P77K Celebrating NYC’s Sole Winner – Nourishing Narratives: Cultivating Youth Stories for Change
Join us to meet Josiah Lessie, the sole NYC winner of the first annual Nourishing Narratives mobile film competition and screen his award-winning film. This event is open to the media, with RSVPs required. The evening will include a live Q&A, salad tasting, and photo opportunities.
When: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 – doors open 9:30, event starts promptly at 10 AM – 11 AM
Where: P77K
62 Park Place
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Who and What:
Josiah Lessie is a student at P77K, a NYC District 75 public school that serves students with developmental differences. He has a passion for cooking and a mission to share what he’s learned. Through his school’s farmers market program, Josiah discovered hydroponics and developed his own basil salad dressing recipe, made with fresh basil grown on-site, which quickly became a favorite among classmates and staff. To tell his story for the Nourishing Narratives competition, Josiah used assistive technology to narrate his film, allowing him to express himself in a way that felt true and comfortable. Josiah entered the competition to show other students with developmental differences what’s possible when they share their voice.
- To celebrate his film, school partner Green Bronx Machine donated to Josiah and P77K a Mobile Classroom Kitchen enabling Josiah and his classmates to expand their capacity to grow food and produce dressing.
- On January 28, 2026, Green Bronx Machine Founder, Stephen Ritz, will announce that P77K will be awarded a multi-year grant enabling them to have complete year-round food production capabilities to facilitate the development and debut of the first NYC DOE NYS Farmers Market to be run in partnership and compliance with NYS Ag Department.
- As a result, students and teachers will be trained to be fully compliant with NYS, grow and sell products onsite, accept cash, credit cards, electronic benefits, health bucks, and serve their community weekly. Proceeds will go to support and employ graduates of the program in a virtuous cycle and enable them to be paid to train their peers at other schools citywide.
This unique partnership is the first of its kind in NYC, designed to be replicable statewide and the result of a long-term relationship between P77K staff, students, administration and Green Bronx Machine, with the film event made possible by the Mosaic Film Experience and Newman’s Own Foundation, who provided both funding and capacity support. Josiah’s ongoing success and national recognition subsequently became the catalyst for developing evergreen programming that serves the best interests of students, the school, and the community at large while addressing food insecurity, workforce development, and 21st-century opportunities in a multi-tiered, add-value capacity. Through Green Bronx Machine, the school will receive training, indoor growing technology, cash registers, computers, scanners, scales, packaging equipment, even a chicken coop to grow and gather eggs, all of which will be used to open a weekly market serving the entire community, and of course, featuring Josiah’s famous dressing.
- “We could not be prouder of Josiah and the entire school community,” exclaimed P77K Principal Ebony Russell, “and we are so grateful for all the support from Mosaic Film Experience, Newman’s Own Foundation, and Green Bronx Machine for their support. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we intend to maximize it to our fullest.”
- “OMG – I still can’t believe I won,” added student Josiah Lessie, “I never knew people were interested. I’m excited to bring my salad dressing and grow more vegetables for the whole world. Thanks everyone and I hope you come to the event.”
- “We are still bathing in the glory and dealing with all the excitement,” added P77K teacher Katherine Marte. “Josiah worked so hard, and to see him recognized like this is so inspiring and rewarding for all of us. The support has been amazing and to think that we will be the first school in NYC to have this experience is an incredibly motivating factor for the students and for me as a teacher as well!”
- “Food education can teach our children to grow nourishing food, nurture creativity and passion, and plant the seeds of change that positively transform communities,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “We’re proud of Josiah and P77K and are excited to see this partnership with Green Bronx Machine help our students flourish.”
- “Josiah’s story is a powerful example of what happens when young people are given the tools and platform to share their stories,” said Skot Welch, Founder and President of Mosaic Film Experience. “We believe storytelling belongs to everyone and Josiah’s film shows us how confidence can grow when students are supported. We’re honored to partner with P77K and proud to see Nourishing Narratives open doors for student storytellers like Josiah.”
