ALUMNUS SEBASTIAN WHITE INSPIRES WITH THERAPEUTIC NATURE OF THE CULINARY ARTS

Alumnus Sebastian White, is a champion of people, particularly the marginalized. His passion, advocating for atrisk adolescents, has been fueled by his desire to walk with the forgotten to experience the beauty in the human journey.

After spending his elementary years at St. Philip’s, Sebastian matriculated to St. Marks School of Texas (Class of 2007), before pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and then obtaining a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Additionally, he is a former collegiate athlete and fought at the amateur level of mixed martial arts. His professional background in psychology has given him unique insight into the minds of young people. Prior to May 2021, he was working as a gang intervention therapist for adolescents.

He credits two painful moments as his catalyst for creating The Evolved Network, a nonprofit in honor of the lives and legacies of his aunt and second mother, Gwendolyn Barjon, a beloved member of St. Philip’s faculty, and his father, William White, Jr. Both passed away in 2020 within a month of each other. His nonprofit has helped him resolve their absences in his new normal. “My aunt impacted St. Philip’s in so many interesting ways and my desire was to incorporate those passions into lasting change,” he shares. “The idea was to keep them alive through my work. To create a legacy of their impact.”

Based in Chicago, The Evolved Network is an impactful model that utilizes the culinary arts as a tool for transformation for at-risk youth. White believes the farm to table dining experience is powerful and inherently therapeutic. His organization creates unique opportunities for youth with a focus on restaurant development, teamwork, creativity, community, sustainability, nutrition, and communication. The program is currently operating in seven schools with hopes to expand to an actual on-site restaurant space with more staff.

Cooking has always been therapeutic for Sebastian. “I love to eat good food. Being a self-taught chef, I never would have imagined that I would end up cooking with some of the best chefs in the city,” he says. Chef Sarah Stegner, who has two James Beard Foundation Awards, has been so gracious and opened her personal network to The Evolved Network. White’s dad would often encourage him to intern or volunteer with various restaurants. “I never had the courage to do so but after he passed, I was motivated and found my way.”

When asked about his time at St. Philip’s and what resonated with him, he was quick to refer to the popular line from The Creed - “Destiny is Mine” - of which he has a tattoo on his left arm. “It’s powerful, if you want something you have to chase it, you have to work for it. If I can get a kid to try something different, outside of their norm, it can open up so many possibilities,” he says. White shared that in the future, he hopes to find a space of his own with a rooftop garden so that kids can come to a common place and learn the skills, be trained, and truly understand that service can be therapeutic.

For Sebastian, his nonprofit is an incorporation of his father and aunt’s passions, unconditional care, and lifelong support of so many different lives. “When I look in the mirror, I seek to see them, and I believe The Evolved Network makes that possible. It continues their legacies…it honors them…it keeps their genius here,” he explains. “We will pass it on and change lives. I love you Gwennie! I love you Old Man. Your names will never die.”