This Black History Month, the National Center for Children and Families (NCCF) is proud to celebrate Wilhelmina Frederick, a woman whose life of service spans over two decades. At 77 years old, “Ms. Mina” as she is affectionately known, is a profound testament to the power of faith, resilience, and the enduring tradition of communal care.
A Heritage of Open Doors
Ms. Frederick’s path into formal foster care was paved by the examples she saw growing up in Washington, D.C. Raised in a loving, two-parent household with ten siblings, she recalls her mother constantly opening their home to others. “My mother was always taking in somebody else’s child and caring for that person,” Ms. Frederick explains. “Was it foster care back then? I guess it was, but we didn’t call it that.”
Whether it was a friend of one of her children or a neighbor facing trouble at home, her mother provided food, clothing, and safety. “It was something that you just did,” she reflects, noting that people like her mother didn’t ask for anything in return other than the grace of God. This foundation of selfless service became the blueprint for Ms. Frederick’s own life.
The Early Years: Guiding Young Women
Ms. Frederick began her fostering journey by opening her home to teenage girls. For her, this work was about providing others with a “stepping stone” to a better life. She acted as a mentor and a steady hand during their most formative years, teaching them that their past did not have to define their future.
The impact of those early years as a foster parent remains visible today. Ms. Frederick still maintains contact with many of the young women she raised. “I still see some of them today… they call me and we talk and we laugh,” she says.
Finding Fulfillment in the Fragile
As her foster parent journey evolved, she transitioned her focus to medically fragile children, providing specialized care for infants and youth with significant health needs. “As I got older, I felt called to help the babies who could not help themselves,” she explains.
When asked what she enjoys most about her work, Ms. Frederick points to the profound transformations she witnesses in the children under her care. “When I see the smile on a baby’s face, when I see a baby that the doctor said would never take their first steps and speak their first words. That’s why I do it,” she says. She sees her own adopted son as living proof of this possibility. Despite medical predictions that he would never communicate or be mobile, he is now walking and talking. “He’s autistic, but he still communicates. So that’s my reward,” she shares.
A Simple Life Philosophy
At 77, Ms. Frederick shows no signs of slowing down, fueled by a commitment that she calls the best choice of her life. “It’s the best choice I could have ever made in my life because it is very rewarding to me. It keeps me going,” she notes. To her, foster care has been a “lifesaver” that provides her with a sense of purpose every single day, specifically, the purpose of helping those who cannot help themselves.
Her friends and daughters often tell her that her active lifestyle and longevity are a “payback” for the love she pours into others, but she sees it as her engine.
When asked about her life motto, Ms. Frederick’s answer is as clear as it is humble: “To give what I can give as long as I can give it.” She doesn’t do it for the recognition; she does it because she believes she is answering her calling. “God has been good to me… I don’t think of it as me getting a payback, but I know that I’m helping somebody.”
Reflections on Black History and the Path Forward
For Ms. Frederick, Black History Month is a time of sober reflection on both how far the community has come and the work that remains. She views it as a period to hope for progress and to remind the younger generation of their own power.
She believes that the current social climate requires a renewed commitment to standing up for one’s rights. “We have control. We just have to stand up and demand it again,” she says, characterizing the pursuit of equity as an “ongoing fight” that requires constant vigilance. By raising the next generation with love and strength, Ms. Frederick is doing her part to ensure that the journey toward progress continues.
