Tiana Rainford ’19 grew up 10 blocks from East New York Farms, a community-based project that addresses food justice, promotes sustainable agriculture, and creates safe green spaces and income-generating opportunities for its surrounding working-class neighborhood.

But the former health and nutrition sciences major and daughter of a professionally trained chef didn’t really frequent the nearly 30-year-old organization. One fateful day, when checking out their farmers market, she stumbled into a full-time position that she would eventually parlay into a budding career as a nutritionist with an emphasis on non-Western perspectives on health and nutrition.

The self-described reformed picky eater recently stepped down from her role as the organization’s project director to prepare for a credentialing exam to become a licensed dietitian, and to plan her next move.

Here, she talks about her influences, her dream to take her work abroad, and the Brooklyn College class that brought it all together for her.

How did your background influence your career path?

Food was always at the center of our lives. My grandfather was a farmer, and my mom and her siblings all gardened in some capacity. My mom was also a trained chef in Jamaica, so our house was filled with the aroma of cooking. We always had gatherings that centered around food. And even though I wasn’t a gardening kid, I always loved food and being around nature.

What led you specifically to health and nutrition?

At first, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I started at Baruch College studying public relations and marketing, then thought about becoming a vet. My sister, who works in health care, suggested nutrition, and that made sense to me.

I transferred to Brooklyn College to join the health and nutrition sciences program. It wasn’t an easy decision, though. There are many barriers for Black women in dietetics, including the cost of internships and low pay in the field. But I realized how flexible the career could be, and I was determined to make it work.

What barriers did you encounter as a Black woman in this industry?

Black and brown people make up only about 5% of registered dietitians. The biggest barrier is the cost. After finishing a bachelor’s degree, you have to pay for an additional dietetic internship, which can last from nine months to two years. Now, a master’s degree is also required. There’s also a lack of pay equity in the field, which made me question whether it was a smart financial choice. Coming from a low-income background, I had to be sure I was making the right investment in my future.

Was there a moment that reaffirmed your passion for this path?

During my final year at Brooklyn College, I took a course called Foods of Diverse Populations. The professor was a food anthropologist. That class really reignited my passion by exploring the intersection of food, culture, and nutrition. It was one of the few spaces where we openly discussed why health education is so Western-centric and how important it is to have Black and brown professionals in health care.

How did you start working at East New York Farms?

After graduation, I was looking for a full-time job and came across the farmers market here. I was with my mom, and someone assumed I was looking for a job. I went with it, and a week later, I was hired as a farmers market manager. From there, I worked my way up—becoming a youth program coordinator, then co-director, and eventually the director.

What does an average day as director look like?

It changes with the season. Early in the year, we plan out the upcoming season, connect with stakeholders, and hire youth interns. In spring, we train our interns and start our seed distribution, plant sales, and food scrap drop-offs. From March to October, we collect food scraps from local businesses using e-bikes. In summer, we run our farmers market and food distribution programs. In the fall, we wrap up programs and host annual events. It’s a full cycle of planning, growing, educating, and engaging with the community.

How has the farm impacted the community and your own career path?

East New York Farms is one of the few places in the city that grows directly in the ground. We grow culturally relevant crops based on community needs—things like bitter melon, Malabar spinach, hot peppers, okra, callaloo, Caribbean squashes, and African eggplant. This work has deepened my understanding of food sovereignty and sustainability. It also shaped my goal of building nutrition programs that serve diverse populations.

You’re also interested in maternal and prenatal health. How does that connect to your future plans?

During my dietetic internship, I worked on a research project with Assistant Professor Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky developing nutrition education programs for diabetes prevention in the African diaspora. That was really inspiring. Now, I want to build programs that support maternal and prenatal health, especially in Black and brown communities. Long-term, I hope to take this work international.

You’re stepping down as director. What’s next for you?

I’m still a resident and gardener here, but I’m taking time to sit for the dietitian exam and move into a role within nutrition and dietetics. My ultimate goal is to create international nutrition programs. Being at East New York Farms has shown me the importance of culturally relevant food and community health. There are so many traditional practices in Black and Indigenous cultures that are inherently healthy but overlooked in Western nutrition. I want to continue bridging that gap—helping people see the value in their own food traditions while also improving health outcomes.