SPEAK From the Editor
MAGAZINE
INTERVIEW WITH ARTIST
mardi gras 2016
laissez le bon temps rouler! check out three very different, but equally exciting, Louisiana mardi gras celebrations
caroline youngblood
ILlegal legalization from the perspective of a marijuana dealer
FIELD table
TO
Continuing a long tradition as old as man’s existence
SPRING 2016 | louisiana tech university 2 | SPEAK magazine
Contents 26
4
38 18
34 ARTS+Culture
FOOD+DRINK
FEATURES
4 | Caroline Youngblood
12 | Field to Table
26 | Mardi Gras Across LA Mardi Gras isn’t just New Orleans. There are plenty of other local traditions around the state.
We sit down with North Louisiana artist Caroline Youngblood to find out what drives her artistic expression.
8 | In the Age of the Internet Concerned about where you get your news? Our guide to what’s real and what’s useless, will help you distinguish news sources.
10 | SPEAK’s Favorite Things Check out what our staff is into right now. You might find your next obsession.
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12
Hunting is not about trophies. Here are four recipes that show the best use for Louisiana wild game.
FASHION 18 | Fashion in Ruston Check out the outfits available at Ruston’s plethora of local boutiques.
34 | Sharing the Love Amy Bernard runs Bops Love, a charitable organization for Indian women. Here’s her story.
38 | Barely Illegal Read about a marijuana dealer’s opinion on the legalization debate.
From the Editor
A
sk a resident of another state what comes to mind when they think of Louisiana, and at the top of the list (tied perhaps with gumbo, accordions and crawfish) will undoubtedly be Mardi Gras. Growing up in North Louisiana, I didn’t see the relative debauchery of New Orleans until college, but I remember as a kid catching beads in Monroe and looking forward to king cake and crawfish season (okay, I still look forward to king cake and crawfish season). Mardi Gras is our state’s greatest export. Derived from European traditions of Carnival and Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras infiltrates our culture during the beginning of each year. King cake cravings are satisfied, school is let out, and trips are planned to take in the revelries of our Southernmost cities. Even though the city does not hold the record for the oldest Mardi Gras (Mobile, actually, has the oldest Carnival celebration in the country), New Orleans is considered Mardi Gras Mecca. A debauched, drunken and thoroughly good-natured celebration, the Big Easy is an experience any resident of the United States should see at least once. However, Mardi Gras traditions abound throughout our state. New Orleans has a tendency to overwhelm the public consciousness during Mardi Gras season, and it seems people consider New Orleans the only place worth visiting during the season. It’s a problem that overshadows other regional celebrations. So, we decided to try to rectify that. We sent writers to Iota, Baton Rouge and Shreveport to shine some light on less well-known Mardi Gras celebrations. Inside, we’ve got a spread shining light on some Mardi Gras destinations you might not have considered. We’ve got more than just Mardi Gras, though. Inside, you’ll find a conversation with regional artist Caroline Youngblood, a sitdown with Bops Love founder Amy Bernard, recipes for locally harvested meat and a look inside marijuana dealing. Even though it’s past Mardi Gras season, remember, laissez les bon temps rouler.
SPEAK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Sadler ASSOCIATE EDITOR Leslie Tumbaco MANAGING EDITOR Ellie Moslander FASHION COORDINATOR Isabela Palmieri WRITERS Nick Smith Marcel Medley Ellie Moslander Rachel Maxwell Isabela Palmieri John Sadler PHOTO EDITOR Brian Blakely PHOTOGRAPHERS Ashley Kober Anna Deutschman Colin Fontenot Devin Dronett DESIGNERS Lauren Murchison Aadrise Johnson Zach Hannibal Devin Dronett ADVISERS Michael LeBlanc Dr. Reginald Owens Dr. Judith Roberts T. Scott Boatright PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael LeBlanc
@LATechSpeak speakmagazinemedia
JOHN SADLER Editor-in-Chief
©SPEAK Magazine is published quarterly by students in the journalism concentration in the department of communication and media studies at Louisiana Tech University. Views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily express the views of Louisiana Tech University. SPEAK Magazine welcomes letters to the editor. However, we reserve the right not to print anonymous letters. We also ask that each letter be accompanied by a telephone number, address, and classification or title. We will not print the telephone number or address. Direct all letters and inquires to speakmag@gmail.com.
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Louisiana Tech University is committed to the principle of providing the opportunity for learning and development of all qualified citizens without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status for admission to, participation in, or employment in the programs and activities which the University sponsors or operates. For Title IX information, see University Policy #1445 at http:// www.latech.edu/administration/ policies-and-procedures/1445.shtm.
