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July/August 2013 • Community Voices Orchestrating Change • Issue 7 Volume 4
NEIGH SPOTBORHOOD LIGHT G
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INSIDE • Measuring Childhood Successes in Gert Town with EDI • Creating Safe Spaces for Parents to Connect: Parents First • National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Coming to New Orleans • Councilmember Cantrell Focuses on Gert Town • Gert Town: A Home to Jazz and R&B Legends Neighborhoods Partnership Network’s (NPN) mission is to improve our quality of life by engaging New Orleanians in neighborhood revitalization and civic process.
Letter From The Executive Director
NEIGHBORHOODS
Photo: Kevin Griffin/2Kphoto
Timolynn Sams
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PARTNERSHIP NETWORK
A Safe Neighborhood Depends on All of Us
was born and raised in what some might consider one of New Orleans toughest neighborhoods. My home was less than a mile away from three of the city’s most notorious housing projects. I lived one neighborhood over from what is referred to as “heroine alley” and my first teaching job was at a New Orleans public school known for juvenile’s who were members of gangs that I only read about in the Times Picayune. In all of this chaos and unhealthy dynamics for the quality of living I never felt threaten or unsafe in my neighborhood. I walked the streets with confidence and boldness. I went out at night and traveled to various party spots in the city as a young person. This was all prior to a humid Sunday morning of September 2011 when my view of what a safe street, neighborhood, or city changed. After a night of celebrating my employee Lakshmi’s birthday I received a phone call that would alter the very essence of how I viewed public safety or “safe streets.” My phone rang, “Tim. Tim? Tim?” A nervous and recognizable voice was at the other end of the phone. “Hey Lak. What’s up? Are you….” Before I could finish my last word “Tim, Rafa was shot!” The words rang in my ear like something I never heard before. (I’m shaking even now as I type the conversation we exchanged) Rafael a dear friend and colleague had just been shot in the head and were lying in a hospital bed in critical condition. Left with the responsibility of hiring many young people away from home without family I was unsure what to do, how to respond, or even what was my next course of action. What I did know is that Lakshmi was here in MY City, a place that I have always felt some level of safety and she was now witness of a violent crime. Later after meeting with friends and getting a status update I took her to the place where the incident happened to get her car. When we arrived on the street it was not what I imagined. It was a location that has been perceived as a “safe neighborhood” Not the grimy, scathe and unsafe that was surrounded with the elements of my former neighborhood but a quiet place where folks jogged in the afternoons or walked their dogs, and raised their kids. Far from Mayberry but still a neighborhood of influence and stability, so I thought. We were greeted by a group of residents who were surprised and shocked about the incident that happened in “their” neighborhood. One very curious neighbor stood out with questions like, “Well did you know them?” “What were you doing in this neighborhood?” Aggravated, agitated and overwhelmingly annoyed and insulted my inner core wanted to express my frustration for the comments, but decided to move forward with observing the makeup of the neighborhood. With the naked eye nothing was making sense to my natural understanding of safety. There were no blighted houses; this neighborhood was less than three blocks away from a police station. Weeks later I happened to be in that same neighborhood at a different time and saw a different picture. At night and I saw a different view for there was broken light fixtures that made an early evening ride look dim and later than what it truly was. With this thinking I begin to question how we as residents see crime in the city and our responsibility to protecting the neighborhood. Many times we turn all responsibility to the NOPD and believe that they are solely responsible for solving the preventive measures of crime. There is a responsibility that we all can take whether its evaluating the city’s infrastructure and budget, forming neighborhood watch programs or simply getting to know your neighbors (the neighbors did not know the owners of the house that Rafa and Lakshmi hit after the shooting) These are activities that can help improve and move our neighborhoods back to safety. We all have a responsibility because in New Orleans citizenship is no spectator sport. In this issue of the Trumpet magazine there are many opportunities provided for you as residents to get involved. I encourage you to get involved with either your neighborhood association or local community organization. It is up to us to make the city of New Orleans safe for the next generation of residents.
