We Value Culture, Community, and Connections

The Cultural Wellness Center (CWC) in Minneapolis is a community-based organization focused on promoting health, healing, and wellness within diverse communities, especially among people of African descent. Founded in 1996, the CWC seeks to empower individuals by connecting them to their cultural heritage and by fostering a sense of community and identity.

Located in South Minneapolis, the center offers a variety of programs and services, including community health and wellness initiatives, leadership development, cultural education, and entrepreneurship support. A central tenet of the CWC’s mission is the idea that wellness goes beyond physical health—it also includes spiritual, emotional, and cultural dimensions.

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What We Offer

The Cultural Wellness Center offers a range of cultural research, education, and community development services rooted in Cultural Reconnection. Each person participating explores and reclaims their cultural roots. The center collaborates with other community organizations, educational institutions, and health providers to customize pathways to address self-determination, community reconnect, economic stability, family reunification, social support, social cohesion, and health education.

A notable selection of classes are taught through the Invisible college (ancient wisdom teachings, genealogy, family history research). Health Institute (mind, body, spirit healing) and Member Services (community development).

Examples Are:

A year-of-learning for organizational leaders and health practitioners
• Training & Certification for Female and Male Doulas (Birth Attendant)
• Birthing Teams Support for parents during pregnancy, birthing, parent child health, and development
• Transformational Leadership Training for Organizational Professionals and Staff Leaders
• Residences-in-Training ( Cultural Health Practitioners)
• Cultural Wellness Griot Fellowship
• Cultural Rituals & Ceremonies including Familyhood & Kinship Network
• Age Stage Rites of Passage ( 0-7 up to Elders)
• African Cultural Reconnection through Dance and Drumming in schools and out of school

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Hightlights at CWC

5th Annual Conclave: Community, Organization, and Personal Cultural Audit Coming in February 2025!

Health Hub GRAB-N-GO at CWC's Community Health Hub Kitchen inside of The Midtown Global Market

The Cultural Wellness Center's Community Health Hub Kitchen at the Midtown Global Market is opened Monday -Friday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It highlights the benefits of ancient grains offering a tantalizing array of Grab-N-Go meals designed to nourish both body and soul, promising a deliciously healthy addition to the market’s vibrant culinary scene.

Dreamland on 38th: The National and International Headquarters for the Cultural Wellness Center (CWC)

Dreamland on 38th represents the next bold step in the Cultural Wellness Center’s (CWC) mission to unleash the power of people to heal themselves and build community while fostering community health, wellness, and development. This initiative is a dynamic collaboration between the CWC—a visionary nonprofit co-founder of the renowned Midtown Global Market—and Dr. Freeman Waynewood, an esteemed African-American entrepreneur.
Located in the heart of a historic Black neighborhood, Dreamland on 38th will serve as a vibrant anchor for the broader redevelopment of a historic Black Cultural Economic District. It will provide space for staff, partners, and community members to connect, learn, and grow. The headquarters will host on-site classes, trainings, and community gatherings, along with a library and archive dedicated to self-study and scholarship. A retail café and catering kitchen will promote entrepreneurship and offer a space for sharing culture and food—strengthening community bonds and economic growth.
With its unique mission, Dreamland on 38th will honor the legacy of A.B. Cassius, celebrating his vision of social entrepreneurship and his unwavering commitment to building a strong Black community in Minneapolis, where food and culture bring people together.

The Cultural Wellness Center/Ramsey County Partnership wins RWJF Cultural of Health Prize 2024

In 1996, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) honored me with a RWJF Community Health Leadership Award that we used to create and operate the Cultural Wellness Center. Now, 27 years later, RWJF is recognizing our work with Ramsey County

News & Announcements

Honoring the Legacy of Rose Elaine Reece and Esther Jean Fulks: Pioneers of Compassionate Service at the Cultural Wellness Center

The Culture Wellness Center 2024 Kwanzaa Event Pan-African Remembering

Akhmiri Sekhr-Ra is a 2024 McKnight Culture Bearer Fellow

View Past News & Articles

Upcoming Classes & Events

Multiple Dates
Community Health Hub Grab-N-GO Monday -Friday 10AM - 3PM
Feb 05, 2025, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Minneapolis, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407, USA
Details
Multiple Dates
Yoga Classes Every Wednesday at 6:00 PM
Feb 05, 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST
Virtual Event via Zoom
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Multiple Dates
Yoga Classes EVERY Saturday at 2:00 PM
Feb 08, 2025, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CST
Virtual Event via Zoom
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Multiple Dates
Yoga Classes Every Monday at 6:00 PM CT
Feb 10, 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST
Virtual Event via Zoom
RSVP