Connect
To Top

Check Out Daryl Griffith’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daryl Griffith. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey to where I am today is the result of rediscovering myself repeatedly. It’s a journey of both nature and nurture – and it all started in the kitchen. From a young age, I was always enamored with being in the kitchen. It was a bit of a rite of passage. My mother cooked most of the meals we ate growing up, just as her mother had. Every meal was made from scratch. You could taste the intentional love in every bite. My first love was baking sweet treats for friends and family. Whether it was oatmeal raisin cookies with a glass of Lactaid for “Santa”; or Thunder Cake from the back of my favorite children’s book, I had a fond appreciation for the connection that comes through sharing a meal.

As I got older, I became more interested in cooking foods that would be both flavorful and nourishing for my body. During this time, I was struggling with maintaining a comfortable weight for my body. I was at that critical time in a young woman’s life when I was becoming increasingly more aware of my body and the space it occupied. In a world full of flat tummy tea fads and porcelain photoshopped magazine models, I saw myself nowhere in it. My self-esteem was challenged, and my confidence suffered from a combination of factors all stemming from a negative relationship with diet and exercise.

When I left for college, I was convinced that my purpose in life was to, in the words of a mentor, “be the answer to someone’s question.” I sought to study nutrition and community health at The Ohio State University. My hope was to serve others who may have experienced similar hardships in relationship to their health and wellness journey. Especially young Black girls who may have struggled to see the beauty in themselves the way I did. I wanted to encourage others to live a life reflective of their best selves both inside and out. I graduated with a degree in sociology and minors in public health and business.

After graduation, I started to work for AIDS Resource Center of Ohio (now Equitas Health) as an Engagement Specialist. This was my first full-time role and served as the catalyst for career mobility in the future. In my role, I co-produced/directed a sexual health education series entitled Sex Ed in the Streets that received high praise from our marketing team. The project landed me a position as the first Marketing and Advocacy Outreach Coordinator for the organization. I completed training in HIV/STI test counseling, phlebotomy, cultural humility, marketing and communications, public speaking, advocacy, and event planning. The diversity in tasks kept my interests and creativity inspired throughout the role.

Later I worked for the Multiethnic Advocates for Cultural Competence, where I executed our 2019 statewide conference featuring Dr. Yusef Saleem of the Exonerated 5 at The Ohio State University. I also began working part-time for the Columbus Young Professional’s Club as an Event Coordinator. My part-time role later grew into opportunities to participate in the CYP Impact Academy as well as serve as a member of the Impact & Inclusion Advisory Board.

In 2020, I officially returned to my alma mater as a Program Coordinator for The Women’s Place (TWP) under the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Through my role with TWP, I provide administrative support to the President and Provost’s Council on Women. The council advocates to the president and provost for all Ohio State women and provides leadership for the development of policies and practices that positively affect the working environment for women. I manage central communication channels for our Black Women Faculty & Professional Staff, Women of Color Faculty Network, and Leadership Initiative for Women of Color. I am also a Buckeye Wellness Innovator for my department and offer resources for integrating health and wellness practices into the workplace. Wellness operates as a core value throughout my work and has often inspired my passion projects, including Soul Flow Sundaze.

To accompany the feel-good food, I created Soul Flow Sundaze for a feel-good mood. The program was born out of an opportunity to use an event space and the desire to center that space around collective rest. Through the practice of restorative yoga set to ambient lighting and smooth sounds, Soul Flow Sundaze encourages guest to leave feeling better than when they entered the space. The platform is a community-driven program that hosts Black yoga practitioners/guides, Black-owned businesses, and live musicians. This space is also dedicated to raising awareness around mental health. In 2020, The Lantern featured Soul Flow Sundaze for its focus on inclusive; mental health-focused yoga experiences. https://www.thelantern.com/2020/09/ohio-state-grad-brings-inclusive-mental-health-centered-yoga-experiences-to-columbus/

Throughout the many roles I’ve performed, they’ve all provided direction. As I continue to rediscover myself, I’m in the place where my journey has led me to serving others in a new and yet familiar way – through food. During the pandemic, I was able to take advantage of the time spent closer to home to uncover my interests in the kitchen. I started to provide meal services for individuals that later evolved into catering events. I am currently enrolled in Columbus State’s Culinary certification program and will be completing my program in 2023. Upon completion of my program, I plan to continue to provide personal chef services at the community level. Long-term, I would love to be able to provide sensory cooking workshops based-in culinary therapy practices, as well as, healthy meals to local school programs.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not always been smooth, nor has it always been clear. I’ve gained clarity from continuing to explore who I am and how I respond in situations. The disruption of the pandemic over the past few years has only further exacerbated challenges many individuals have been facing. As a Black woman, I’ve experienced microaggressions, racism, and discrimination in both my personal and professional life. I’ve received comments from coworkers that challenged my competency as a younger employee. I’ve been denied appropriate salary compensation. I’ve been told lewd and sexist remarks while on the job. I’ve had to come to the realization, the “hard way,” about how a lack of preparation can greatly impact a successful outcome. I’ve had to come to terms with difficult and unexpected loss while still learning the best ways to cope.

