Blog

WEDI (Westminster Economic Development Initiative) strengthens communities through a continuum of educational and financial resources, removing systemic barriers to economic equity for all Western New Yorkers. WEDI’s dual focus areas of Education and Economic Development work in tandem to tackle systemic inequities that affect Buffalo’s underserved residents, many of whom are people of color. 

By supporting youth to succeed in school and empowering entrepreneurs to launch, sustain, and grow small businesses, WEDI is helping to create a more equitable Buffalo. WEDI’s programs and services are available to underserved residents of Western New York including Erie and parts of Niagara counties. 

Company Culture 

WEDI is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion. WEDI accepts its employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, marital status, gender, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio­economic status, and veteran status. WEDI’s diversity initiatives are applicable to its practices and policies on recruitment; compensation; professional development; Encouraging employer/employee contributions to the communities WEDI promotes a greater understanding and respect for diversity.  

WEDI employs 22 full-time and 8 part-time employees, 63% of whom are women, with an office in the heart of the West Side at 436 Grant St. Our staff is remarkably diverse and representative of our constituents, with staff members coming from countries including Canada, India, the UK, South Sudan, Somalia, and Rwanda. The staff speaks 24 languages including Arabic, Burmese, Cantonese, Dinka, English, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Karenni, Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Luo, Mandarin, Marathi, Nuer, Sinhala, Somali, Spanish, and Tamil. 

 Community Engagement 

WEDI’s Education focus area supports Multilingual Language Learners (MLL) and students with interrupted formal education (SIFEs) in grades 1-12 through three main programs: ENERGY (grades 1-5), FLY (grades 6-8), and Launch (grades 9-12), in addition to a six-week summer camp for each program. Taken as a continuum, the programs scaffold the building blocks of literacy—reading, writing, and speaking English—with social-emotional support to help students achieve academic success, navigate higher education, and career opportunities. 

WEDI’s Economic Development programs serve nearly 300 adults earning 80% or less of the AMI (Area Median Income). Over 80% are racial or ethnic minorities, 49% are women, 51% are refugees, 2% are asylees, 10% are other immigrants, 85% are previously low-income individuals (earning 79% or less of the AMI), and 44% are previously extremely low-income individuals (earning 29% or less of the AMI). In the past, WEDI served populations on the West Side but now has expanded its entrepreneur base to include all of Buffalo, with an additional focus on the East Side.  

Leadership 

WEDI is a woman-led not-for-profit organization with 67% of WEDI’s leadership team and 72% of WEDI’s Board of Directors comprised of women. WEDI’s leadership team includes Executive Director Carolynn Welch; Finance & Administration Director Morgan Vacanti; Director of Operations Cody Clement-Sanders; Director of External Relations Erin Kelly; Senior Director of Economic Development Yanush Sanmugaraja; and Education Director Courtney Yonce-Swain.  

WEDI’s Board of Directors includes 18 members, 72% of which are women. Of the seven officers that serve on WEDI’s Board of Directors, 67% are women. Overall, 11% of WEDI’s Board are African American, 6% are Hispanic, and 11% are foreign-born. Two members of WEDIs Board of Directors, Zelalem Gemmeda and Louise Sano, started their businesses at WEDI’s West Side Bazaar small business incubator. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 

WEDI is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion in its own workplace and in the region. WEDI’s diversity initiatives are applicable to its practices and policies on recruitment; compensation; professional development; Encouraging employer/employee contributions to the communities WEDI promotes a greater understanding and respect for diversity. WEDI employs 22 full-time and 8 part-time employees, 63% of whom are women, with an office in the heart of the West Side at 436 Grant St. Our staff is remarkably diverse and representative of our constituents.