Inspiring Conversations with Rokeisha Bryant of Café Momentum

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rokeisha Bryant.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Where does my story start? I could go in so many directions with that question and yet I believe most people would be interested in my career trajectory so I will try to stay on track as much as possible. I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and left home to go attend Tennessee State University for undergrad. Growing up I was always interested in understanding the motivations behind the behavior, in an effort to help others, so pursuing counseling was a natural fit. After completing my bachelor’s degree in psychology I went back to school for my master’s degree in Human Development Counseling at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College.

My first counseling job was at Youth Villages where I gained a ton of experience working with youth in the foster care system. The position also opened my eyes to a population that is so often forgotten about which also piqued my interest in advocacy work and systems change. It was some of the most rewarding and difficult work I have ever encountered and I made the decision to leave before getting to a point of burnout (I was on call 24 hours a day for 5 consecutive days each week).

For the next 15 years, I worked at the Oasis Center. I absolutely loved the continuum of services they provided for youth and I took full advantage of the opportunities I was afforded at the organization. I developed after-school programs, coordinated advocacy programs, managed mentoring and diversion programs, facilitated parent retreats, and trained staff that worked in juvenile detention centers across the state. I also sat on as many advisory committees and advocacy boards as possible to ensure youth received holistic support on a local, state, and national level.

During this time, I also started (and stopped) my counseling private practice, started (and stopped) a coaching company, provided consulting services to nonprofits, and taught Introduction to counseling at Vanderbilt Peabody College. I was busy!

In 2021, I became the Executive Director of Café Momentum Nashville, which collapsed every experience, skillset, training, and passion I have into one position. In this role, I am building an award-winning restaurant and culinary training facility for justice-involved youth in Nashville. I get to provide meaningful work experiences to young people who are often overlooked and misunderstood while rallying our community to support them.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. Not to be cliche but the biggest struggles are usually internal. I have had to overcome second-guessing myself, negative scripts, and imposter syndrome to be where I am today.

I also had to recognize the opportunities that come attached to closed doors, and responses like “not yet”. Trusting the process, giving myself permission to make mistakes, admitting my areas of development, and never being ashamed to ask for help increased my ability to be resilient.

As you know, we’re big fans of Café Momentum Nashville. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Café Momentum Nashville aims to transform young lives by equipping our youth with life skills, education, and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential.

Our internship program serves justice-involved youth ages 15-19 and has been designed to develop self-sufficiency, self-advocacy, accountability, responsibility, and confidence in our interns. In addition to participating in the paid training program, interns will be provided with opportunities to further develop their work, life, and social skills through the launch of Café Momentum Nashville catering, pop-up dinners, and private events.

We are currently fundraising to build a brick-and-mortar restaurant and Community Services Center in North Nashville with a goal to open our doors in Feb. 2024.

What sets us apart from others – we provide life skills, social skills, meaningful work experiences, and an ecosystem of support designed to ensure that our young people thrive instead of just surviving. We are not your normal restaurant. Although we are teaching culinary arts, the skills our young people develop can be transferred to any industry.

Brand-wise, Café Momentum is expanding across the nation. It is an award-winning restaurant that was founded in Dallas Texas and it now has locations in Nashville and Pittsburgh. Although each location will operate as a separate entity we are a part of the Momentum Advisory Collective designed to reform the juvenile justice system.

It’s important that readers know that we are a social enterprise. We are a non-profit culinary arts training facility, restaurant, and community service center. We generate revenue through our ticketed pop-up dinners and catering services (and eventually our restaurant). Our motto is Eat Drink Change Lives and we need community support to thrive as an organization.

For catering inquiries email us at [email protected].

For more information about our pop-up dinners – go to our website www.cafemomentum.com/nashville and sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media.

Instagram @cafemomentum.nsh
Facebook @cafemomentum.nsh
Twitter @cafemomentumnsh

Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
The list of individuals and organizations that have contributed to Café Momentum Nashville’s success grows daily, but if I have to name names 5 immediately come to mind.

Juvenile Judge Sheila Calloway – She went to the Dallas TX location and personally requested Café Momentum to come to Nashville. She is also my mentor.

Chad Houser, the CEO/Founder of Café Momentum, is an amazing visionary who granted Judge Calloway’s request to expand to Nashville.

The Boedecker Foundation was one of our 1st funders. Café Momentum Nashville is also temporarily housed at their Boedecker Foundation Collaborative Campus with access to an amazing commercial kitchen.

Ben Tyson, CEO/Founder, of Patchwork was our first volunteer who taught our interns culinary arts while simultaneously launching his own non-profit. He is the real MVP and I am eternally grateful for his generosity and service.

Last but certainly not least, I have an amazing Board of Directors, funders who believe in (and invest in) our mission, and a host of individuals and organizations that contribute to Café Momentum Nashville’s success grows daily

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cafemomentum.org/nashville/
• Instagram: @cafemomentum.nsh
• Facebook: @cafemomentum.nsh
• Twitter: @cafemomentumnsh