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About Us | Phyllis Wheatley Community Center

ABOUT US

History

Our History

Phyllis Wheatley House 1934

Minneapolis, 1924 — The United States at the height of Jim Crow law, a time when segregation was the norm and racism codified, a place where being Black put one at enormous risk, a group of forward-thinking women from the Minneapolis WCA Foundation decided they needed to act.

 

Upon discovering that young Black women coming to the city to study at the University of Minnesota were barred from dorms and had no place to stay, the women took matters into their own hands: they raised funds, secured a space, and on October 17, 1924, they opened the Phyllis Wheatley Settlement House in North Minneapolis—the city’s first organization dedicated to uplifting African Americans.

What began as a boarding house for college women quickly became much more. The Wheatley evolved into a vibrant hub for the Black community, where activists, educators, and entertainers gathered. It became a place to work, play, learn, and advocate for equality in the face of systemic racism.

Today, the Phyllis Wheatley Community Center continues this mission, offering programs that support children, youth, families, and elders. They focus on helping individuals build skills, connect with others, and take charge of their futures.

Our People

2024 - 2025 Board of Directors 

Scott Morris, Board Chair

Scott Morris
Chair

Retired

Global Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Strategist

3M

Trent Bowman, Board Vice Chair

Trent Bowman
Vice Chair

Community Impact Manager

Bremer Bank

Molly Greenman, Board Member

Molly Greenman
Secretary

Retired 

President & CEO

The Family Partnership

Fire Chief Bryan Tyner, Board Treasurer

Chief Bryan Tyner
Treasurer

City of Minneapolis 

Fire Chief

Aisha Richardson

Aisha Richardson

 Executive Director 

Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers 

 Director of Administrative Support 

Minnesota Humanities Center 

Clifton Shaw, Board Member

Clifton Shaw

Director of Technical Operations

Comcast

Shikita Hudson

Shikita Hudson

Endocrinology/Diabetes & Gender Health 

Children’s MN

Amanda Bolton

Dr. Amanda Bolton

Founder & CEO

TriSight Consulting

Myriam Roby

Dr. Myriam Roby

Health Equity Clinical Outcomes Director

Hennepin Healthcare

David Streier

David Streier

Shareholder | Attorney

 Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

Hal Reynolds

Hal Reynolds

Founder & CEO

DYGI

Leadership Team

Valerie Stevenson

Interim Executive Director

Patricia Harris

Organizational Strategist & Chief Development Officer

Amondo Dickerson

Managing Director of Programs & Operations

Aaron Raivo-Lynch

Senior Director of Camp Operations

Camp Katharine Parsons

Katy Nelson

Senior Director of Development & Communications

Zina Johnson

Director

Mary T. Wellcome Child Development Center

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Parent Aware .webp
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Career Opportunities

Join our team! To see a full listing of available job opportunities and apply at Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, visit career opportunities.

We can't wait to have you on board! 

Contact

Phyllis Wheatley Community Center

1301 N. 10th Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55411

info@phylliswheatley.org

(612) 374-4342

www.phylliswheatley.org

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Office Hours

Monday - Friday

8:30am - 5:30pm

Monday - Friday

6:30am - 5:30pm

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