Wilder's Community Initiatives team works alongside community collaboratively, crafting solutions that impact systems, organizations, communities and individuals.

Community Initiatives

Building community capacity, one collaborative project at a time

Racial equity as north star illustration

Wilder is committed to addressing complex challenges that will advance equity in Saint Paul and across Minnesota. In our Community Initiatives, we work alongside community collaboratively, crafting solutions that impact systems, organizations, communities and individuals.
 
Community Initiatives are not programs, but rather time-limited collaborative projects that seek to build community capacity.

For more information on collaborating with us, contact:

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Current Community Projects in Saint Paul and Minnesota

Projects

Racial Equity Action Support Network
A network that brings together racial equity advocates from community, nonprofit and government organizations across Minnesota.
African American Babies Coalition and Projects
A group of African American community leaders committed to promoting healthy birth experiences and strong brain development for African American babies, their families and communities.

Systems Change Projects 

Supporting systems in effectively engaging community in order to collaboratively build equitable, accessible and culturally relevant systems. Current projects include:

Winona Health Equity Project

An effort to equip local organizations to collaborate effectively to advance health equity by addressing social determinants of health.

Early Childhood Systems Reform

Partnering with the Minnesota Children’s Cabinet to engage community in reforming our statewide early childhood system in order to create an equitable system.

Other Collaborative Projects

Network Weavers Community of Practice

A group of practitioners who meet regularly to improve our network weaving capacity: to intentionally build effective relationships around a shared vision to accomplish goals or build a movement.

Principles that Guide Our Community Initiatives

We do the work of cultural organizing – organizing that catalyzes the cultural shifts needed to create sustainable change. Working alongside community, we seek to address the complex underlying systems and structures that perpetuate inequities. Our guiding principles are:

  • Community-driven collaboration
  • Addressing complex challenges
  • Co-creating new narratives

Resources for Collaborative Success

Check out the practical reference book built upon credible, research-based information as well as the online companion with tools and ideas to help you collaborate successfully.

Buy the Book Collaboration: What Makes it Work Get Collaboration Resources, Tools & Ideas

Check out our guest blog post with Leadership Learning Community

Risk-Taking for Racial Justice: Building Networks That Support Us

In the picture:

  • Mishel House, Kirsten Johnson & Sindy Morales Garcia – Wilder Center for Communities
  • Scott Labott – Bush Foundation
  • Terri Thao & Chalonne Wilson – Nexus Community Partners
  • Susan Schuster – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
  • Amanda Ziebell Mawanda – Propel Nonprofits

Meet the Community Initiatives Team

Kirsten Johnson Director of Community Engagement & Systems Change, Community Initiatives

Kirsten Johnson

Director of Community Engagement & Systems Change, Community Initiatives
Sindy Morales Garcia Senior Program Associate, Wilder Community Initiatives

Sindy Morales Garcia

Senior Program Associate, Wilder Community Initiatives