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Newsletters
June 9, 2026
Meaningful journeys begin at The First 72+
This year, The First 72+ continues to focus on building sustainable second chances. From graduations to personal milestones, every justice-impacted New Orleanian deserves the opportunity to build a meaningful life.
9 Steps to Staying Free Graduation
In May, we celebrated the hard work and commitment of our community members who continued to show up to our weekly 9 Steps to Staying Free class. Led by our co-founder and Senior Advisor, Pastor Tyrone Smith, this peer-to-peer support class reviewed goal setting, building strong and healthy relationships, and staying on a positive path.
This graduation ceremony recognized each participant's dedication to the program and to completing the course. To inspire the graduates and emphasize the power of sticking to their goals and never giving up in the face of adversity, Clerk of Criminal District Court-Elect Calvin Duncan spoke during the ceremony. Every person in attendance walked away feeling energized, reminded that one past decision does not define their worth or who they will become moving forward.
Fridays, Fellowship, and Fish
As Mardi Gras came to an end, we were excited to see our First 72+ community at our weekly Lenten fish fry. For 7 weeks, we had the gift of gathering with our neighbors to dine over delicious fried fish.
What made this year's fish fries even more meaningful is that the students from our Culinary Program prepared the dishes. Not only was the meal prepared by justice-impacted community members, but all funds raised during this event go directly toward supporting our formerly incarcerated community.
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported us this year. It was such a pleasure being with our New Orleans family!
The Financial Literacy Seminar
In February, we partnered with Bonvenu Bank to host our first-ever Financial Literacy Seminar. This exciting event brought Bonvenu bankers straight to our campus to collaborate with our community members on setting short and long-term financial goals.
Too often, our community members return home without the critical financial tools to build credit, start a business, or establish long-term savings. To break down these barriers and build real confidence, our workshop provided a welcoming, safe space where every participant was encouraged to ask any and all questions they had about their financial health.
Client Corner
Leon
While incarcerated, Leon participated in our Reentry Court Program. Although he had participated in the program before, it was during his final time in prison that everything truly clicked.
Under the guidance of his Reentry Case Manager, Troy, Leon set and achieved an incredible number of goals. He earned his GED, an HVAC certification, and a CDL, all while attending numerous life skills classes and learning sign language. Reflecting on his time during the in-jail portion of the program, Leon said: “I don’t think there’s a better program for people that really want to change their lives. It helped me identify the person I had been running from.”
Because Leon excelled in the program and consistently surpassed his benchmarks, his initial sentence was revised and he left prison after serving 27 months. Upon leaving, he moved into The First 72+ transitional housing and wasted no time getting on his feet.
In less than two weeks, Leon secured employment and began working overtime to save up for permanent housing. He also worked with our Economic Empowerment Director to receive his TWIC waiver, bringing him one step closer to his goal of working offshore as an HVAC specialist.
Leon's hard work paid off quickly, as he secured housing and moved out of our transitional housing ahead of schedule. Ultimately, he plans to start his own community clean-up nonprofit that will provide systemically underserved young people with workforce skills and guide them on a positive track.
Tieka
Tieka came to The First 72+ after a friend told her about our Culinary Program. As a lifelong lover of baking, Tieka was in a transitional period in her life and saw the program as a perfect opportunity to create a new path forward while advancing her cooking skills.
While working with Culinary Coach Wayne, Tieka learned essential food safety practices, including preventing time-temperature abuse, identifying food-borne illnesses, properly storing ingredients, and sanitizing cooking surfaces. She says about her time in the class: "I learned a lot. Coach Wayne knew his stuff and taught his students well."
During our weekly fish fry, she gained hands-on experience cooking for large crowds. She quickly learned the importance of teamwork, collaborating with the other culinary students to ensure high-quality meals were served hot and on time. Tieka successfully completed the program with her ServSafe certification as well as a TWIC waiver and eventually plans on cooking offshore.
She continues to bake her delicious crawfish pies and red velvet cake, even selling them at our Rising Artists' Market. She will continue to work with The First 72+ to learn more about entrepreneurship, as well as create her own LLC to bring Tieka's Treats to the masses.
The Culinary Program Hits its Stride
"Success isn’t about the glory at the top of the mountain; it’s about every single step it took to get there. And this program, this was one of those steps for me. It challenged me to be dedicated, determined, and disciplined in my pursuit of something greater. Not just success, but transformation. And today, this moment right here… this is a victory. Not because it was easy, but because it wasn’t. Because despite the adversity I found myself in, someone was willing to give me a second chance."
-Kendra, Cohort 3 Culinary Program Student, excerpt from her April 2026 graduation speech.
The Culinary Program continues to provide justice-impacted community members with the chance at a fresh start. Through the program, students gain the confidence and hands-on skills to launch thriving and sustainable careers in the hospitality industry while receiving a weekly stipend.
We are so proud to celebrate our second and third cohorts, who have successfully completed the program in 2026! These nine inspiring graduates are already building bright futures, connecting with our employer partners, and pursuing their own businesses.
Support Through Prerelease Services
Ensuring our currently incarcerated community members feel supported and valued throughout their journeys is an essential part of our mission. Often, our advocacy starts before a community member even walks through our door, and that is exactly how we met Herbert.
When Herbert was referred to us prior to his release, we immediately knew he would flourish as part of The First 72+ family. While he was still incarcerated, we coordinated his transitional housing so that as soon as he stepped into freedom, The First 72+ could be there for him. Providing prerelease support bridges the gap between incarceration and reentry, removing many obstacles before they arise.
The Rising Artists' Market
On May 20, we hosted our first-ever Rising Artists' Market. This special event highlighted the creativity, ingenuity, and passion of The First 72+ community members.
One-of-a-kind paintings, woodworks, clothing, belts, and accessories were available, and it seemed like everyone walked away with a unique treasure. A heartfelt thank you to the talented artists and entrepreneurs for sharing their work, and to our wonderful community for showing up. This event was truly a success, and we can't wait to do it again!
What's Next at The First 72+
Our weekly programming rolls on! Join us for our Transformative Tuesdays, 9 Steps to Staying Free class, or Financial Thursdays to find diverse tools for growth.On Thursday, June 25, we are teaming up again with Bonvenu Bank for our second Financial Literacy Seminar! This community class is open to anyone looking to build economic mobility. Want to save your spot? Please contact Torrey Williams at (504) 579-4652.We are also getting ready for a back-to-school drive to support justice-impacted families for the start of the school year. Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved!
