Michele Seymour is the Director of the Reengagement Center at New Orleans Youth Alliance, where she helps young people ages 16 to 24 reconnect with education, employment, and long-term opportunities. We sit down with Michele alongside hosts Maya McGee and Monique Robinson to discuss how the Reengagement Center grew from a referral-based model into a hands-on support system designed to address the real barriers young people face, from transportation and caregiving responsibilities to finding the right school or workforce program.

We also explore the power of collaboration across New Orleans, including how the Opportunity Youth Collaborative brings organizations together to share data, coordinate services, and advocate for greater investment in young people. Michele shares how data has helped strengthen funding efforts, why flexible and individualized support matters, and the story of one young woman whose journey through multiple partner organizations shows what is possible when an entire community works together.

Missions Bayou is presented by Comfy Stone, a New Orleans-based video production agency that helps organizations amplify their impact through mission-driven storytelling. Missions Bayou is hosted by Maya McGee and Brenna Gourgeot. Maya McGee is the Senior Director of Operations at Comfy Stone, where she helps nonprofits clarify and elevate their storytelling to better reflect their mission and impact. Brenna Gourgeot is a community organizer and data analyst focused on socioeconomic and environmental justice in Southeast Louisiana. From fundraising videos and social media content to full-scale podcast production, Comfy Stone makes it easy for organizations to share their stories in a way that resonates.

Follow Comfy Stone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfystonefilms/

Website: https://www.comfystone.com/

Jerome Jupiter is the CEO of the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), a New Orleans nonprofit helping young people access education, workforce training, mentoring, and enrichment opportunities. We sat down with Jerome to talk about how YEP has grown from a juvenile reentry program into a broader resource for opportunity youth across the city, and how programs like YEP Works and Bike Works give young people hands-on experience while building skills and confidence for the future.

We also explore YEP’s partnership with Café Reconcile and why collaboration between nonprofits is so important, especially as organizations face limited funding and growing community needs. Jerome shares how strong partnerships can connect young people to the right resources, create clearer pathways to employment and education, and make a greater impact by allowing each organization to focus on what it does best.

Missions Bayou is presented by Comfy Stone, a New Orleans-based video production agency that helps organizations amplify their impact through mission-driven storytelling. Missions Bayou is hosted by Maya McGee and Brenna Gourgeot. Maya McGee is the Senior Director of Operations at Comfy Stone, where she helps nonprofits clarify and elevate their storytelling to better reflect their mission and impact. Brenna Gourgeot is a community organizer and data analyst focused on socioeconomic and environmental justice in Southeast Louisiana. From fundraising videos and social media content to full-scale podcast production, Comfy Stone makes it easy for organizations to share their stories in a way that resonates.

Follow Comfy Stone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfystonefilms/

Website: https://www.comfystone.com/

Kheri Billy is the CEO of Café Reconcile, and Monique Robinson is the organization’s Chief Program Officer, helping lead a workforce development and training program that supports young people ages 16 to 24 across New Orleans. We sat down with Kheri and Monique to talk about how Café Reconcile uses its restaurant as a real-world training environment where young people can build professional skills, gain confidence, explore career paths, and connect with opportunities both inside and outside of the hospitality industry.

We also discuss why strong community partnerships are essential to supporting young people beyond employment, from transportation and education to financial stability and long-term career growth. Kheri and Monique share how Café Reconcile helps young people discover what is possible for their future, develop transferable life and workplace skills, and find pathways that allow them to grow, thrive, and build a life here in New Orleans.

Missions Bayou is presented by Comfy Stone, a New Orleans-based video production agency that helps organizations amplify their impact through mission-driven storytelling. Missions Bayou is hosted by Maya McGee and Brenna Gourgeot. Maya McGee is the Senior Director of Operations at Comfy Stone, where she helps nonprofits clarify and elevate their storytelling to better reflect their mission and impact. Brenna Gourgeot is a community organizer and data analyst focused on socioeconomic and environmental justice in Southeast Louisiana. From fundraising videos and social media content to full-scale podcast production, Comfy Stone makes it easy for organizations to share their stories in a way that resonates.

Follow Comfy Stone

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/comfystonefilms/

Website: https://www.comfystone.com/