These days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Every headline brings more news of crisis. The problems feel too big, too entrenched. And with that comes the inevitable question: What can I possibly do that will matter?
At Emma’s Torch, we don’t pretend to have the answers to the world’s biggest problems. But every single day, we do one thing that matters: We welcome someone in and help them build a future.
Emma’s Torch is a nonprofit culinary training program for refugees, asylees, and survivors of human trafficking. Through our paid workforce development program, housed in our cafes in New York City and Washington, D.C., our students gain the skills and support to launch careers in the food industry. They learn how to correctly hold a knife, interpret a recipe, navigate a new language, and build an upward trajectory for themselves and their families.
Our students come from all over the world. They have survived unimaginable hardship and carry with them deep reserves of strength and hope. When they step into our kitchens, they’re not seen as problems to be fixed but as neighbors, colleagues, and community members.
People often ask us whether we feel despair in the face of the enormity of the challenges our students face. The truth is, we’re not driven by optimism or pessimism. We’re driven by determination.
And we aren’t doing this work alone. From our nonprofit partners who help connect us with students, to funders who make sure we can keep doing this work, to employer-partners who offer jobs and mentorship, to customers who stop in for a cup of coffee, this work is powered by people who believe, like we do, in the power of doing something. Every one of us can do something.
At Emma’s Torch, our training isn’t just about culinary technique. It’s also about building confidence and community. We teach interview skills and kitchen vocabulary, yes, but we also create a space where students can laugh, stumble, succeed, and know that someone is rooting for them.
Because food is never just about food: It’s about connection. It’s about showing up for each other. It’s about creating a space where someone who was once made to feel like an outsider begins to feel like they belong.
And the results are real: Since opening our doors, we have worked with over 600 students and led to more than $25 million of increased wages. Our graduates go on to work in restaurants, bakeries, catering companies, and coffee shops. Some supervise teams. Others dream of starting their own food businesses. A recent graduate shared, “You didn’t just teach us how to cook — you reminded us that we’re capable and worthy of success, of respect, and of opportunity.”
In a world that too often sees immigration through a lens of scarcity and fear, we see abundance. When you sit at one of our tables or enjoy a dish crafted by our students, you’re not just eating a meal, you’re participating in that transformation.
None of us can do everything, but all of us can do something.
We know that one training program won’t fix a broken system. But we also know that when you give someone the tools to support themselves and the dignity of being welcomed, it sends ripples far beyond the kitchen. Our alumni introduce new culinary techniques into their places of work. They train and mentor new students. And they raise families and strengthen our community.
So what can you do in the face of everything that feels impossible?
You can hire with inclusion in mind. You can tell stories that challenge the dominant narrative. You can volunteer, donate, dine, and advocate for the newest members of our community. You can be the person who buys a muffin and says hello, and in doing so, reminds someone that they’re not invisible.
None of us can do everything, but all of us can do something. And when we act with intention and compassion, those small somethings begin to add up.
At Emma’s Torch, we’re not waiting for a perfect world. We’re acting now, because the world gets better through these acts of welcome and inclusion. We keep our doors open, meet each student with respect, and work to create a society where everyone has a seat at the table.
To paraphrase Stacey Abrams, We aren’t optimistic or pessimistic. We are determined.
Determined to show up, even when it’s hard.
Determined to build community, even when the world feels fractured.
Determined to create a world where everyone, no matter where they come from, has a seat at the table.
And we’re grateful to everyone who pulls up a chair to join us.