NPN provides an inclusive and collaborative city-wide framework to empower neighborhood groups in New Orleans.
Find Out More at NPNnola.com
NPN Board Members Victor Gordon, Board Chair, Pontilly Neighborhood Association Wendy Laker, Vice Chair, Mid-City Neighborhood Organization Ryan Albright, CBNO Tim Garrett, Marlyville/Fontainbleau Neighborhood Angela Daliet, Treasurer, Parkview Neighborhood Association Benjamin Diggins, Melia Subdivision Katherine Prevost, Upper Ninth Ward Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association Leslie Ellison, Tunisburg Square Civic Homeowners Improvement Association Tilman Hardy, Secretary, Leonidas/Pensiontown Neighborhood Association Sylvia Scineaux-Richard, ENONAC Karen Chabert, Irish Channel Neighborhood Association Third Party Submission Issues Physical submissions on paper, CD, etc. cannot be returned unless an arrangement is made. Submissions may be edited and may be published or otherwise reused in any medium. By submitting any notes, information or material, or otherwise providing any material for publication in the newspaper, you are representing that you are the owner of the material, or are making your submission with the consent of the owner of the material, all information you provide is true, accurate, current and complete. Non-Liability Disclaimers The Trumpet may contain facts, views, opinions, statements and recommendations of third party individuals and organizations. The Trumpet does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information in the publication and use of or reliance on such advice, opinion, statement or other information is at your own risk. Copyright Copyright 2012 Neighborhoods Partnership Network. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Neighborhoods Partnership Network is expressly prohibited.
Timolynn Sams
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THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
N E I G H B O R H O O D S
P A R T N E R S H I P
N E T W O R K
Contents
The Trumpet
5 Community Policing Comparisons with Flint, MI and New Orleans 6 Hispanic Civil Rights Group Coming to New Orleans in July 10 Measuring Childhood Success in Gert Town 13 EvacoSpots: Integrating Public Art and Emergency Preparedness 14 The Gert Town Paradox 24 Favorite Fathers Announced
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29 CeCe Gets 20 Thoughts from K.Gates a.k.a “The Wave”
EvacoSpots: Integrating Public Art and Emergency Preparedness
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Favorite Fathers Announced
NEIGH BORH SPOT OD LIGHO T G
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8 Dollars and Sense: How Should Public Money Be Spent?
16 Neighborhood Spotlight: Gert Town
The Trumpet Editorial Board
The Trumpet Editorial Staff
Jim Belfon, Gulf South Photography Project
Scott Bicking, Art Director
Jewel Bush, SEIU Local 21 LA
Tara Foster, Policy and Advocacy Editor
Christy Chapman, Author Heidi Hickman, Resident
Remeka Jones, Julia Kahn & Greg Lawson, Associate Neighborhoods Editors
Elton Jones, New Orleans Rising Naomi King, Prevention Research Center Mike Madej, Resident Linedda McIver, AARP Louisiana Ray Nichols, Maple Area Residents Inc. Brian Opert, Talk Show Host, WGSO 990AM Valerie Robinson, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation Melinda Shelton, Xavier University School of Journalism
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NEIGHBORHOODS PARTNERSHIP NETWORK
3321 Tulane Avenue New Orleans, LA 70119 504.940.2207 • FX 504.940.2208 thetrumpet@npnnola.com www.npnnola.com
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The “Zooming-Out” Conference A Safe Space for Parents and Teachers to Have the Hard Conversations By Julia Kahn, Associate Neighborhoods Editor, NPN
Teaching can be a lonely profession. Most of the day is spent in one classroom, often as the only grown-up against of sea of high pressure requirements and pre-adolescent angst. Sometimes the students feel like they’re on your side, as co-learners and co-teachers. Sometimes there are moments of joy and exhilaration. But sometimes everything starts going wrong. A carefully planned lesson falls flat. One student starts making half the class laugh, while five more students put their heads down and two others are suddenly fascinated by the window on the other side of the classroom. Then an administer walks in just as a marker goes sailing through the air. Sometimes it feels like it’s you against the world.
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arenting can be a lonely profession, too. It is the oldest and most common job in the world, but comes without a manual or curriculum. In my recent work around parent organizing, I hear the constant refrain that parenting is hard … and sometimes unconditional love just doesn’t feel like enough. Neither one of these jobs is easy, nor should they be. There is no such thing as a perfect teacher and there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Both are a constant process of learning, experimentation, error, success, frustration and re-learning. But as lonely as they both can feel, neither one should be done alone. Parents are struggling over bedtime, just as teachers are trying to quiet a classroom. Parents deserve a space to share their experiences – the highs and the lows. And teachers need the same. Given that teachers and parents have the same basic goal – to rear responsible, criticallythinking citizens – it stands to reason that these two groups should have a space to discuss their difficult charge together. On April 6, I had the pleasure to attend a conference that provided a fascinating opportunity for teachers, parents, and other concerned citizens to share experiences and learning. The event was conceived to be a space where New Orleanians concerned about the trajectory of education in the city could gather a broader view of the history that has shaped the current system and its implications for the future. The conversations that took place over the intense day and a half covered the complex dynamics of racial and cultural history that shapes our school system. Most of the participants were currently, or had been, teachers in some capacity, representing both rookies and veterans, New Orleans-born and newly arrived, black and white. Mothers and fathers were there too, representing the interests of their children of all ages, from new born to adult. The conference was titled “Zooming-Out” and was hosted by the New Teachers Roundtable, founded by Derek Roguski and Hannah Sadtler in collaboration with Ruth Idakula and Ashana Bigard. There were experts on a range of topics, including the emergence of charter schools, criminal justice, racial inequality and cultural competency,
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as well as facilitated workshops and discussions. It was a time for teachers and parents to look outside their classrooms and homes and examine the external forces impacting their children’s lives. In addition to the more analytic approach, there was also time devoted to sharing personal experiences through story circles, song and movement. These conversations were not always easy. I know I was not the only one present who can feel intense guilt about being part of system that can work against the values I hold. There was anger and frustration. But there was also a profound sense of respect for everyone that was willing to be part of this group. And there was a sense of hope, that despite the significant injustice existing in our schools, there is a growing movement – of parents and of teachers –uniting to ensure equity and justice for all New Orleans students. We didn’t find the solutions to our educational problems at this conference. We didn’t even finish discussing what the problems really are. We certainly didn’t all agree on the next steps. But we did see a supportive group with a common goal. It made the struggle to support New Orleans’ children a little less lonely.
For more information on the New Teacher Roundtable and the Zooming-Out Conference visit www.newteachersnola.org. For more information about the ‘Parents First’ network and advocacy groups by NPN please contact Julia Kahn at julia@npnnola.com or 504.940.2207. THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
Healthy NOLA:
Community Policing Comparisons with Flint, MI and New Orleans By Remeka Jones, Associate Neighborhoods Editor, NPN
Public safety focuses on activities that prevent or protect the general public from events that pose significant injury, danger or damages. Programming and activities to address public safety concerns created by state and local governments vary, based on location and the needs of the community. Public safety in New Orleans includes: public infrastructure, roads, crime, violence prevention efforts, environmental protections and emergency preparedness. Here in New Orleans, the public safety concerns differ depending on the neighborhood. Throughout most of the city, crime is an important issue. In some New Orleans neighborhoods pothole repair may be the priority, while safe walking spaces may be very important to a different community.
