WISE was founded around a kitchen table by a group of multi-cultural, first generation immigrant women in 1995 as a vehicle for education, leadership, social and economic empowerment of Asian, African, and Latina women, girls and their families. The mission of WISE is to empower immigrant women and girls to succeed. The agency is rooted in four core values: Cross-cultural Strength - Women from different cultural backgrounds share commonalities, and when working together they can impact social change and create solutions for themselves. Equity - All people should have access to opportunities to develop their unique potential and use their assets fully to benefit themselves and contribute to society. Empowerment - Access to education, leadership opportunities and supportive relationships will build the capacity of women and girls to succeed. Advocacy - Women and girls have the right to self-determination and possess the capacity to create change for themselves and their communities.