Programs like the WE WIN Village emphasize the importance of collective responsibility, where children learn from their community and, in turn, give back.
New initiatives
The next chapter of WE WIN’s story is unfolding with the recent acquisition of a 12,000-square-foot building, funded by a $3.5 million grant. This new space will serve as a hub for even more transformative programming, allowing WE WIN to reach a greater number of children and expand its services.
The renovation will create a state-of-the-art facility featuring a Teaching Kitchen, where youth will learn how to prepare healthy, culturally relevant meals under the guidance of Black chefs.
There will also be a Teaching Garden, complementing an acre garden at Zion Baptist Church, where children will grow food, learn about nutrition, and prepare meals to share with their families and communities. A Cultural Tech Center is being developed as well to teach children about technology and African American history simultaneously.
“I’m especially eager for our new Cultural Reading Room, which will be filled with books by Black authors and illustrators,” Bediako said. “The new building will afford us the opportunity to bring authors locally, nationally, and internationally together to help our children develop a love for reading.”
These initiatives aim to equip students with fundamental skills while reinforcing the importance of Black heritage and self-sufficiency. “The new building reflects the vision for a WE WIN Village, which will bring together organizations that want to demonstrate excellence for Black children and the Black community,” Bediako said
Community support is vital to WE WIN’s and local youth’s continued success. The institute relies on donations and partnerships to fund its programs and expand its reach. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all donations to WE WIN are tax-deductible, and financial contributions directly support the organization’s programs.
WE WIN is always seeking volunteers, especially those willing to mentor youth or contribute their expertise to enrich the student’s educational experience. The new building will provide a space for more community involvement, including opportunities for parents to engage in their children’s education through the Parents Make the Academic Difference (PMAD) program.
As Bediako says, “Working together, there is nothing that we will not be able to accomplish.”
Alexzia Shobe welcomes reader responses at ashobe@spokesman-recorder.com.