ABOUT WDC
BUILT FROM COMMUNITY.
GROWING WITH COMMUNITY.
WDC connects youth, families, entrepreneurs, and community organizations with practical opportunities, resources, and support. Our work spans youth development, economic opportunity, holistic health, and community-based outreach.
OUR STORY
FROM
WEZESHA DADA
CENTER TO WDC.
Founded by Maya Wheeler in 2023, Wezesha Dada Center began with a focused mission to empower women and girls of color. The name Wezesha Dada, meaning “Empowering Sisters” in Swahili, reflected that original vision.
As our work grew, so did our understanding of what the community needed. We saw a need to serve more people without leaving our original mission behind, expanding our programs and resources to support youth, adults, families, entrepreneurs, and community organizations.
That evolution led us to become WDC. The name honors where we began while reflecting who we are today: an inclusive community organization creating pathways to opportunity and connecting people with resources and support.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
OUR MISSION
WDC helps people build safer and more stable lives through economic opportunity and community support.
OUR VISION
When people have financial security and support, they make safer choices, build stronger communities, and break cycles of violence and instability.
MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM
PARTNERS WHO INVEST IN THE WORK.
Our work is sustained by the generous commitments of philanthropic foundations, community agencies, and local businesses who share our vision for progress.
OUR PEOPLE
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE WORK.
Our dedicated staff and visionary board of directors work hand-in-hand to drive WDC's mission forward. Together, they bring decades of expertise and a shared commitment to empowering our community.
STAFF & LEADERSHIP
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
WHAT COMES NEXT
OUR STORY IS ONLY THE
BEGINNING.
See how WDC puts our mission into action through youth development, economic opportunity, holistic health, and community-based work.
