Barbra lived by the saying “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”. When she was not traveling, Baker-Baylor gave back by helping youth and their families in her community through non-profit, social and civic organizations. She would invest much of her salary into community endeavors like the Southern Dutchess Coalition (which held the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebrations and awarded youth scholarships), the James Brown Family Foundation, and her own UUPATT, a cultural arts program that helped support youth who possessed a love for the arts.

Kezia and Niomi cared for Barbra during medical treatments which resulted in her hair loss. This prompted young Niomi to ask her mom, “Mommy, you should help make people like Nanna feel better by making them wigs; so they feel beautiful and strong.” Kezia geared up to make her daughter’s dream a reality, and to continue the legacy her mom was so passionate about, helping to build and strengthen her community. Kezia started the venture by experimenting with the dreadlocks her mom lost during treatment. This marked the beginning of Niomi’s Heart Foundation, which partners with Civic/Social/Human Services Agencies, Schools and Mental Health Organizations to provide services that build youth’s self-esteem, whether they are suffering from challenges caused by their home environments, social/economic statuses, illnesses, or a dysfunctional school environment. Whatever the case, Niomi’s Heart is here to put a smile on their faces so they can “Fight Beautiful and Strong!”