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From+the Arts Culture Editor
A young North Louisiana artist reveals her love for her work, family and Southern roots
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words ellie moslander photography Brian Blakely hen does one first discover their passion for what they want to do for the rest of their life? For Caroline Youngblood, her passion for art and love for southern culture merge together as they connect her to her family life. This discovery first began after the visual artist from Riverton. stumbled upon an 8mm photograph of her ancestors. Youngblood first found inspiration for her artwork through her family’s belongings. Through media such as paintings, drawings and mixed media work, she hopes people will connect with and appreciate her work in the same way she does. “I respond to objects I find in my surroundings,” Youngblood said. “I connect with the objects and translate them into a 2D format of painting, drawing or collage. Most of these have a southern ancestral theme because I grew up in an old home in rural north Louisiana. All of my paintings I do for my benefit and pleasure; it is a joy that buyers choose to take them to be part of their family as well.” Growing up in a rural town in North Louisiana, Youngblood said she loved to draw from a young age, but did not discover her passion for painting until after pursuing multiple degrees from various universities — First attending Louisiana State University for a bachelor’s degree in drawing and painting. She began graduate work at Syracuse University and received a master’s from Louisiana Tech University. “I have been drawing since I could hold a pencil, but I did not get started painting until my third year in college at Louisiana State University,” she said. “I grew up in a rural community in which the school system did not support the arts.” She said her background has shaped her as a person and has been a huge inspiration in her artwork. She is fully confident in what SPRING 2016 | 5
she does and sincerely enjoys working a job which combines her talents and love for art. “I never planned on becoming an artist,” Youngblood said. “But at some point I knew this is what God created me to do, to communicate my stories and experiences in a visual way. After I started taking my drawing and painting classes, I had a peace while doing my work that could have only come from a power greater than myself guiding me on the right path for my life.” Her paintings and drawings illustrate southern life from a close, personal perspective, intertwining natural elements found within family homes and nature. “I hope for each piece to be visually appealing but to also have enough content and substance for the viewer to form a long-lasting emotional or sentimental connection as well,” Youngblood said. “I also choose to give life to overlooked objects that genuinely communicate appreciating the history and culture of our region.” Youngblood seeks inspiration not only through tangible things in her life but she also said yoga is a big part of the process of her work. She recently completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training program at Shrimath Yoga located near Bangalore, India. “My yoga and meditation practice are part of my work day before and after creating art,” she said. She describes her work as being process driven, first beginning with the initial inspiration and then deciding where she wants the inspiration to lead her. “I work in a series form, typically on five to 10 paintings at the same time that carry the same theme,” Youngblood said. “After an initial sketch, the paintings and drawings build in layers that can take up to three months or more to finish. Most cannot be done in one sitting and would not have the same appeal if they were finished so quickly. Each layer responds to the next until at some point they are finished.” Youngblood has finished working on her 2015 painting series titled “The Nature of Louisiana.” This series illustrates all aspects of nature such as plants and animals. She is also working on a watercolor series. Through her work, Youngblood said she not only wants people to see life from her perspective but also to bring recognition to overlooked artists from rural southern areas. “Many artists have stories to tell but they prefer living closer to nature in rural areas,” Youngblood said. “I have already reached my goal to be fully self-supporting using the creative gift that God 6 | SPEAK magazine
blessed me with. The rest is out of my hands.” Although her job is fulfilling and meaningful to her, that does not mean her career path is easy. Youngblood said her career takes a lot of discipline and strategy. “A full-time job as a professional artist in rural north Louisiana can sound absurd to some. I find that patience and resourcefulness are two virtues that have helped me to make it,” she said. “I have had to make a lot of sacrifices that others stepping right into a full-time salary job out of college do not.”
Being young in her career field, Youngblood has gone through various phases of her life as an artist as she transitioned from being a college student to a commissioned artist. Her main piece of advice for students pursing degrees similar to her is to save money and allow room to do what truly expresses themselves. “Don't live on credit cards or take out loans that you will not be able to pay back for some time,” Youngblood said. “Look at the resources available
to you where you are now. Don't think that moving to a big city will do it for you! Do what brings you peace and create work that is sincerely yours.” Youngblood said she enjoys the freedom her job allows her to have. “I love my paintings,” she said. “Of course, creating the work is the most fulfilling, but I also enjoy traveling to exhibit my work and selling my work. It is always such an honor to see the joy that a buyer has when they select my work to go in their home.” SPRING 2016 | 7
MEDIA LITERACY
words Rachel maxwell design lauren murchison
I
n the age of the Internet, it can feel like there are a million different voices screeching information at you from a million different places. That’s because there
are. With sponsored posts, satire articles, “clickbait” links, blogs and more being presented alongside reputable sources, it can be hard to weed out the phonies when trying to keep up with the news. Even with all the noise crowding your social media feeds, a few quick tips can help you avoid believing and sharing false information.
