Anissa grew up in North Minneapolis, served some time in the US Army and then dove into Social Services.  Anissa always desired to help guide individuals and families into a space of healing, and specifically wanted to provide support to the people that were least likely to receive the services. Anissa believes that through relationship and with love people can be fully restored after any challenges they are met with in life.

 

Anissa lost her father in her early 20s and became focused on going to the people to provide support.  She knew her father and many like him, who struggled with addiction and those that are constantly challenged by the stigma of mental health would never make it into an office.  Anissa also struggled with her own addiction and almost lost her Clinical license because of it.  Anissa's personal journey of healing lead her to become a Bodywork provider, which helped her spur adding those additional supports to her traditional talk therapy work.

 

Anissa has transitioned a lot of her mental health work to an amazing leadership team as she remains the Visionary, but her contributions have always been around helping African Americans in North Minneapolis live a better quality of life.  She does that through her Mental Health Clinic, through Placemaking services, and Ministry work.  Anissa is driven by her desire to please God and fill the call he has placed on her life.

 

Anissa loves spending time with her five children, is very involved in church activities and enjoys reading. She completed her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. She is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker and Registered Yoga Teacher.  She is approved with Minnesota Licensing Boards to supervise those seeking licensure as an LPC, LPCC, LICSW and LMFT. Anissa brings the concepts of Love and Restoration into all of her work, understanding that God embodies the perfect definition of Love and He restores. 

 

Anissa feels passionate about accessing underutilized spaces in the community, that could potentially become assets to community members, the economic growth of North Minneapolis and the building of a legacy of wealth for her 5 children.

 

Anissa says that her business model is really been driven by Biblical principles and practices around sowing and reaping, sacrificial giving, and a desire to steward well what God has blessed her with. She inevitably has gained wisdom around how to successfully scale a business, how to diversify her financial portfolio and how to assist others in building financial freedom and wealth management. Anissa just recently purchased a 20,000 square foot historic bank building in North Minneapolis.  Additional a parking lot across the alley where she hopes to develop an affordable housing project in the next 3 to 5 years.  Even though she is not formally trained in Commercial Development, Anissa believes that with good character, an unwillingness to settle for no, a grounded spiritual connection and the tremendous support of family, community members and community agencies, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished.