Remarkable Women Finalist: Melissa Sawyer
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Thousands of children know her, and thousands of children love her.
Her name is Melissa Sawyer. She is the co-founder and CEO of the Youth Empowerment Project, better known around town as YEP.
Beginning in 2004, Melissa and two other women believed there needed to be a program in New Orleans that really invested in the future of our youth. YEP's mission was to engage underserved young people through community-based programs.
Abita Brewing Company opens second location in New Orleans
'It really came from addressing an unmet need in the community and wanting to help and to do good and support young people and families,' said Sawyer. 'It's funny, people ask me if this is what I had hoped for YEP. I was like, 'I had no idea!''
Since then, YEP has evolved to enrich the lives of anyone ages 7 and up. YEP serves almost 1,000 people per year.
One of the core services provided is education.
In one testimonial, a woman got her high school equivalency in 2014 thanks to YEP. She added that she is about to have two degrees, stating that once you have someone who is there for you, that will make you want to do it more.
Need work? Got work? HustleHawks is the New Orleans app for that
In another testimonial of a woman who got her high school equivalency from YEP, she told her daughter she wanted to get a class ring with 'YEP' on it.
There are also employment programs, including YEP Bike Works and Yep Thrift Works.
Melissa has been showered with awards for her work in the community, but her biggest reward is seeing how YEP makes a positive impact on the lives of its participants.
'For me, just knowing that YEP has played one small part in, at this point, thousands of people's lives in this community is more than I could ever ask for,' said Sawyer.Warm and sunny today and tomorrow
Suspected cause of death for former Yankees player's son in Costa Rica revealed
New Orleans police seek suspect, victims in sex crimes investigation
Michigan couple held in Mexican prison, daughter says
Student returns lost backpack filled with luxury jewelry, diamonds, cash
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
21 minutes ago
- New York Post
Illegal migrant rioter charged with hurling molotov at LA cops after chilling footage captured him stalking police
An illegal migrant from Mexico is accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at cops during the anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles last weekend — and he'd already been deported from the US once before. Emiliano Garduno-Galvez now faces an attempted murder charge after being nabbed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Monday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. 4 Ominous footage shows Emiliano Garduno-Galvez flicking a lighter, as if to test that it's working before the alleged attack. Department of Homeland Security Ominous video footage released by ICE shows the Mexican migrant lurking around a tree wearing a black hoodie and face mask with what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail at his feet on Saturday, according to ICE At one point he flicks a lighter, as if to test that it's working, according to the footage. Police were seen trying to push rioters away from the area before Garduno-Galvez allegedly chucked the explosive at them, ICE said. Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin emphasized that 'these are the types of criminal illegal aliens that rioters are fighting to protect,' in a statement Wednesday. 4 Emiliano Garduno-Galvez was previously deported from the US. Department of Homeland Security She added: 'The Los Angeles rioters will not stop us or slow us down. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' 4 Emiliano Garduno-Galvez, left, appears in video footage taken before the attack. Department of Homeland Security 4 ICE agents arresting a man in Los Angeles. @PressSec / X The Mexican illegal migrant also had a rap sheet that includes two arrests last year for a DUI in Long Beach and grand theft in Anaheim. A DHS official told The Post that local officials didn't honor previous detainers to let ICE take Garduno Galvez into custody after his previous arrests. Anti-ICE protests broke out in LA Friday after immigration agents raided multiple workplaces and hauled of illegal migrants, but kicked off in earnest on Saturday. Rioters threw rocks and molotov cocktails at federal agents and local cops. Protesters later began showing up at multiple locations across the city to block ICE raids, while picketing at the agency's downtown detention center. The protests, however, quickly turned violent as rioters began burning cars, shutting down highways and looting storefronts.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Murder trial for 'El Diablo' begins with opening statements
Jun. 11—Antonio Riano does not deny he shot Benjamin Becarra outside a Hamilton bar 20 years ago. But his defense attorneys this week will try to prove he did it in self defense. The murder trial for Riano, also known as 'El Diablo,' began today with opening statements after jurors were chosen Tuesday in a Butler County Common Pleas courtroom. The prosecution said the 63-year-old Mexican national said he ruthlessly shot the 25-year-old Becarra in the face on Dec. 19, 2024, with a .38 Smith & Wesson. The defense said Riano was at a breaking point, claiming he and his family were terrorized by the man he shot. Assistant prosecutor Michael Hon led the proceedings Wednesday with his opening statement before a jury of 12 and two alternates. The facts show that the two men were at the Round House Bar on East Avenue and Long Street. Riano was inside when Becarra walked through a door off Long Street. An argument ensued, which had continued outside the bar. Hon said Riano fired a shot into the ground, and Becarra told a cousin to call 911. Then Riano walked away, but turned back, and they continued arguing. A bystander from the bar stood between the two men, but Hon said Riano pulled out his gun, stretched his arm over that bystander, and shot Becarra in the face. Defense attorney Kara Blackney said the shooting was in