Northside Healing Space

Our Mission

Northside Healing Space heals trauma through rest, remembrance, resistance and revival.
The Northside Healing Space (NHS) began in 2007 and is a community-driven solution to healing the trauma that exists in North Minneapolis located at 2100 Emerson Avenue North. NHS is rooted in deep community wisdom, ancient healing practices, foundational beliefs of the African American church, and participatory research, specifically around the issue of commercial sexual exploitation and its corrosive connections to enslavement and community. NHS also is grounded in the knowledge that the voices, experience, wisdom, and leadership of those most impacted by sexual exploitation and trauma will show us the path to healing for themselves, their families, and their community. NHS is housed in two buildings, one at 3700 Bryant and one at 2100 Emerson. The Emerson building is only a block away from one of the busiest corners in the North Minneapolis for commercial sexual exploitation.

We initially started NHS as a safe drop-in center for women and girls to heal from commercial sexual exploitation. We consider it an off ramp for the women and girls coming through our doors from the trauma and dehumanizing impact of the sex trade. It was those same women and girls who challenged us to think bigger and help heal trauma in the broader community. As one woman profoundly stated, “What’s the use of us getting healed if we have to go back into a messed-up community? We want everyone healed, including our children and men.”

Why Is the Northside Healing Space Needed?

Our services are unduplicated in North Minneapolis and the community wants more of what we are doing.
We know untreated historical and generational trauma leads to early death, increased negative health, poor educational outcomes and insufficient or negligible wealth outcomes.
Racialized trauma is at a breaking point in Minnesota:
—11.5 years average start age of sexually exploited girls.
—Minnesota is #50 in the nation in graduation rates of black youth.
—African America women die 20 years before their white peers.
—One in three black men born in 2001 can expect to go to prison in his lifetime.

What We Are Doing Works

NHS is designed to be a “safe and culturally celebratory space” for the North Minneapolis community to heal from trauma and enhance resiliency skills. At NHS we provide:

A safe place for our community to gather
Individual healing sessions
Resiliency practice groups
Drop-in space for victims of sexual exploitation and support groups
Healing Touch
Meditation
Self Care and Positive Body Workshops
Yoga
Essential Oil Healing
Music Healing Sessions