Building the community one dish at a time: LEAD alumna returns to her passion and uses culinary talent to feed her community

When you think of Ny’Jae Williams, her bright smile and joyful presence come to mind before anything else. And nothing makes her smile more than the thought of cooking. Ny’Jae has dreamed of cooking professionally ever since she was a child—preparing salmon and steak dishes in her kitchen when other kids her age were playing video games or riding bikes. Now she is following her dream to become a chef and is doing so while giving back to her community. 

But before she learned to bake cupcakes, donuts and other confectionary treats from scratch at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey and started her cooking pages on social media, Ny’Jae was “going down the wrong path.” 

Ny’Jae got pregnant her freshman year of high school - a situation that affected her grades and mental health significantly. Feeling alone and depressed, she found that her school lacked the support necessary to overcome those difficult circumstances and persist through graduation. Without this crucial ingredient, the recipe for success Ny’Jae suddenly seemed out of reach.

“I didn't really want to finish school,” Ny’Jae said. “I really didn't want to go back to school at all.” 

Ny’Jae described her previous schools as chaotic with constant fighting. She also struggled to control her emotions, which led to her involvement in a couple of those fights. Unfortunately, her teachers and peers didn’t see the Ny’Jae that most people know - they brought out the “mean parts” of her, something that was exacerbated by her lack of control over her emotions. Whenever anyone at her previous school antagonized her, that other side of Ny’Jae, “the fighter,” would come out.    

However, she regained sight of herself and her passions once she found a school with the support she needed - LEAD Charter School. LEAD was a consistent presence on Ny’Jae’s path both figuratively and literally—she lived a couple of blocks from the school and frequently walked past the Bergen Street campus. She saw the same banner and the same students on her daily walk. This prompted Ny’Jae to do some research and she soon realized that LEAD could truly help her. 

“I had to keep going because I got a little boy now. I had to. I just couldn’t see myself not getting a diploma. I [wanted] that. LEAD helped me because it’s not like a regular school where you just go to school [and are] just reading books. It’s not that kind of school.” 

As a YouthBuild school, LEAD offers its students the chance to earn an industry-recognized credential in several different career pathways, and Ny’Jae entered the Allied Health track. She remembers a specific teacher from the pathway who was like a father to her and, in addition to teaching her the fundamental aspects of nursing such as conducting blood work, also helped her become a calmer person. While she was learning how to take care of others, Ny’Jae finally received the same support she’d needed herself.

“I could even bring the baby to school,” Ny’Jae said. “That's what I loved about [LEAD], if I didn't have a babysitter…and if my kid didn’t have school, I was in school learning with my baby and everybody would help me out.” 

Robert Clark, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Newark Opportunity Youth Network (NOYN), which manages both LEAD and YouthBuild Newark, said “Young people disconnect from school for a variety of reasons - including the need to work fulltime and provide for their families. Creating learning environments that are designed with these realities in mind will ensure that more young people are able to achieve success - just like Ny’Jae was able to do.”

During her time at LEAD, Ny’Jae formed a close relationship with an advocate counselor who helped her enroll in a three-month program at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey after she graduated in 2021. It was at the food bank that Ny’Jae earned a ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification and began work in bulk production, making over 500 meals for local churches, schools and other organizations.

Yvonne Hendrick, a case manager at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey Case Manager, knew from the first time she saw Ny’Jae that she wanted to be there and wanted to grow. 

“She, like most of us, have had challenges, but she didn’t let allow those to deter or to stop her from what her goal was,” said Hendrick. “She pressed her way [through] and so much is going to come of it for her. And so much has.” 

Ny’Jae’s influence on her community has expanded beyond LEAD Charter School. She is currently volunteering to create a healthy cooking series in partnership with the food bank on Tik Tok. The Community Food Bank of New Jersey’s marketing department found one of her cooking Tik Toks and was interested in collaborating and helping her produce the series. Hendricks also had a hand in the production of this series and recommended Ny’Jae to lead this project. 

“She has so many ideas,” said Hendrick. “During the meeting, she showed them a few of her other reels, and they were like, ‘this is exactly what we're looking for.’ As I've said, I'm super proud of her and I can't wait to see what she's going to accomplish. I'm here for it.” 

Ny’Jae is excited about the opportunity and continues to progress toward her ultimate goal of working in catering. Despite the challenges, Ny’Jae withstood the heat and is returning to the kitchen once more to feed herself, her son and her community.