self-defense, and told the jury her client had "enough." She said Becarra and his friends terrorized him and his family — he had a wife and three children under 10 at the time — and allegedly attacked his younger brother. "Antonio wasn't going to the Round House Bar looking for a fight," Blackney said, adding his "El Diablo" nickname stems from volunteer work for his church as a teenager. "The fight found him." Blackney said the shooting happened mid-afternoon on Dec. 19, 2004, and Becarra said his blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit and tested positive for cocaine. She was also told he was not permitted in that bar, as well as others, due to a fight the day prior. Hon told the jurors that the evidence presented and the witnesses called "may seem out of order to you," mostly in part due to navigating schedules and travel of witnesses, "it will all come together at the end." Butler County authorities worked the case for two decades with federal authorities to bring Riano back to Hamilton on the murder charge. According to Blackney, Riano fled Hamilton, going to New Jersey before heading to Mexico, where he had lived for the past 20 years, including working as a police officer in his hometown. Riano was indicted on the murder charge in February 2005. He was extradited back to the United States with the help of the U.S. Marshals Office and other authorities on Aug. 1.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
'Stand up for immigrants': Iowans gather in solidarity with LA protests, rally against ICE
More than 100 people gathered in downtown Des Moines to show support for immigrants' rights as protesters more than 1,600 miles away in Los Angeles continue to rally against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's efforts to deport people without legal status. As protests in California entered their fifth day on Tuesday, June 10, demonstrations have sprung up in major cities around the country in at least a dozen cities that included San Francisco, New York, Washington, Boston, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta. The Iowa chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation held a small protest at Cowles Commons to show solidarity for immigrants and rally against President Donald Trump's deployment of the National Guard and U.S. Marines to quell protesters. "We're here to stand up for members of our community. For immigrants. For migrants. For refugees. For people with disabilities. For people on Medicaid. For seniors. For all the working class, because we are all under attack right now," said Jake Grobe, a community organizer who led the protest. "And Trump is trying to scapegoat immigrants and make them the enemy, calling them criminals." Immigration raids in Los Angeles on the afternoon of June 6 sparked a small protest. The next day, larger protests began in the town of Paramount, south of Los Angeles, linked to rumors of a possible immigration raid. Toward the evening on June 7, Trump ordered 2,000 National Guard members to the area. That night, protesters threw rocks, bottles, and fireworks at officers. Local police declared a small part of downtown Los Angeles an unlawful assembly area, and large numbers of protesters were cleared from the site. More: Curfew enacted for parts of downtown LA; Newsom seeks to limit Marine deployment: Updates Mayor Karen Bass issued a curfew for parts of downtown Los Angeles on June 10 following intense days of protests. Demonstrators allege the Trump administration's immigration enforcement has violated civil and human rights. The sweeping immigration efforts, a hallmark of Trump's second term, has also caught up people legally residing in the country and led to legal challenges. Protesters nationwide are expected to hold 'No Kings' rallies June 14, which coincide with Trump's 79th birthday and come one week after the president mobilized the National Guard in Los Angeles. Rallies, including in Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City, will precede a large-scale military parade in Washington, D.C., celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Back in Des Moines, Paulina Ocegueda drove with a friend from Ottumwa to the capital city to lend their support. For Ocegueda, the fight was personal. She said it took years for her parents, who originally came from Mexico, to become U.S. citizens. She said she is proud to be Mexican-American but that it is tough to "represent the American side right now." "I want to make sure that all of the immigrants, not just Mexicans but people from Colombia, people from Haiti, people from Burmese communities, be represented here today," she said. Des Moines resident Wendy Espinoza felt similarly. Espinoza, who attended the event with her two sisters, said they came to represent their parents, who came to the U.S. from Mexico for a better future. They wanted to "stick up for them" and for the many others "who don't have a voice," the 23-year-old said. The group chanted "Power to the people. No one is illegal," and "No justice, no peace. We want ICE off our streets." Des Moines police were present but the rally stayed peaceful. In the far back of the crowd, Julius De La Cruz, 24, stood next to his pregnant wife and listened to the speakers. De La Cruz of Des Moines said he is frustrated. "You got families that work their a-- off, and all they do is just work their a-- off for their family, for a better life, a future here, and then you get them taken away like that in the blink of an eye," he said, referring to masked ICE agents who have been seen on video arresting migrants outside of court hearings and at businesses. He hopes better for his child. "I don't want my kid to grow up and see all the hate," he said. "I grew up around people who just showed nothing but love and positivity, who never judge people, never judge a book by its cover. I don't want my kid to grow up around nothing but hate." USA Today and the Iowa City Press-Citizen contributed to this report. F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@ or follow her on X @writefelissa. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Anti-ICE rally comes to Des Moines in solidarity with LA protests