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The great thing about having the Internet at our fingertips is even though faulty information is circulated more freely, fact-checking is also just a few clicks away. When you see a headline that shocks you, run it through Google and see what comes up. If the site you found it on is the only one that pops up, chances are it’s a fake. Snopes.com makes debunking false stories its business, making it a great tool when trying to determine whether a source is genuine. This may seem like a basic tip, but we have all seen Facebook friends sharing fake celebrity death notices, so even the most simple steps merit mentioning.
Many sites disguising themselves as news turn out to be “satire” upon close examination. While many satire sites, like “The Onion,” are in it for the joke, some are presenting themselves as real news sites and cashing in on the clicks their phony stories rein in, not aiming to entertain readers. These sites go to great lengths to appear legitimate, so just because a story is formatted like real news, does not mean it is true. Big-name publications and even foreign governments have fallen victim to the humorless headlines of these sites hiding under the title of satire . If you see a link is coming from “The Daily Currant,” “Empire News,” “NewsBuzzDaily” or “National Report,” keep scrolling so you do not become the butt of the not-so-funny joke.
scope out the site Before hitting the share button when you read a headline about 14,000 Syrian refugees flooding New Orleans, peruse the website. Are the other stories on the site all extreme or far-fetched? Is it filled with headlines that are meant to incite rage toward a certain political party? If the rest of the website seems fishy, the story that drew you in probably is too.
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Fossil’s Sydney Crossbody Bag This bag is made from soft leather that’s as sleek as it is beautiful. It comes in four colors, and is every minimalist woman’s dream. This bag has two different big pockets that make it easy to keep everything organized. This bag adds a nice, easy, classiness vibe to any outfit. The bag runs about $130, but is worth every penny.
Everlane Tees Simple without being overly minimalistic, Everlane’s solid and striped tees come in different fabrics and weights for different times of the year. With stylish selections of tops, bottoms and bags for men and women, Everlane is a great place to get your wardrobe staples.
Tom Waits’ “The Heart of Saturday Night” The second album released by Waits for Asylum Records, “The Heart of Saturday Night” is a cigarette-and-whiskey fueled take on lounge music. The title track is a tribute to late writer Jack Kerouac, and the influence of the Beat generation is evident in the album’s melancholic jazz stylings.
Cacti A plant one can buy in various colors and sizes. Colorful ones, especially yellow, are the best. What better way to kick off the spring time than with a colorful cactus garden?
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Pop!Funko Vinyl Figures Pop!Funko takes your favorite characters from pop culture and brings them to life with stylistic figurines. Their exclusivity varies from the stores and online shops everywhere, making them fun to find and collect. With new figures being added almost every day, it won’t be hard to find one that satisfies even the most pickiest of people.
JUST A FEW OF SPEAK’S
American Eagle Flex Khakis The AEO (American Eagle Outfitters) slim active flex khakis are made from a flexible but durable material that stretches. These pants move with the body like a second skin, unlike regular khakis, but look like a normal pair of stylish pants. One pair of these will cost roughly $50, but is well worth the purchase.
The Economist’s “Espresso” App This app compiles editors’ picks from issues of the Economist into categories to help keep you informed for the day. Subscribers have full access to articles in “Today’s agenda,” “The world in brief” and “Markets and currencies”, and non-subscribers can access one article a day of their choosing.
Abita Strawberry Springtime in Louisiana means two things: wildly inconsistent weather and Abita Strawberry beer. This fruity offering from Louisiana’s most well-known brewery is great to enjoy at the lake, out with friends or with dinner at Ponchatoula’s or Sundown. If you haven’t tried it yet, what are you waiting for?
World Market Gingersnaps Christmas time has always been a favorite, partially because so many homes are always stocked with gingersnaps from World Market in the colder months. They are the perfect treat in between meals and with afternoon coffee. They are just like peanuts and popcorn: Once you start eating them, you can’t stop. SPRING 2016 | 11
Food+Drink
FIELD TO Table continuing the tradition of Hunting, dressing, and cooking wild game
WORDS John Sadler • Photography Devin Dronett + Brian Blakley
≤ My stepfather, Jack Dailey, watches ducks circle overhead in anticipation.
≼ My father, Tom Sadler, prepares venison in his outdoor kitchen.
H
unting today is wrapped up in a
went hunting I was around 8. Sans gun, I sat with my
myriad of other issues, both social
to allow me to bring a Game Boy into the stand.
and political. Gun control advocates have
to
contend
with
hunters
father in the deer stand until dark. He quickly learned As I got older, I left the Game Boy and learned to take in the whole experience. There is something quiet and rare about watching the sun go down in the
concerned about the future of their
woods, or watching the sun come up over the muddy
tradition, and hunters have to contend
waters of a bayou.
with a public that might only associate
because a 5 a.m. wake-up call is a little early for me, but
them with the big game trophy hunters
when I do I’m reminded of the natural beauty of our
so often vilified in the news.
conservation is. I want my children to see what I see.
