The Hummingbird Soirée: A Night of Rising and Recognition

On April 27, the Hummingbird Soirée brought the Kindred Bakery BK community together for an evening of live music, celebration, and recognition, with baked goods straight from our kitchen.

For many families, this was the first time their loved one's hard work in the program was celebrated in public. Watching a son or daughter be introduced by name and applauded in a room full of supporters was moving and special for all in attendance. One of our own participants served as MC for the evening, running the program with all the authenticity and confidence that goes into a captivating stage presence. While he charmed the crowd, he also lived out our mission of visibility and inclusion.

Several honorees stood out. Idara Wright-Umoh received the Rising with Resilience Award, recognizing her growth in the program. Idara is now a student at Sarah Lawrence College. Her family, along with the Burke family, and their daughter Charlotte, a long-time participant beloved for her passion and enthusiasm for baking, received awards recognizing the young women in our program–an often under-represented group in the wider ASD/IDD community.

The Miller family whose son Makaio is another cherished member of the Kindred community were recognized for their family leadership and advocacy.

Sim Cass, our curriculum consultant and the legendary bread baker who founded Balthazar Bakery (who is also co-founder Nigel Thompson’s baking mentor from his time at the Institute of Culinary Education), was an honoree and special guest for the evening.

Kaliyah Benjamin and Amanda Jones received Community Service Awards for their contributions to Kindred's work. We also recognized our funders and partners, including Radicle Health, a founding donor, BrooklynOrg, and Dr. Jocelynn Rainey.

None of it would have happened without Chef Aaron Lirette, who generously opened his elegant space for the evening, giving our participants and their families a much deserved evening out.

The Hummingbird Soirée was a celebration our community earned. We are already looking forward to next year.