Meaningful Day for Kindred Bakery BK

Today is a meaningful day for our family. On December 9, my son Nigel Jr. turns 21.

By June 2026, he will age out of school, a transition many young adults face with limited options and a lot of uncertainty about what comes next. It is one of the main reasons Kindred exists.

You may have seen 1209 on our Brooklyn Children’s Museum pop-up storefront. That number is not random, it is his birthday — December 9. It is a reminder of the personal story that helped shape this work and the future we are trying to build.

As a father, I think a lot about what life looks like after school ends. And I hold that alongside stories like Raphael’s, which many of you read recently. He just started a six-month internship at a NYC agency. That is a real step toward sustainable employment, and the kind of pathway young adults deserve as they move into adulthood.

His journey gives me hope for what is possible, not just for him, but for my son and so many others.

Today we celebrate Nigel Jr., I’m grateful for this community and the ways you continue to believe in what is possible. Thank you for helping us make inclusivity the norm, not the exception.

- Nigel Thompson, Founder

Kindred Voices is a series of profiles of Kindred Bakery BK's program participants and their family members.

Donate today to help us open more doors, train more young people, and keep our inclusive kitchen thriving. https://www.kindredbakerybk.org/donate