In its second year, the employee-led Lozier Community Grant program supported 50 nonprofit organizations across the country. Recipients were selected by employee committees in all five Lozier locations. Over the next couple of months, the recipient organizations’ stories of impact will be shared on LozierLink.
After working in Accounting and transitioning to a chef working in restaurants and hotels, Jamil Bah-Traore wanted to see more representation of his community in Omaha. With food as the method for his message, Bah-Traore started the House of Bah Foundation in 2020 with three service lines to teach locals and immigrants about the food that drives us all.
Through the Immigrant Culinary Integration program, Bah-Traore helps transition immigrants who may have cooked in their home country, providing the skills they need to secure similar jobs in their new home. These New Americans go through his eight-week class, graduating with food service certificates as well as one from the House of Bah Foundation, recognizing their preparation and ability to enter the workforce.
“Me being an immigrant myself, a refugee here, my whole goal is to give others the possibility that I didn’t have,” said Bah-Traore. “If working in food, being a chef or just being a server; if being in the food industry is part of your calling, how can we help to make it happen?”
Working with community partners, Bah-Traore hopes that educating people through foods local to their communities will lead to more diversity and conversation about racial and social divides. Additional service lines include the African Culinary Academy, where education around African cuisine can introduce it into the city and country. Eat and Talk Africa engages the community through classes, conversations and workshops to teach people about African culture, heritage and cuisine through food.
Lozier’s Community Grant helped ensure Bah-Traore can offer his classes to anyone, ensuring finances aren’t a barrier to their success.
Click here to learn more about the House of Bah Foundation. For details on the Lozier Community Grant program, click here.