by high rates of unemployment and poverty, low educational attainment and high rates of violent crimes, citizens of Flint are proactively working together to create long-term solutions to its crime problem. Established in 2010, the Flint Blue Badge is a partnership between the Flint police department, business owners, and residents. A true representation of community policing, the collaborative effort has proven to be a successful strategy in engaging residents and reducing public safety issues. The Flint Blue Badge Program has three parts: 1) The Blue Badge Service Center Volunteers 2) Police Volunteers and 3) Neighborhood-based Volunteers. The Blue Badge program, in conjunction with the City of Flint government, the Greater Flint Health Coalition and Commit to Fit also provides health and safety mini-grants. The program is designed to increase community-based safety initiatives that have a positive impact on the health of local residents. The health and safety mini-grant program has funded 10 communitybased projects that improved lighting, supported neighborhood crime watch groups, aided community beautification projects, created a community garden and improved neighborhood parks. • The Blue Badge Service Center Volunteers assist the Flint mini-stations. The mini-station is a facility that is used for various community events and training; and support community policing. Volunteers at the mini-station assist residents with crime prevention tips, and the usage of the Online Citizens Police Reporting system. • Police Volunteers must successfully complete six training course after which they assist the Flint police department with large events and other community relation services. They also assist with administrative and other community relations services such as filing, traffic and crowd control during special events, and front desk staffing. • Neighborhood-based Volunteers work individually or as a part of neighborhood based organization to address neighborhood revitalization efforts such as vacant lot clean-up, graffiti removal, tree planting and community garden development.
Creating a Partnership for Safety Residents can play significant roles in ensuring that their neighborhoods are safe places for everyone to live and prosper. One example is community policing, a strategy that emphasizes crime prevention and long-term problem solving by building collaborative partnerships with individuals, businesses and organizations that have a stake in the community. It requires all parties involved to establish agreeable working relationships towards a common goal, such as crime reduction and prevention.
Community Policing in Action An example of community policing making a difference is the Blue Badge Patrol in Flint, Michigan. Once a city with a booming economy due to the automobile industry, the city of Flint similar to many urban cities began to decline in the 1960s due to “white flight.” As a result, Flint suffered from disinvestment and deindustrialization as the American economy began to diversify and move away from manufacturing. Plagued
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The City of Flint and its residents are slowly but surely working towards making Flint a great place for all residents to live.
Opportunities in New Orleans There are several New Orleans neighborhoods that can relate to the problems of Flint, MI. Many of our neighborhoods suffer from historic marginalization, resulting in higher rates of unemployment, poverty, low educational attainment and crime. It is not uncommon for us to be indifferent to the many social ills that contribute to our high rates of crime as long as the problem isn’t in our neighborhood. However, it is time for New Orleanians to band together proactively create solutions to make New Orleans a safe place for everyone. It is time to erase the invisible divisive lines and boundaries that identify our neighborhoods and view ourselves as neighborhoods without borders. The City of Flint, along with countless other cities throughout the country, is proving that through collaboration safe and healthy neighborhoods are possible. And we can join them!
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Hispanic Civil Rights Group Coming to New Orleans in July Be a Part of the NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family EXPO The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the nation’s largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization, is bringing the 2013 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo to New Orleans this July!
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CLR’s Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo has been the crossroads for some of the most powerful, prominent and influential voices in the Latino community, including community leaders and activists, elected and appointed officials and members of the corporate, philanthropic and academic communities. Attendees will have the ultimate opportunity to learn about current issues in immigration, education, civil rights, health, workforce development, youth leadership and other topics that impact not only Latinos, but all American communities. The 2013 NCLR Annual Conference will offer over 50 workshops, three town halls, multiple networking opportunities and five key events, including the Latinas Brunch and the NCLR Awards Gala. It’s poised to be their biggest Conference yet, with special guest speakers like Rita Moreno, Marc Morial, Minnie Miñoso and First Lady Michelle Obama. To receive an exclusive registration discount for local community members, use the promo code: NCLR 2013. NCLR is also excited to bring the National Latino Family Expo® to New Orleans.
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This event is completely free and open to the community. The National Latino Family Expo is the ideal family fair because it offers something for every member of the family, including: • Soccer tournament and clinics • Live entertainment and performances • Free health screenings • Cutting-edge games • Informative demonstrations • Dance competitions • Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activities and opportunities • Prizes and giveaways • Children’s characters, including Dora the Explorer, Curious George and many more!
Take advantage of our free shuttles, sign up for the soccer tournament and dance competition, and jump to the front of the line with a Health Screenings Fast Pass by registering early at: www.nclr.org/signup • Join us July 20–23 at the Morial Convention Center for four incredible days!