I don’t go as often as I’d like anymore, mainly
state and how important wildlife and environmental The best part of the hunt, however, are the dishes
But, like archer and founder of Bear Archery Fred
that can be made with wild meat. People have a
Bear said, “A hunt based only on the trophies taken
tendency to see game dishes as little more than meat
falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.”
roasted on a spit; but with a little effort, you can make
He’s right. Hunting is a worldwide tradition,
some seriously good eats.
and, in some communities, an entire way of life. To
Here, I’ll share four recipes from family cookbooks
these hunters, the trophy aspect is second to a more
to make the most out of what you harvested this past
important matter: meat for the table.
season. If you’ve never been hunting before, try to
For many, hunting is a way to escape the overly processed meats found in many supermarkets
plan a trip for next year’s season, and try some of our recipes.
(seriously, that “marbling” in your steak is not supposed to be there). It is also a meditative experience. The first time I
You won’t be disappointed.
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GRILLED VENISON TENDERLOIN Pull this recipe out when you’re entertaining. Tender and mouthwatering, the marinade gives this dish its distinctive flavor. • Tenderloin • Bacon • Merlot (1 cup) • Balsamic vinegar (1/4 cup) • Soy sauce (2 tbsp) • Worcestershire sauce (2 tbsp) • Thyme • Rosemary • Smashed garlic (4-5 cloves) • Salt & Pepper (to taste) METHOD • For the marinade, combine merlot, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Seal marinade and meat in bag and refrigerate for two hours. Cook bacon in 0ven on 350 degrees for around eight minutes. Wrap tenderloin in bacon, and hold in place with toothpicks. Place on grill until meat thermometer reads 125 degrees. Let sit for 10 minutes.
ROAST DUCK Famous chef John Folse’s recipe will challenge your notions of what roast duck can be. He uses mallards, but we’re not so rigid in our duck choice. Wood ducks are a good alternative. • 3 ducks, cleaned • Thyme (1 tbsp) • Basil (1 tbsp) • Sage (1 tbsp) • Salt and pepper to taste • Louisiana hot sauce • Onions (3, quartered) • Celery (2 stalks, cubed) • Garlic (2 tbsps, diced) • Gala apples (2, cubed/2, quartered) • Granny Smith apples (2, cubed/2, quartered) • Andouille sausage (1 cup, cubed)
METHOD • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season ducks inside and out
• Pecan oil (1/4 cup)
with thyme, basil, sage, Louisiana hot sauce, salt and pepper. Stuff
• Chicken stock (1 quart)
the cavities of the ducks with onions, celery, garlic, cubed apples and
• Melted butter (1/4 cup)
sausage. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large dutch oven. Brown
• Blackberry jelly (12 oz.)
ducks. Remove from heat and add chicken stock and remaining apples. Spread butter and jelly over ducks. Cover with foil and roast ducks for 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil and allow breasts to continue browning. Remove stock and reduce over medium high heat until preferred consistency (we kept ours runny).
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FRIED VENISON & GRAVY Frying your venison is an easy and delicious way to prepare your game. It is serious comfort food, especially when paired with our gravy. • Egg (1 total) • Milk (1 tsp) • Flour (1 cup) • Tenderized deer backstrap • Canola Oil • Black Pepper (2 tbsp) • Sage (1 ½ tsp) • Tony Chachere’s METHOD • Make egg wash with egg and milk. Set aside bowl of flour. Add Tony’s to meat to taste. Dip meat in wash and then flour. Heat oil in skillet to 350 degrees. Fry meat in skillet until dark brown. For the gravy, drain oil until around three tbsps. remain. Add cup of flour and stir. Add 2 cups of hot water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
PHIL’S “WORLD’S BEST” DUCK GUMBO Phil’s dish is known throughout the world as the pinnacle of duck gumbo. Our gumbo is thicker than most, and great for cool Louisiana nights. As with the roast, wood ducks are personally preferred, but any breed will work. • Flour (1 ½ cups)
METHOD • Boil ducks in large pot of water with stock ingredients. When at a rolling boil, lower to a
• Oil (1 cup)
simmer for 1.5 hours or until tender. Remove ducks and debone. Chill the stock and skim the fat from
• Onions (chopped, 2 cups)
the top and discard. Reserve the stock. In a large heavy pot make a dark roux. Add vegetables and cook
• Celery (chopped, 1 cup)
for ten minutes until tender. Add stock, wine and seasonings then simmer for fifteen minutes. Add
• Green peppers (chopped, 1 cup)
duck and sausage and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low for two hours.
• Garlic (4 cloves, minced)
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.
