Neighbor spotlight: Anika Robbins

Entrepreneur, organizer 

By Maurice Hudson, Intern Reporter

“We have the power to create the life of our dreams.”

Anika Robbins, founder of Black Votes Matter MN 

Anika Robbins, North Minneapolis entrepreneur and philanthropist, comes down the ranks of what it means to create things for one’s self … and community. Robbins said it began when she started her first brick and mortar company at age 25, Java Noire, which is said to be the first Black-owned coffee shop in the Twin Cities. Since then, Robbins said she has been creating and handling a plethora of businesses and built her life around family, business and service to the community. 

Robbins is the president and CEO of the Anika Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to neighborhood empowerment by health, political commitment and empowerment of the economy. In addition, she is the founder of Black Votes Matter MN, a non-partisan civic participation program aimed at raising voter registration, cultivating advocates and increasing political representation.

Robbins said that the program was started after Jamar Clark was shot and killed by the Minneapolis police in 2015. 

“We realized that we had to do more than protests, we had to channel our pain and power through voting,” said Robbins, who said voting was one of the aspects that the community could improve on to see a better future. “We looked at our voter turnout in the Black community; it has been historically low. I realized that there was an opportunity for us to engage our community and to deepen their civic engagement through voting, through running for office, and volunteering in the community.”

Robbins said, despite the pandemic, the organization was able to be a valued community resource. 

“Because of the pandemic, we couldn't really get out how we wanted to, but we still did good,” Robbins said. “We still registered close to 1,000 people to vote and we had to be creative. I was already strong and resilient, but (I) got tested in 2020. Some of the key words were pivot, redirect and re-strategize.”

Re-strategize

With challenges come triumphs. The pandemic forced Robbins to rethink methods of outreach and engagement. 

“We've kind of earned our stripes. We now know how to do this work strategically,” said the entrepreneur and organizer.

Robbins said she is proud of the work that has been done so far with Black Votes Matter MN and the Anika Foundation and is excited for the future. 

“From a business and community perspective, (Anika Foundation is) working to help more people launch businesses, support the ones that are already in business continue to expand, and support families that need help with tuition, their mortgage, or their rent through the foundation,” Robbins said. “We're a small organization and we started on a wing and a prayer. (I) invested in this organization with my own money, and it wasn't easy, but we've built up and delivered good work, and we've helped people in a real way.”