Makwa Coffee is a local favorite in Roseville, but it has always strived to be more than just a coffee shop. It’s an Ojibwe and queer-owned business, owned and operated by Jamie Becker-Finn, who has made it a welcoming space for many within the community.
For the past year, Elpis Enterprises has been working alongside Makwa to sell our reusable coffee bean bags in the shop. The bags have been a popular addition to the shop, but what drew Becker-Fiin to building a relationship with Elpis is our mission to help end youth homelessness.
“It was a natural fit with our values and supporting the work that Elpis does,” said Becker-Finn.
Makwa, which means black bear in Ojibwe, opened in July of 2022 and has footprints all over the community, helping those who are homeless or need a safe space to work in.
Makwa has worked with Indigenous American community partners in the Twin Cities to assist those struggling with housing. One of those partners is Camp Nenookaasi, a community-based healing camp rooted in native practices & inclusive of all unsheltered relatives, located on 14th Ave and 29th St. in Minneapolis.
“There’s kind of a disproportionate number of Native folks who are unhoused who live in Minneapolis, and so we’ve done some item drives here. And supporting folks who are struggling with housing is something that is also natural for us and what we’re trying to accomplish here,” said Becker-Finn.
With increased threats of harassment and violence towards LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth, Becker-Finn prioritizes making her business a safe space for these youth to work without fear of being treated poorly for being who they are.
“I think it’s become very clear to me, especially providing jobs for young people, especially for folks who are queer and can feel like they can be their full selves at work. They don’t have to worry that a manager or supervisor is harboring anything against them, or being afraid of who they are.”
Elpis has also strived to do the same with our interns, ensuring that none of them will face discrimination while working here. Fostering partnerships in the community with other workplaces that are doing the same in these trying times is important to uphold now more than ever.
While the partnership between Makwa and Elpis has only been established for just over a year, we hope to continue our growth and shared mission of helping youth who need a safe space to work and build career skills. And the bags are just a way to show how both these businesses are helping their employees grow alongside one another in different spaces.
“As long as you guys keep making them, I don’t see any reason as to why we’d stop carrying them.”
