Anne Phillips was raised in a modest working and middle-class neighborhood outside of the Twin Cities. She and her siblings were all first generation college students, as her parents – whom each earned two year associate degrees -made a pact that all 3 of their kids would get more education than they did. She was initially inspired to work for social change by Paul Wellstone, who ran his first grassroots senatorial campaign during her high school years. College brought Anne to the University of Texas, where she earned a B.S. in Communication Studies. It was also at UT where Anne became an activist, influenced by some great lefty professors. She became involved with fair pay for campus service staff, anti-sweatshop, and anti-globalization movements of the late 90s. Anne went on to become a community organizer and then fundraiser on behalf of many different causes including the environment, reproductive rights, worker rights and healthcare.