Service
Responding to needs with meaningful action
Leadership
Growth through mentorship and connection
Education
Building a foundation for empowerment
Community
Engagement and support for lasting impact
The History of WINGS International Foundation
Wisdom In Navigating Global Service International Foundation (W.I.N.G.S.) grew from a shared commitment to service, leadership, education, and community impact.
Its origins trace back to former Senator Dwight Bullard, who encouraged Dr. Keitha Burnett to explore ways to preserve her legacy beyond retirement. The vision for WINGS began with former and current students who saw the need for a space where purpose, mentorship, and meaningful action could come together to effect change.
The foundation was initiated by Dr. Keitha D. Burnett and her students as an extension of a lifelong commitment to education, civic engagement, women’s empowerment, social and environmental justice, and mental health awareness.
After decades of working with students, families, schools, and communities, Dr. Burnett recognized that the work of inspiring young people and supporting communities should continue beyond the classroom.
What began as informal conversations among former students and supporters quickly developed into a broader vision: to create an organization that would educate, uplift, and empower individuals to become thoughtful leaders and active contributors to their communities. The founding members of W.I.N.G.S. were former students and current students at that time whose lives had been shaped by meaningful mentorship, academic opportunity, civic engagement, and the belief that service is not just something we talk about, but something we do.
The name reflects the foundation’s belief that every person deserves the opportunity to rise, grow, lead, and serve.
Through education, advocacy, leadership development, community engagement, and intergenerational mentorship, W.I.N.G.S. seeks to help individuals discover their purpose and use their gifts to make a positive difference in the world.
From the beginning, W.I.N.G.S. has focused on four major areas: education, women’s issues, societal and environmental justice, and mental health. These areas represent the foundation’s belief that strong communities are built when people are informed, empowered, supported, and connected. The initial vision was to create an organization composed exclusively of women and focused on issues affecting women. However, after careful consideration, the decision was made to expand the organization into a coeducational initiative.
Today, W.I.N.G.S. International Foundation continues to grow as a movement rooted in legacy, service, and possibility.
It honors the work of those who came before us while preparing the next generation of leaders to carry that work forward. W.I.N.G.S. is more than an organization; it is a commitment to lifting others, creating opportunities, and helping individuals soar with purpose. The next steps are to obtain 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and begin planning a major 2028 conference centered on the foundation’s mission and purpose.
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