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Dollars and Sense
How Should Public Money Be Spent? Participatory Budgeting Lets Your Voice Be Heard! By Tara Foster, Policy and Advocacy Editor, NPN
A few weeks ago, the summer solstice let us know that the season has officially changed. With the beginning of summer also comes the beginning of the intensified 2014 budget planning by the City. Departmental budget offers have been submitted to the City’s Budgeting for Outcomes Management Team and are under review.
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hat does this mean for you? Next month, the public will be invited to give input and voice budget priorities at Mayor Landrieu’s community meetings, held throughout August in each City Council district. We can all picture it: Resident after resident stands to share how they want to see public dollars spent in their communities. But how do we know that those voices are heard and incorporated into the City’s departmental budget requests submitted months before? There only are a few options: Trust that our elected officials will listen to our voices and ideas, and keep our fingers crossed. But in other cities around the country and around the world, there is another process by which residents can take part in their municipality’s annual budgeting process: Participatory Budgeting (PB). Cities like New York, Chicago, Vallejo, CA and San Francisco, CA have all adopted participatory budgeting as a way to allow collective resident involvement in the budgeting and spending of public dollars throughout the year. The Participatory Budgeting Project, a non-profit organization who has provided technical assistance to residents in each of these cities, defines participatory budgeting as “a different way to manage public money, and to engage people in government. It is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget. It enables taxpayers to work with government to make the budget decisions that affect their lives.” PB is a tool for direct democracy, with successful track records in cities such as New York and Chicago … or, as The New York Times said in early 2012, “revolutionary civics in action.” PB in both of those cities has increased voter turnout, bolstered the popularity and trust of local government leaders and staff and created a critical tool for community-led recovery following Hurricane Sandy in hard-hit communities like the Rockaways in Queens, NY. For the past two years, NPN has worked with partner organizations such as Puentes New Orleans, VAYLA and the Committee for a Better New Orleans to engage residents in the City’s budget process as part of the New Orleans Coalition on Open Governance (NOCOG). The budget campaign hosted educational forums to help us all gain a better understanding of how the budget process works; published resource guides on understanding the budget process and on how to monitor and evaluate the budget once it has been adopted; and petitioned City Council to adapt parts of the current process, such as holding the fall Budget Hearings in the evening so everyone can attend and allowing residents to have a second look at the proposed budget before it is adopted on December 1st each year. Through this work over, we learned there are multiple barriers to meaningful resident engagement in our current process, and that if we truly want to see a change in how residents’ voices are prioritized through public spending, we need a new process. We believe that this new process is participatory budgeting. The underlying assumption is that citizens understand their own problems better than government officials and will therefore be able to match proposed programs to their needs. Participatory budgeting contributes to a more democratic collaboration between residents and government in the decision-making process. Want to get involved? The NOCOG budget campaign, PB NOLA, is now hosting regular Teach-Ins to discuss the idea of participatory budgeting, network with folks nationwide who have been involved in getting this process adopted in their cities and learning more and more about the mechanics of how our city’s money is generated and spent.
Get connected to the Neighborhoods Partnership Network. 8
2013 Adopted General Fund Expenditures by Results Area (Total: $491,379,272)
Public Safety 61%
Open and Effective Government 20%
Sustainable Communities 14%
Economic Development 2%
Children
Innocation and Families 0.1% 3%
Please sign up to stay informed about the campaign online at https://docs. google.com/forms/d/17FEwEgXFGEmM 8jKDQFGgmSSVH0nS14XcX65TJdfg7 sM/viewform or by calling NPN at (504) 940-2207. As New York City District 8 Councilmember Melissa Mark-Viverito recently wrote, participatory budgeting serves as a “sharp contrast to the voter suppression and political disenfranchisement taking place in our electoral system…the process of bringing together a wide range of people across racial, ethnic, and class lines -- people who historically have not been empowered to participate in how city dollars are spent -- has the potential to profoundly change the urban political landscape.” We wholeheartedly agree and are eager to see such profound change in the ways residents and city government work together here in New Orleans. Together we can create a better future for our city!
