NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Tennessee Titans named their 2024 Inspire Change Changemaker, and she’s made quite the change in the lives of Nashville’s youth.
“The NFL and Inspire Change take pride in recognizing the incredible efforts of these 32 Changemakers who go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of those around them,” NFL senior vice president of social responsibility, Anna Isaacson, said. “Their dedication, compassion, and remarkable achievements inspire us all and serve as a powerful reminder of the impact one dedicated person can make in their community.”
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Pathways Kitchen CEO Rokeisha Bryant was named because her work has touched each of the NFL’s four Inspire Change areas of focus: education, economic advancement, community-police relations and criminal justice reform. The goal of Pathways Kitchen is to provide Nashville’s young people a second chance through an 8-week restaurant and culinary training program.
The organization was initially started in Dallas, Texas in 2015 as Café Momentum. Then the group opened in Nashville in 2021 and began their training program the following year. Last year, the organization was able to successfully provide consistent work opportunities to young people who completed the program. Pathways Kitchen has grown so much that it has expanded to include a catering arm.
Bryant also worked at the Oasis Center, another organization focused on helping build relationships among Nashville’s young people, for 14 years. She is an alumna of Tennessee State University (TSU) and Vanderbilt University. Bryant received their Community Partner of the Year Award. Other awards she has received include the Oasis Center Roy Hutton Vision Award. Recently, Bryant was nominated for the Nashville Emerging Leader Award.
The vice president and executive director of ONE Community & the Tennessee Titans Foundation, Johari Matthews, said Bryant has dedicated her life to service and called her a tireless champion for community social justice efforts.
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“Pathways Kitchen is a perfect example of how we can better support our young people by not limiting them by their past,” Matthews said. “Every kid needs someone to believe in them, and Rokeisha does exactly that offering them a path forward and chance at an incredibly bright future.”
Bryant will be recognized at Sunday’s Tennessee Titans game against the Cincinnati Bengals. She will receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL foundation to a non-profit organization of her choice.