Meet Nico Woods: The South Minneapolis Native Building Black Political Infrastructure One Young Person at a Time
Columnist Shanasha Whitson profiles Nico Woods, a 36-year-old South Minneapolis native who founded Victory of the People to recruit, train and mentor young leaders in politics, policy and community advocacy, connecting more than 200 young people to political opportunities and building a sustainable civic infrastructure for Black communities in Minnesota.
World, meet Nico Woods.
At 36, the South Minneapolis native is doing something many say Minnesota’s Black community has long needed: building a sustainable political infrastructure from the ground up, one young person at a time.
Woods grew up on Minneapolis’s Southside, where he experienced firsthand the weight of poverty, family instability, foster care, community violence and systemic barriers that have shaped generations of Black Minnesotans. After losing childhood friends to violence, he channeled his drive into a career in sales with a Fortune 500 company, eventually rising to become one of the top-performing sales professionals in a nationwide workforce of more than 36,000.
But it was a career move to Georgia that changed everything.
Relocating with his mother, children and family, Woods encountered something he had never seen growing up in Minnesota: thriving Black communities, Black-owned businesses, Black elected officials and a level of civic engagement woven into everyday life.
“It was a culture shock,” he said. “I realized that politics wasn’t separate from the community. Politics was helping build the community.”
Studying political systems and comparing Minnesota to other states, Woods grew increasingly concerned about the state’s persistent racial disparities in education, housing, wealth and economic mobility. Those observations eventually brought him back to Minnesota with a new mission: help Black communities become more politically engaged and economically empowered.
Since returning, Woods has played key roles in numerous campaigns and grassroots organizing efforts by registering voters, training volunteers and building coalitions. He was part of the effort that helped elect Brooklyn Park’s first Black mayor and has worked alongside candidates and community leaders throughout the Twin Cities.
Today, his focus is Victory of the People, an organization he founded to recruit, train and mentor young leaders interested in politics, public policy, organizing and community advocacy. The goal isn’t simply to elect candidates. It’s to develop a pipeline of future campaign managers, policy aides, organizers, entrepreneurs and elected officials.
“We have to stop showing up only during election season,” Woods said. “We need people engaged year-round.”
He estimates Victory of the People has helped connect more than 200 young people to political opportunities, many of whom had never considered civic engagement before. His approach emphasizes innovation, leadership development and helping young people understand how local government decisions directly impact their neighborhoods.
Woods believes the future of Black political power in Minnesota depends on building strong relationships between community members, businesses, faith institutions, schools and elected officials. A web of support that doesn’t collapse after any single election.
“We are not victims,” he said. “We are innovators. We are builders. We have always been builders and creators, and our votes matter.”
While he acknowledges the challenges facing Black communities like gun violence, educational disparities and economic inequality, Woods remains clear-eyed about what meaningful change actually requires.
“The goal isn’t just winning elections,” he said. “The goal is to build a stronger community, a stronger middle class, and a stronger future for everyone.”
As Minnesota approaches another major election cycle, Woods argues the next chapter of Black political engagement won’t be written by a few leaders at the top, but by a broad coalition of young people, families, faith leaders and community members working together.
“We have to prepare young people not just to vote,” he said. “We have to prepare them to lead.”
For Woods, the work is bigger than any single election or political party. It is about building systems, creating opportunities and ensuring future generations have the tools, relationships and resources to thrive.
“The work doesn’t stop after Election Day,” he said. “That’s when the real work begins.”
Shanasha Whitson’s “Profiles in Power” aims to highlight community members spearheading positive impact in the local Twin Cities community. She is also the founder of Community Partnership Collaborative 2.0 (CPC).
Young people interested in getting involved can contact Nico Woods at savvyhelpers2k@gmail.com.