When Fatimah Turner was studying for her doctorate at Starbucks, she never felt at home there.
“The climate just wasn’t there,” Turner said. “I was going outside of my town to find it, and I said, you know what? I’m feeling this way, other people are feeling this too.”
So, she opened her own cafe, Inner City Cafe. After signing the lease during the coronavirus pandemic, she opened her doors in 2022.
But Inner City Cafe is more than a cafe, it’s a community hub.
“And in this hub, when you walk in you will be stripped of any negativity, any self-doubt, any stigma that you carry with you,” Turner said.
You can stop in for a coffee or matcha, but they also serve the community through programs and events such as tutoring, etiquette classes, book drives, and more.
It’s a networking space for professionals of all ages, creatives, and community leaders.
The restaurant is also a tribute to Turner’s journey and the community that raised and shaped her. Her bright, bold, and all-pink décor is both intentional and personal.
“What kind of motivated me to do something like this was my grandma,” Turner said.
Playing a pivotal role in her upbringing, Turner and her grandma would plant flowers together and head to local cafes as an escape from the hardships Turner faced at home.
“Life growing up in Newark was hard,” Turner said. “But I was able to take those struggles and turn them into strengths.”
One of those strengths is creating a safe space where everyone feels welcome, including Rutgers graduate student Marissa Wilson.
“To see a black woman owning her own cafe and creating those spaces for us, it reminds me of what I want to do as a health advocate,” Wilson said. “I love the idea of having a space for us where it is judgment free and you can just meet that person where they are.”
Watch the video above to see how Inner City Cafe is serving their community, one cup at a time.
