The Nehemiah Projects of Louisiana and its gatekeeper

Lauren Trahan is the current executive director of The Nehemiah Projects of Acadiana Inc. (NPAI), a nonprofit formed to revitalize Acadiana’s communities, beginning with Abbeville.
She comes from an educational background and is passionate about seeing young men and women reach their potential and express their talents through education and dedication. She is the current gatekeeper of the organization, working to fulfill the mission that began with Pastor Walter August’s desire to give back to his hometown of Abbeville.
“I have learned that Abbeville is a unique city, wrapped in a proud heritage, a strong faith, and a tradition of taking pride in one’s ability, education, and hard work,” said Trahan.
Yet over time, as the pandemic hit and entire communities isolated, there has been a disconnect to those values in many ways that has created challenges for our youth, struggling to succeed in school and obtain necessary life-skills, creating challenges to accessing higher education and forming obstacles to those wanting a future filled with career possibilities.
Trahan came in to become a connector and do the work to build solidarity between churches, city members and community residents.
“It takes a village of committed and compassionate people to keep a child out of the school-to-prison pipeline. It’s the only way in our current reality,” she said.
When Nehemiah began the work in Abbeville, it honored the legacy of Rev. James A. Herod, who understood the importance of education and made it his mission to teach the youth how to take hold of the possibilities available to all of God’s children.
The Nehemiah Projects of Acadiana operates to serve Abbeville and the surrounding parishes to continue to bring hope to the masses and provide quality education and workforce resources to those who most need that inspiration.
NPAI recently partnered with Talitha Boudreaux and New Iberia Teen Court to establish a Teen Court and Youth Justice program in Vermilion Parish.
Alongside Teen Court, NPAI supports the second chance to learn and grow from mistakes that can impact the future of the next generation. The program has had immense support from local officials and community members to get this much-needed resource off the ground.
Nehemiah’s Executive Director works to execute the vision to bring help and hope to the community through the organization’s core values: Education, Social Services, Health & Wellness, Career & Financial Planning, and Community Revitalization.
Serving on the board of the Abbeville Coalition, Trahan and NPAI supports the Imagine Abbeville Initiative and believes in economic development and reinvestment in downtown, people, and places that radiate possibility and embody the desire to create a legacy in their hometown. While just scratching the surface, Nehemiah will continue the work to implement new pathways to success and create sustainable career opportunities through future education and revitalization projects.