• Carrots (2, sliced thin) • Parsley (chopped, 3 tbsps) • Duck stock (3 quarts) • Red wine (1/2 cup) • Salt (1 tsp) • Black pepper (1/2 tsp) • Red pepper (1/4 tsp) • Oregano (1/2 tsp) • Tabasco (2 tbsps) • Andouille sausage, (1 1/2 lbs) STOCK • 4 ducks, cleaned • Large onions (2, quartered) • Celery (4 stalks, quartered) • Bay leaves (3) • Garlic (3 cloves, diced)
Fashion
Photos by Brian Blakely + brittany Fletcher • Design by AADRISE JOHNSON
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Morgan’s outfit can be found at Rodeo Boutique
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Jade’s outfit can be found at Rodeo
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Morgan’s outfit can be found at Rodeo and shoes at Fashion of Ruston
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Savannah’s outfit can be found at Rodeo Boutique
Jade’s outfit can be found at Erin’s Attic
SPRING 2016 | 23
Savannah’s outfit can be found at Fashion of Ruston
SPEAK MAGAZINE
is available digitally on issuu Go to issuu.com/speakmagazinemedia or download the issuu mobile app and search for SPEAK Magazine
Features
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Mardi Gras in Louisiana is celebrated differently from region to region. One thing remains constant, the good times will always roll. PhotoS brian blakely colin fontenot jonathan shaul design lauren murchison
SPRING 2016 | 27
P
ink flamingos hang from balconies, stand in lawns, cover articles of clothing and Mardi Gras beads as people covered the street on Spanish Town Road. With the capitol in the background, parade goers cover the streets, hang off balconies and some sit on floats. Even with the large crowd, there is a sense of community with this event that rivals other popular parades throughout Louisiana. This is the Spanish Town Mardi Gras parade, one that has been going on since 1982 in the heart of downtown Baton Rouge. The parade stems from the small close knit cultural and oldest neighborhood in Baton Rouge known as Spanish Town. It began as residents of the neighborhood from the Canary Islands wanted to keep their Spanish heretige and culture alive through this community. The neighborhood offers a unique presence to the city, which is highlighted by its Mardi Gras parade. “It’s the biggest and best party on earth with the most wonderful group of people,” said Mary Alice Gray, grand marshal for this year’s parade. “Everybody knows everybody, even if you don’t know them; it’s just everyone gets along so good, it really rocks.” Gray has been participating in the parade since 2007 and describes it as being kitchky, fun but mostly pink. She even recalls someone throwing pink chicken feet one year. Joe Miller, a member of the Wasted Krewe, said the Krewe’s meet every Sunday starting after Christmas to discuss what will be put on their float, following the theme of the parade. This year’s theme was “hashtag pink party.” Current events and politics were incorporated into the floats. Miller’s float, completely covered in pink, displayed sayings such as “pink lives matter.” “We build the float together, we design the float together, we do it ourselves,” he said. Each float has a different name that reflects the overall theme of the parade. Float names were all very creative ranging from the Krewe of Misinformation, the Wasted Krewe, Krewe La Moula and Krewe of Bier Bog. All of these things embody what Spanish Town is about. It’s known for being out there, but the whole point is for everyone to have fun. “It depends on your views on life and your sense of humor,” said Robert King, former parade king and grand marshal. “Some people will view it as very raucous and hilarious and some people might have that oh my gosh what just happened? It’s a mixture, but that’s why we all have a voice in life we can come out and look at things and have our own opinion, but I know everybody has fun.” King, wearing a white suit covered in pink flamingos, said he has been participating in the parade for 30 years and rides in the oldest float, the Krewe of Boyd Avenue. He said Spanish Town Road was first named Boyd Avenue. “Spanish Town has been a mixture of students, profes-
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Spanish Town Parade Baton Rouge WORDS Ellie Moslander
sors, attorneys lobbyists, senators; it’s kind of a collectic group. It’s an old fashioned neighborhood where you can walk through and you can walk by your neighbors house, they’ll offer you a biscuit on parade day and ‘Hey, how are you doing,’” he said. “There’s an old store down the street where everybody communes, you can meet there.” He described parade day as one where someone can be anything they want to be, somebody they can’t be their whole life, but on this day they can. “Spanish Town is a very unique neighborhood, I think if everything was like Spanish Town I think we’d have a lot better life,” King said. D’Aaron LeBlanc, a judge for this year’s parade, has been involved since 1998 and emphasized the reiterated feeling most participants had–a feeling of welcomeness. “When you come to Spanish Town Road, you’ll be treated as family and friends and you can go in any of these homes, and they’ll take you in and love you,” she
said. “They’ll feed you and you can have a good time and it’s a great place to come.” Out of towners from Alamagordo, New Mexico, Elizabeth Douglass Gallagher and Kobi Weaver, experienced this firsthand. “It’s very different regionally, as to what goes on and I really love it,” Gallagher said. “I think the tradition and culture and everything is beautiful.” This was Weaver’s second year at Mardi Gras and she invited Gallagher along to enjoy the festivities. Weaver described the parade as a place to just have a really great time and enjoy life. “It’s like if Christmas was better, because it has a theme and the theme carries throughout all of January and February and everyone is really happy and gets to dress up and be very happy about things,” she said. “So it’s like Christmas, but better because you get to drink and everyone’s really excited about it.”