- “Paul Newman believed deeply in nourishing and transforming the lives of children and that mission continues to guide our work today,” said Alex Amouyel, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation. “Through Nourishing Narratives, we’re proud to elevate youth voices on food justice and to partner with Mosaic Film Experience to bring these important stories, and student storytellers, to the forefront of national conversations.”
- “Today we celebrate endless possibilities. Green Bronx Machine could not be more excited to celebrate and support the entire P77K community. We’ve grown this together.” Stated Green Bronx Machine Founder, Stephen Ritz, “From the moment we met the staff, Josiah, and his classmates, we were in love and KNEW this was a special community and Green Bronx Machine was determined to make epic happen.” Ritz added: “We could not have done this and gotten JoJo and the school to this point without the love and support of our friends at Newman’s Own Foundation who encouraged us to dream big, plan systemically.” Ritz concluded: “This project represents something far bigger than the sum of its parts and serves as the power of example; but at its core, speaks to the very foundations of who we all are, why we all do the work we do, along with the inclusion and opportunities every child needs and deserves. What a moment! The best is yet to come and Green Bronx Machine is so proud to be a part of it!”
About P77K:
P77K is an inclusive and dynamic environment where students are empowered to achieve their fullest potential in literacy, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It is an interconnected world where students have the skills and confidence for successful social-emotional, academic, and community interactions and where every teacher is equipped with the skills and strategies to ensure that every child has opportunity to succeed regardless of their background or educational abilities.
P77K focuses upon rigorous instruction, student safety, and building independent members of the community through work-based learning programs including the P77K Farmers’ Market, which teaches students to grow, harvest, and provide fresh produce to the local community. Every student at P77K is offered the opportunity to work in our P77K Garden and hydroponics lab, which has increased student engagement and learning across all content areas.
About Mosaic Film Experience:
Founded in 2012 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the Mosaic Film Experience (MFE) is a 501(c)(3) organization that reimagines students’ pathways to emerging and creative industries through innovative education and workforce development experiences, by connecting students directly with industry-leading professionals, hands-on projects, and interactive workshops. Mosaic Mobile bridges the gap between classroom learning and evolving careers. In an era when storytelling and digital media skills are essential, another way Mosaic prepares students for the future and empowers them to express their own unique voices. For more information, visit https://www.mosaicfilmexperience.com.
About Newman’s Own Foundation:
Newman’s Own Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation whose mission is to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. The Foundation continues Paul Newman’s commitment to use all the money that it receives—100% of the profits and royalties—from the sale of Newman’s Own products in service of its mission. Through the efforts of Paul Newman and Newman’s Own, over $625 million has been given to social impact organizations since 1982. Today, Newman’s Own Foundation grantee partners promote nutritious food in schools, advance Indigenous food justice, and through SeriousFun Children’s Network, create medically inclusive camp experiences. Learn more at https://newmansown.org.
About Nourishing Narratives:
Nourishing Narratives is a mobile film competition open to any youth (13-18 years old) in the United States. To enter, youth create a film up to three minutes in length that is shot, edited, and submitted via mobile devices. Each film must include a the theme, prop, and saying. The goal of this competition is to inspire youth to explore innovative solutions, showcase the impact of organizations and individuals, and reimagine what a just, equitable, and fair food system for all looks like. Learn more at https://www.nourishing-narratives.com.
About Green Bronx Machine:
Green Bronx Machine is an award-winning, nationally acclaimed non-profit that builds healthy, equitable, and resilient communities through inspired education, local food systems, and 21st Century workforce development. Dedicated to cultivating minds and harvesting hope, their school-based model incorporates urban agriculture and Tower Garden technology supported by their whole-school curriculum aligned to key school performance indicators to grow high performing schools and happy, healthy children. Green Bronx Machine transforms once marginalized communities into neighborhoods that are inclusive and thriving. For more information, visit www.greenbronxmachine.org.
Contact Information:
Name: Assistant Principal Tahirah Francois-Thomas
Email: TFrancoisthomas@schools.nyc.gov
Phone Number: 516-329-1051
Name: William Petrowitz
Email: wpetrowitz@schools.nyc.gov
Phone Number: 631-517-0328
Stephen Ritz
stephen.ritz@greenbronxmachine.org
917.873.6449
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