Rokeisha Bryant, CEO of Pathways Kitchen, has been named the Tennessee Titans’ 2024 ‘Inspire Change Changemaker,’ an annual award given to local leaders who are making a difference in their community across the NFL’s ‘Inspire Change’ initiatives four pillars of education, economic advancement, police-community relations, or criminal justice reform.
Pathways Kitchen aims to serve youth exiting detention facilities by giving them an opportunity to participate in culinary programs. The organization was born from its original concept, Café Momentum, a restaurant and culinary training program founded in 2015 in Dallas, Texas. In 2021, the Café Momentum concept was launched in Nashville as an eight-week program offering a second chance to young people and providing hope for an exciting future in the restaurant and hospitality industries. The Nashville launch experienced such great success that it added a catering arm and rebranded to Pathways Kitchen in 2024.
Before joining Pathways Kitchen as the Inaugural executive director, and now CEO, Bryant worked at the Oasis Center in Nashville for 14 years. She is a graduate of Tennessee State University and holds an M.Ed. from Vanderbilt University Peabody College. She is a recipient of the TSU Community Partner of the Year Award, the Oasis Center Roy Hutton Vision in Action Award, and was recently nominated for the Nashville Emerging Leader Award.
“Rokeisha has dedicated her entire life to service and remains a tireless champion for social justice efforts within our community,” said Johari Matthews, Titans vice president and executive director of ONE Community and the Titans Foundation. “Pathways Kitchen is a perfect example of how we can better support our young people by not limiting them by their past. Every kid needs someone to believe in them, and Rokeisha does exactly that offering them a path forward and a chance at an incredibly bright future.”
Bryant was recognized at the Titans’ Inspire Change game on Dec. 15, 2024, for her extraordinary work in pursuit of social justice. Bryant also received a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation, paid directly to Pathways Kitchen.
“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,” said Anna Isaacson, senior vice president of Social Responsibility. “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.”
For more information on Inspire Change and the Changemaker Award, visit <NFL.com/Changemakers>.