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A
bout three hours away from New Orleans with its bustling crowd of revelers a group of South Louisianians are preserving a special part of Cajun culture. Iota itself is small, with a population of around 15,000, but it draws in crowds from the neighboring parishes for its annual folklife festival. The Iota – Tee Mamou Mardi Gras Folklife Festival has been an annual event in the town of Iota for the past 29 years. And it’s not the only thing to see in the small community on Mardi Gras. The folklife festival occurs in conjunction with the traditional Courir de Mardi Gras, a traditional Cajun Mardi Gras celebration. The Courir (Cajun French for “run”) is a tradition extending from Medieval Catholic France. During the run, the participants, individually called “Mardi Gras,” dress in costumes and parade around their neighborhood. At each individual stop, the participants are given chickens for a pot of gumbo traditionally cooked for the community. They also grab onlookers for dances and beg throughout the crowd for loose change. Larry Miller, a lifetime resident of the Iota area, has been part of the festival’s organizing committee for years. Founder of Bon Tee Cajun Accordions, Miller has devoted time toward preserving Cajun musical and cultural heritage. Miller said the Cajun Courir de Mardi Gras celebration is its own distinct entity from the large scale celebrations of the krewes in bigger cities. “Our Mardi Gras is the Mardi Gras of the common folk,” he said. “Whereas what you see in Lafayette, New Orleans, cities like that is the Mardi Gras of the wealthy.” The Courir is celebrated in many places in southern Louisiana, including cities like Mamou and Eunice, but the Tee Mamou – Iota run is one of the longest running. Most of the runs stopped during World War II due to a lack of young men to participate. Some picked back
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Mardi Gras Folklife Festival Iota & Tee Mamou WORDS John Sadler
up soon afterwards, some picked up decades later and others ceased entirely. The Tee Mamou run, however, has been going for years without stopping. Miller said the run’s costumes originated from a medieval French tradition of mocking nobility. The hats Mardi Gras wear, called “capuchons,” are representative of the tall, peaked hats worn by the French noblewomen. “Our ancestors were not allowed to wear these hats,” Miller said. Instead, he said, they co-opted the hats into their end-of-winter festivals, celebrations of survival that eventually evolved in the modern day Mardi Gras celebrations. The masks the revelers wear, once made of cloth, but now made of screen, were meant to disguise the early revelers from authorities, in case their celebrations got too rowdy. If you want to see the run, you have to get there early. The first stop on the men’s run is at 8:30. Follow the men along their route until they make it to Iota to take to the stage with the women and children runners to sing their traditional Mardi Gras song. The festival itself boasts a large stage and dance platform for the attendees to dance to regional zydeco music, along with vender selling South Louisiana foods such boudin, beignets and cracklins (or “gratins” in Cajun French). Others sell locally made crafts. Larry’s wife Jackie has made the traditional Mardi Gras masks and capuchons for 41 years, and sells her creations at the festival. Steeped in hundreds of years of tradition, the Courir is a distinct experience from the better known Mardi Gras parades and parties in much larger cities. It’s a must-see for anyone that is able to make the trip. Be sure to bring change, though. You don’t want to let down the Mardi Gras.
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Shreveport Carnival Shreveport WORDS Rachel Maxwell
T
here is an unspoken divide in Louisiana. Southern Louisianans often joke that North Louisiana is not really part of the state, and that all things Cajun belong to those south of Alexandria. However, North Louisiana has its own bit of Creole fun. Come Mardi Gras season, Shreveport rolls out a celebration that residents and visitors say is fun for the whole family and is authentically Louisiana. The Shreveport Carnival season includes three parades, the Krewe of Centuar, Krewe of Gemini and the Krewe of Highland. Each parade has its own distinct feel, and crowds from all over the Ark-La-Tex and beyond come to stake out a spot on the parade route, party with friends and family, and of course catch the best throws. Many who have been down South for past Mardi Gras seasons said they prefer Shreveport because of the laid back party atmosphere. Brandon Creel, a student at LSU and member of the Krewe of Gemini, said after having been in New Orleans for Mardi Gras in years past, he was glad to be back in Shreveport. “When I try to get a lot of my friends to come up here, they don’t understand how we could have Mardi Gras this far north; we’re practically in Texas,” he said. “But a lot them found they like it better here once they come.”
