Meet Kerry Brodie, Founder of Emma’s Torch, a growing social enterprise that empowers refugees through culinary education. Inspired by the Holocaust survivors and immigrants in her own family, and concerned by the growing refugee crisis, Kerry set off to culinary school with the idea that food could be a tool to enable people who have experienced forced migration to thrive in their new communities. Kerry now lives in Potomac, MD, having recently expanded Emma’s Torch from NY to DC.
What faith(s), if any, do you practice? How does your tradition and/or spiritual practice inspire or influence you as an innovator?
I am Jewish and value being part of a Jewish community. While my organization is not religiously affiliated, I am personally driven by both my faith and heritage as a Jewish person. The organization I founded, Emma's Torch, was named after a Jewish woman, who wrote the words that are on the base of the Statue of Liberty. She was driven by her Jewish identity, and the experience of Jewish persecution, and found in that experience the inspiration to do universal work for others. That resonates deeply with me and my faith.
What are you currently working on?
I am so thrilled to be working on expanding the impact and scale of Emma's Torch. Emma's Torch is a non-profit social enterprise that provides culinary training and job placement services to refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking. After seven successful years in New York, we recently expanded and opened our first location in Washington D.C. I am thrilled to be working with our team to continue this growth and ensure that we are welcoming the newest members of our community.
What can we find you doing when you’re not working?
I have two small children and am grateful to live near my siblings, parents, nieces, nephews, and grandma. Whenever I am not working you can usually find me spending time with my family and cooking with my husband. I am an avid reader, and love running, usually with at least one or two children in a stroller!
What is piquing your curiosity these days?
These days I am really interested in the stories and symbols that inspire us. I think a lot about what it means for the Statue of Liberty to be so tied to national identity and a symbol of welcome. There is so much power in these stories and symbols, and I am curious to learn more about how to use them to inspire change.
What is something you’d like help on?
Our work takes a village. I am always looking for help from other community organizations, employers, or individuals who want to get involved and help us further our mission to welcome refugees.
What is something you can offer others in the innoFaith network?
One of the best parts of my job is that I am always meeting inspiring people who want to do good. The best thing that I can offer is the ability to connect these individuals to opportunities or ways to collaborate. I would love to offer that to others, as I believe that together there is so much we can do.
To connect with Kerry, you can find her via Email or on Instagram and Facebook. And if you live in or are passing through NY or DC, be sure to check out the Emma’s Torch cafés! They also do catering.
Meet an innoFaither is our series to introduce the inspiring optimists in the innoFaith world and what they’re working on and thinking about. We hope it helps you find and engage with each other across the network to advance faith-rooted social innovation and interfaith collaboration for social impact. Or just meet some cool people. Find the full series at www.innofaith.org/meet-an-innofaither.