Annie Totten remembers how people used to look at her son Jack, now 17, as he grew up with cerebral palsy. She remembers the pride she felt when he decided to say something about it.
“I have a boo-boo on my brain,” he told his classmates. “It affects the way I walk.”
His words had power.
“The kids moved on once he explained it in a way they could understand,” Totten says. That moment and so many others throughout Jack’s life inspired Totten to follow his lead and take action.
Three years ago, she founded Generation WE, a Charlotte nonprofit to help children build empathy and connection through storytelling, art and conversation. Its mission is simple: create a more inclusive environment for children like her son by teaching other children to see beyond surface-level differences.
“I wanted to create a world where people saw Jack for more than his physical disability,”she says. “There is so much more to Jack—and so much more to all of us. If you’re only looking at one part of somebody, it can create prejudice. We have to share our stories, or we can’t connect.”
Generation WE works primarily with children ages 2 to 15 through partnerships with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, Levine Children’s Hospital, The Nest Academy and local independent schools. Programs range from interactive story times for younger children to art-centered self-expression workshops for older students. They have more than 450 books in their library.
Totten only uses volunteer readers, who have a personal connection to the subject matter.
“It is non-negotiable to me,” she says.
During one reading workshop, students learned about physical differences through the children’s book Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll, about a rock that couldn’t move like the others until friends packed mud on one side so he could roll alongside them. Afterward, the children painted “kindness rocks” to take home.
For older students, expressing themselves and learning about others often happens through art. Under the guidance of a volunteer artist, kids paint murals, vinyl records or basketballs in a program called “Swish Art.” One of the nonprofit’s most popular programs, “Unique Sneaks,” invites students to decorate sneakers that reflect their identities and personal stories.
Last fall, supporters gathered at Bank of America Stadium for a “Unique Sneaks” fundraiser featuring Nike Air Force 1s donated by Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales. Guests customized the shoes with spray paint, freehand art and a “lace bar.”
“There are so many ways to tell stories,” Totten says. “Music, spoken word, books, art—all of it gives children a way to express who they are.”
In just three years, Generation WE has served more than 4,600 children and donated more than 4,000 books. The organization recently moved into a new space on Monroe Road. This year, its inaugural “you. me. WE. At The Table” fundraising dinner raised $100,000.
Before moving to Charlotte in 2018, Totten worked in corporate retail with companies including Gap Inc. and The Walt Disney Company before opening her own children’s retail store in California. After relocating with her husband and three children, she said yoga and meditation helped her slow down and reflect more deeply on connection and empathy. She started practicing looking inward first—for herself and when she met others.
That perspective now shapes Generation WE’s philosophy and even its name. The nonprofit’s slogan—“you. me. WE.”—reflects Totten’s belief that individuality matters, but connection matters more.
“You are powerful and unique the way you are, and so am I,” she says. “But together, it’s a whole other ballgame.”