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Mona Vienne, this year’s Duchess of Arkansas for the Krewe of Gemini, said the Cajun carnival feel comes from the floats and costumes. “Everything comes directly from New Orleans,” she said. “The floats, the costumes, headdresses, all of it is authentic.” Others, such as Justin Ernest, say Shreveport Mardi Gras is, in fact, distinctly different from Southern celebrations, and said he embraces that difference. “The difference is the people,” he said. “We have rednecks, New Orleans has Cajuns.” Glenda Smith has traveled from Dallas for the past ten years to spend Mardi Gras in Shreveport, and credits both the atmosphere and other Shreveport attractions with bringing her back year after year. “We love coming to Shreveport because we get to go eat at Ernest’s and play at the casinos,” she said. “I’ve been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras many times; this is much safer, more family-oriented.” Many echoed the sentiment that Shreveport Mardi Gras is a family affair. Almost every local at the parade had been coming to watch the parades since they were children, and some, like Lauren Whitehurst, participated in the parade when they were younger. “I have been coming to these parades since as long
as I can remember,” she said. “I even marched in the Gemini parade from ’91 to ’93 with my high school marching band.” Along with bringing a family-friendly version of the New Orleans celebration to Shreveport, the Krewes have a few traditions unique to the Ark-LaTex. Katy Larsen, who rode in the Highland Parade this year, said she loves the quirky spirit of the celebration. “Shreveport people are river people and as with all cultures, have their very own traditions,” she said. “One of my favorites is that the Highland Parade throws hot dogs, and the good kind for that matter, because we celebrate with food.” Moon pies, Spam sandwiches and plastic bags of spaghetti and meatballs are among other unusual throws found at the Highland parade. Creative throws are not the only Northern flavor Shreveport Krewe members bring to the parades. Cameron Cockrell, float lieutenant in the Gemini parade, dedicated his float to his alma mater, Louisiana Tech. “I thought it would be a good way to promote Tech in the Shreveport/Bossier,” he said. “I thought, ‘If they can have an LSU float, why not have a Tech float, too?’” Cockrell and the other riders on his float come up with a new bead design every year, with last year’s medallion featuring a Bulldog and this year’s putting an American
flag themed spin on the classic Tech logo. While locals like Cockrell represented their North Louisiana pride, the festivities were fun for those from as far awayas California. Dee Racouillat moved from the West Coast three years ago, and said she has experienced Mardi Gras in different parts of the state since her arrival, but each celebration carried the distinct feel of Louisiana. “It’s just a palpable pulse of the city that you can feel at celebrations like this,” she said. “Shreveport has its own distinct rhythm. If you go down south it’s a little bit different, but you can feel the cities come together for Mardi Gras.”
SHARING
LOVE the
Amy Bernard, founder of Bops Love, is empowering women in India one sewing machine at a time
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Photo by Brian Blakely
Words Isabela Palmieri
design AADRISE JOHNSON
Louisiana native from Opelousas, Amy Bernard is the face of hope for women in Rajahmundry, India. Bernard is the founder of Bops Love, a wholesale company built on generosity. The Bops Team said in its 2016 wholesale catalog that it is the team’s hope that paying it forward will be contagious and for others to be inspired just as the Bops family has been inspired by so many great and wonderful givers and they strive to give to others because we have been given so much. Among the many overseas projects that Bops Love monitors, Bops Sewing School is, perhaps, the most impactful. 36 | SPEAK magazine
Bops Sewing School is a free, one-year sewing program available to disadvantaged women in Rajahmundry. At the completion of the program, each woman is given a pedal sewing machine that enables her to sew without electricity. This gives the women the ability to make money from home or possibly start their own business. All of the women who have graduated from the program freely express their gratitude for the skills they earned and the opportunities the sewing class has provided them. Suneetha, a 32-year-old sewing class graduate, can’t hold her tears in as she speaks of her experience in the program. “My husband was sick and
couldn’t do hard labor jobs in villages, so we moved to Rajahmundry to work as watch persons,” she said. “Then I came to know about the sewing program through my sister-in-law.” Suneetha said she wanted to join the program because she was in desperate need but cried when she found out it was already full. She said she prayed for the opportunity to get into the sewing class, and after two days she got a call saying she could join after two women dropped out. “I learned the sewing skill and also bag making and felt very happy when the sewing machine was donated to me,” Suneetha said. “I am very happy now and can feed my family.” Through this program, Bernard
has empowered women and given them the chance to support themselves and their families. “The women are able to take sewing in their home, instead of working out in the fields. They can care for their children,” Bernard said. “It gives them an opportunity to earn an income.” Bops Love fully funds the program including the expenses of a rented classroom space, the salary of the sewing teacher and the sewing machines donated to the women at the end of the program. Bernard said that some women end up dropping out of the program, but most come back.. “Sometimes it’s difficult because a lot of the women are illiterate, so following a pattern is difficult. Numbers are difficult,”
Bernard said. “Sometimes they will go through the course part way, they will drop out, but then come back next year and catch on a little better.” Last year, Bops started to bring in items that some of the women had made, such as sling bags, jewelry pouches and coin purses. Bops has a specific rate per product that is sold from India. The women are paid back a fair wage in rupees — Indian currency. Bernard said Bops tries to locally source everything needed for the production and packaging of the products. Bernard’s goal is for the program to be fully self-funding. Bops helps these women in several ways, not solely their sewing skills. Bops sometimes helps with