Despite the setbacks, I count it all as joy or “cook it all in joy”. My lessons gleaned from cooking in the kitchen provide a foundation for approaching life’s setbacks. As the old adage states, you can’t successfully bake a cake without breaking a few eggs. I believe that practice of being in the kitchen encourages creative problem-solving. The process of completing a recipe from mise en place to plating is riddled with profound metaphors for navigating some of life’s most difficult moments. These kitchen parables I’ve gained over the years shed perspective on what is within my control on this journey. It allows me to appreciate and share gratitude for the many ingredients that go into the recipe of life.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The work that I do centers around my passion for equity, health, and wellness. I believe in the creation of  accessible and inclusive healthcare services, especially for communities and individuals that have been historically underserved and overlooked. My work is also greatly influenced by my identity. During college, I was a founding member, president and advisor to my multi-cultural sorority focused on women’s empowerment. Serving the organization sparked my passion for producing advocacy work and supporting spaces centered on the experiences of women. Returning to the Ohio State University, at The Women’s Place has continued to fuel that charge, as our units serves as a catalyst for institutional change to expand opportunities for women’s growth, leadership, and power in an inclusive, supportive, and safe university environment. As a senior event coordinator for the Columbus Young Professional’s Club, I am the Co-chair of our annual Women of Inspiration Summit & Expo (WISE). WISE brings together hundreds of women for an uplifting and inspirational event experience to connect and grow while hearing from outstanding speakers and thought-leaders. This year’s 4th annual WISE honored two outstanding Women of Inspiration Honorees for 2022: Dr. Amy Acton and Stephanie Hightower.

Outside of my full-time and part-time roles, at my core, I am a self-proclaimed Creative Culinarian. Creating in the kitchen serves as a source of creative expression and cathartic ritual. Every recipe starts with setting an atmosphere through music, most commonly neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop. Sound + soul equal the perfect seasoning for any plate. During the pandemic, I would prepare meals and post them to my social media, accompanied by music and creative captioning. As a writer, I found myself creating poetry over the different food video compilations I would post on my page. The more I posted, the more I started to receive inquiries about meal services. What began as a handful of meals for 1-2 clients soon grew into a listserv of over 60+ individuals. I created a monthly blog featuring a body-positive / affirming food for thought as well as a sign-up form for meals. I’ve prepared meals for birthday/special event gatherings, campaign events, graduation parties, etc.

No matter the size of the meal, my biggest factor is the experience of the customer. I believe that food is art, and I enjoy creating visually appealing meals. I have worked in food service for over ten years and aspire to reflect that experience through my customer intake process. The testimonies I’ve received from individuals is the reason I continue to do what I do. I once had a gentleman inform me that my food was one of the first meals he could taste after lost his sense of taste due to chronic illness. Another told me that my food was an answered prayer. There is an immense amount of purpose, place, and positioning that I’ve experienced because of following God through this journey.

Throughout my work, I am most proud of my fearlessness to try. Nothing that I’ve accomplished has come by knowing how, but rather the humility of being willing to try. I’ve learned that things will likely not go as you planned, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be better than you could have ever imagined.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My advice for finding a mentor would be to identify your why. Ask yourself why you want a mentor. After you’ve determined your needs for a mentor, determine what would make for a successful mentor relationship. Establish your expectations of the mentor. Also, consider what might be expected of you as a mentee. Do your research on individuals and discover who might be a good fit.

Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for what you need. When you ask you shall receive. Whether that’s the response you hoped for our a redirection towards the answer you need. Take advantage of any access to virtual or in-person professional and personal development opportunities. Optimize those interactions by requesting contact information from speakers who align with your mentor goals. Once you’ve made the connection, follow up by reminding them how you met. Also, identify interest groups and employee resource groups that create intentional spaces for networking and relationship building.

Another piece of advice that was passed down to me is to have a mentor that represents every decade of life. There is great wisdom to be gained through intergenerational connections. This tip is a gentle reminder that mentorship can take place from various perspectives and stages in life.

Contact Info:


Image Credits

Cooper Captures

Suggest a Story: VoyageOhio is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Local Stories