Our Mission
Knowing Your Destiny (KYD) is a community-based education non-profit dedicated to empowering young people within the Greater New Orleans area with the knowledge, resources, mindsets, and experiences necessary to overcome low socio-economic barriers and lead fulfilling lives. We accomplish this through a variety of community-based educational programming and experiential learning opportunities.
Our Values
Committed Diligence: We are committed to our mission, our community, and our youth because we know we are depended on. We uplift everyone to build our futures together.
Established Longevity: Our decisions impact and ground future generations. We want to ensure we are here to see and to be a reigning force in that future.
Bold+Fearless: We champion our young people by pushing the limits of what has been believed to be possible. We know we can do more for them and we take on the challenge without hesitation.
Respected Integrity: We believe in doing what’s right—no matter what. Keeping our word and following through are important to us and we won’t go back on our promises.
Esteemed Excellence: Our work is everything that we do, and we do everything to the best of our ability. We want to be defined by our actions and we ensure our actions tell all.
Vision
We imagine a reconstructed community of fulfilled dreams and endless opportunity.
HISTORY
Knowing Your Destiny, Inc (KYD) was founded in 2015 to ensure every student in New Orleans has access and ability to reach their fullest potential. As a 501c3 organization, we are dedicated to bringing new opportunities to youth through academic, career, and employment readiness, and health programs.
Our signature mission-aligned program is the Geaux Ready Program. Geaux Ready provides an innovative approach to college preparation by empowering 16 - 19 year old students to work and invest money for higher education pursuits, while also learning about personal finances and gaining job skills. Students earn a stipend by completing work with a local company, and then have the opportunity to test their financial literacy by investing their money in a state-run college savings program. Since 2015, Geaux Ready has equipped more than 30 high school and college students with valuable job training and skill building, as well as educated students to save over $37,000 for college.
In 2019, Geaux Ready won $2,500 from the PITCHNOLA Education Challenge presented by Capital One, allowing the program to sustainably grow and serve more youth looking for the financial means to attend college. Read more about Geaux Ready’s success on page 6 of Gambit New Orleans 2019 and see our article in the New Orleans Advocate.
In addition to the success of the Geaux Ready program, in 2016 KYD partnered with a local low-income apartment complex located in New Orleans East to begin offering a safe and welcoming after-school environment through our program Evening Shift. After building the successful place-based after-school program, KYD launched the KYD Literacy and Enrichment Youth Camp and KYD Career Camp in partnership with the City of New Orleans and NORDC. These camps have become essential programs to serving elementary, middle, and high school youth in New Orleans East, partnering with students and parents to ensure upcoming school year success.