their transportation or even lunch during a class day if the women are unable to provide it, Bernard said. Bernard adopted one student’s child through a sponsorship program to ensure the child’s education after his mom contracted HIV and was too weak to help provide for her family. “A lot of the women have pitched in and helped her,” Bernard said. “I recently adopted her child through a child sponsorship program so we could help her with schooling and those kinds of thing.” Bernard has inspired women everywhere through her sewing program and her wholesale company, which supports women’s groups in Guatemala as well. SPRING 2016 | 37
See what a marijuana dealer has to say about its legalization words marcel medley
PhotoS brian blakely
design lauren murchison
Simply possessing a plant can result in up to three years of jail time. Try to sell that plant and you could be looking at anywhere from five years to life behind bars in the most extreme cases. Absurd? According to NORML, an organization dedicated to reforming marijuana laws, this is the reality surrounding marijuana. In the world of politics, the most important word today is change. From the slogan “Change we can believe in,” that swept President Barack Obama into office to the country’s view on marijuana, change is flooding the atmosphere. Almost overnight, it seems America’s view on marijuana laws have changed to reflect a more modern view on the drug. Though it has been legal for medical purposes in numerous states like Arizona, California and Nevada, recent years have seen the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. What does this mean for those who “deal” throughout the country? One dealer, who has opted to use the pseudonym Chad for legal reasons, shared his opinion on marijuana legalization. “Living in a state where it’s still not legal for recreational use, it’s still an underground venture,” Chad said. A venture that could lead to life in prison in the most extreme cases. Chad sells marijuana, with the main goal being to simply support his own use of the drug, not to create a huge drug empire. He sells the drug to get money to pay for more drugs for himself and friends. For him, the most excitement over these new law changes comes in the possibility of moving to a place where he can smoke without fear of getting caught. Getting caught remains the biggest fear on Chad’s list. Recently, however, he has begun to fear the loss of clients to other dealers who have better connections to growers in states where it is legal to do so. “Much of the competition is
buying directly from growers in other states like Colorado, while I still have to do business with The progress a middle man,” may be slow, Chad said. “Bebut I assure cause I only buy you it is on its a little at a time, it’s not really way, and I for profitable to buy one cannot from a grower wait. or to travel long –Chad distances to get it.” For Chad this means his competition can buy more and better quality than he can. To keep up, he would have to buy larger quantities, leading to larger risk. While Chad would say the risk is not worth the reward, the alternative is paying for marijuana with money he would otherwise use for food or other living expenses. Though he does have what his critics would call a “real job,” or valid employment, he does not want to have to support his habit with that money. Chad is also a college student who hopes to better his future in a positive way. He may not be a shady dealer in the way shown by popular media, but still he has to operate in the shadows. “If I get caught with marijuana, I can kiss my college career goodbye,” Chad said. “That is a scary thought considering my drug use doesn’t hinder my schooling.” Chad, like many of his clients, said his use of drugs mainly only affects himself. True or not, Chad believes it should be his decision whether he wants to smoke marijuana. This sentiment is shared by many users and non-users of marijuana. According to Pew Research Center, April of 2014 saw the first time a majority of all Americans, 52 percent, favor marijuana legalization. Chad speaks of numerous friends who do not use the drug but still feel it should be legal.
“Smoking marijuana is safer for you than smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol in my opinion,” Chad said. “That’s been legal for years; why shouldn’t marijuana?” For Chad, the legalization of marijuana is akin to the ending of prohibition in 1933. Like the legalization of marijuana, many thought prohibition would never come. Unlike the ending of prohibition, the legalization of marijuana is crawling along in a slow but gradual way. With the 21st amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, prohibition was ended across the nation. For marijuana this is not the case. For marijuana, the first steps to legalization began in 1973 with Oregon’s decriminalization of marijuana. This essentially means possessing small amounts of marijuana does not carry the risk of jail time. From that time until today, there are 23 states that have legalized marijuana for medical use. Four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. This means that over the past 46 years the United States has legalized some form of marijuana in just under half of the states. Aside from the time it has taken to reach this point, it remains that the legalization of marijuana is only on the state level. As far as the Federal government is concerned, marijuana is still illegal in all forms. This distinction is very important in that it means even if Chad moves to Colorado, technically the DEA, a federal agency, can still arrest him on marijuana charges. Sentiment in this area does not match the laws according to Pew Research Center, with 72 percent of Democrats and Republicans agreeing federal enforcement of marijuana laws is not worth the cost. Though transforming this sentiment into a change in law is proving to be a slow process, Chad remains hopeful for the climate of marijuana legalization. “The progress may be slow, but I assure you it is on its way, and I for one cannot wait,” Chad said. “Just legalize it already.” Fall/WINTER SPRING 2016 2015 | 39