Kindred Voices: Skylar and Christina

“It becomes harder and harder as kids get older to find the right opportunities. A lot of places will serve kids until about 12, and then it drops off.”

Christina’s son, Skylar, is 16. “We wanted to find something where he could learn, be more independent, and build new skills.”

“I found Kindred Bakery at the INCLUDEnyc fair. I was thrilled to find a place teaching vocational skills and doing it with something fun, baking! I spoke to Qiana Daniels (Kindred Bakery co-founder) and her story really resonated with me. She wanted to create a program for young adults like her son to learn new skills and become more economically independent. That stayed with me because it’s something I think about too. All of a sudden your child turns 18 and they’re an adult, and it becomes a completely different set of expectations.”

Skylar started last fall and is now in his second semester. He feels the biggest thing he’s come away with is patience. 

He feels the biggest thing he’s come away with is patience. 

Christina is also impressed by the welcoming environment at Kindred. “There’s a mix of young people working through different challenges, and there’s a real sense of compassion for each other. People understand that some things are hard for one person and easy for another, and there’s just an acceptance of that. I think that’s been really important for him to be around.”

Kindred has also sparked his love for baking. Christina says, “Skylar  likes to surprise me with what he bakes during class, muffins and lemon loaves and brownies and cookies. It’s inspired him to bake more at home. He made a key lime pie from The Great British Bake Off cookbook. We’ve made blueberry muffins together, pizza dough last week. It’s been really nice, a real family engagement thing.”

Outside of the kitchen, Skyler stays just as active “He really enjoys pottery and has been doing that for almost two years, so we have lots of mugs and bowls around the house. He does improv. He loves to swim in the summer and got his junior lifeguarding certification. And he really likes dad jokes.”

For Christina, the impact is simple but meaningful. “I think it gives me peace of mind and confidence about what’s ahead, knowing he is gaining skills and becoming more independent.”

I would highly, highly recommend it [Kindred Bakery]. Kids are doing something fun, but they’re also learning different skills. It reinforces things like math, and there’s a tangible product at the end of every session. They feel proud of what they made and excited to share it with their family and their community. That really matters.”

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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

Thank you to Caroline Emma Moore and Adam Nemcsek for supporting this series.