The Journey Continues - Flava Cafe Turns 2

Flava Café is more than just a coffee shop—it's a space where dreams are nurtured, and futures are built. Since our inception, we've been dedicated to empowering young women of color and gender-expansive youth, providing them with the skills, confidence, and community support they need to thrive.

But today, we need your help to continue this vital work.

We are launching a fundraising campaign with the ambitious goal of raising $150,000 by March 2025. This funding will allow us the ability to eliminate existing debts, fortify our future, and invest in a sustainable model that will keep Flava Café thriving as a vibrant, welcoming space—a cornerstone of connection, growth, and empowerment in our community.

Beyond being a gathering place, Flava Café is deeply invested in the well-being and growth of our community through various partnerships and initiatives:

• TruArt Speaks: We host the Re-Verb Open Mic every Thursday evening, a space where voices from all walks of life can shine. This partnership creates a vibrant, multi-generational platform for music, poetry, and community connection.
• Right Track & HIRED: We provide work opportunities for young people in the Saint Paul community, offering them a safe space to grow, experiment, and build self-efficacy.
• Community Events: At Flava Café, we don’t just host events—we create moments that inspire change and foster meaningful connections. Whether it’s powerful discussions on cardiovascular health with the University of Minnesota Foundation or celebrating the legacy of historically Black colleges at the annual HBCU send-off with the MN HBCU Alumni Network, our events are designed to uplift and empower. We are proud to partner with incredible organizations like Black Collective Foundation MN, Springboard on Ice, Our Justice, and Gender Justice where we’ve turned our café into a hub for advocacy and action. These events are more than just gatherings—they’re a testament to our commitment to driving positive change and supporting the causes that matter most.
• Support for Local Entrepreneurs: We offer retail space for local artists and entrepreneurs to showcase and sell their products, supporting the creativity and business aspirations of our community members.
• Mentorship & Professional Development: At Flava Café, we’re not just serving coffee—we’re brewing the future. Through partnerships with organizations like Right Track and HIRED, both of which provide invaluable work experience for young people within the Twin Cities, we are passionately committed to shaping the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs. Additionally, our collaboration with the International Institute of Minnesota allows us to host ELL students, offering them hands-on experience, mentorship, and the tools for success. By investing in our community to turn their aspirations into reality, we’re helping them make a lasting impact in our community.

Our café is recognized not just for our coffee, but for our unwavering commitment to inclusivity, quality service, and addressing the needs of our community. 

By supporting us, you're not just helping a local café—you’re investing in the futures of the young people we serve. You're ensuring that they have a safe, inclusive space to learn, grow, and prepare for the challenges ahead. You're giving them the same supportive environment that helped our founder, Shaunie, build a life of purpose and impact.

Every donation, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to our goal. Together, we can keep the doors of Flava Café open and continue to pour hope and build bright futures for the young women and gender-expansive youth.

Thank you for believing in our mission and standing with us in this critical moment.

Meet the Founder 

Shaunie Grigsby, originally from Detroit, is an artivist, youth worker, and mentor dedicated to community building and cultural preservation. Her work is driven by a commitment to uplifting forgotten narratives, sparking critical conversations, and envisioning equitable societies. As a youth worker, Shaunie has consistently invested in the development of young people, particularly young women of color, guiding them toward self-love, empowerment, and identity exploration. Her creative pieces, infused with humor and insight, challenge societal norms and inspire audiences to reflect deeply on their own truths. Through her storytelling, Shaunie encourages readers to engage in critical dialogues on politics, radical imagination, and the pursuit of a world that fully embraces them. Her work serves as a catalyst for inquiry and inspiration, motivating others to live with intention and authenticity.

With gratitude and hope, Shaunie Grigsby
Founder, Flava Café