Post news & events for your organization at NPNnola.com THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
Photos from the first PB NOLA Teach-In on June 25, 2013 at Sojourner Truth Neighborhood Center THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
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Measuring Childhood Successes in Gert Town And How to Get Involved!
Ready, Set, Go!, the school-readiness initiative of the Orleans Public Education Network, is now in its second year, and brings with it some exciting news about the Gert Town community. This initiative is a citywide commitment to help residents support the development of the children in their community. The goal is to ensuring children have accurate and high-quality information available and to funnel resources to where they’re most needed.
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his work is supported by data collected through a developmentally-appropriate assessment called the Early Development Instrument (EDI). EDI data allows residents to have the best picture of where the neighborhoods’ children’s needs and successes lie by measuring five crucial areas of childhood development: 1) Physical Health & Well-Being; 2) Social Competence; 3) Emotional Maturity; 4) Language & Cognitive Development; and 5) Communication Skills & General Knowledge. In 2012, 32 children, representing 86% of Gert Town kindergarteners, attended schools that participated in EDI data collection. While a growing percentage of the neighborhood’s five year-olds are entering schools “very ready” (that is, scoring at or above the 75th percentile in the national EDI population), significant work remains to be done. Gert Town five-year-olds perform better than the community-wide average on all but one domain (Emotional Maturity). Although the percentage of children at or below the 10th percentile is better than the national norms, two-thirds of five-year-olds are still entering kindergarten unprepared for school. The good news is that the EDI data illustrates exactly where parents and community members can come together to address key issues. This laser-targeted EDI data allows community members and leaders to compare strengths and weaknesses in children’s development and school readiness. This in turn helps the community understand the relationship between the factors that influence a child’s well-being and support advocacy efforts, plan interventions, and invest resources to help these children reach their potential by addressing problems where they’re most needed. Most importantly, with this unique data set, the Gert Town community can track progress over time to see how changes in investments, policies, or other factors influence children’s health and well-being. The EDI is helpful not only in describing how children are developing, but also in predicting education and social outcomes, leading to the best changes in services, programs and infrastructure to ensure that every child, family and class in their community is ready for school! continued on page 11
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So what can you and your community do to address the EDI findings today? The answers are multi-fold. Only 31% of neighborhood children are very ready for school in the Language & Cognitive Development domain, for example. The Rosa Keller Library is located just a few blocks outside of the Gert Town neighborhood in the Fontainebleau triangle, and offers a wide variety of literacy and enrichment activities, including a summer reading program. Kids can earn fun rewards and prizes for
reading a certain number of books over their summer break and discuss what they’ve experienced with fellow book-lovers. You can make sure every child you know has a library card, or partner with the neighborhood association for a volunteer-led story time. The EDI will continue to track children’s progress in Gert Town over time, giving the community an in-depth look of just how their efforts are assisting the next generation.
Measurements of Childhood Development Physical Health & Well-Being:
Emotional Health & Maturity:
Motor skills, nutrition, energy level, independence and overall physical development.
Aggression level, attention span, self-control, ability to focus.
Social Knowledge & Competence:
Language & Cognitive Development:
Social skills, accepting responsibility, following routines, respecting adults and fellow classmates and self-confidence.
Communication Skills & General Knowledge:
Communication skills, storytelling abilities, articulation of complex concepts, understanding and being understood.
Reading and math abilities, interest in learning, ability to attach sounds to letters, shape recognition.
For more information on turning the Gert Town data into civic action, contact the Orleans Public Education Network at (504) 821-4004 or visit opennola.org.
Upcoming Nola Timebank Events July 20 at 10:30 a.m.
Intro Workshop at Freret Neighborhood Center 4605 Freret Street
Ti N m ol eb a an k
If you are a new member or just wondering about how the NOLA TimeBank works, this workshop is for you. We will discuss the concepts and core values of TimeBanking. Then a hands-on demonstration of your on-line “bank account.” Bring a laptop if you have one. Participation in NOLATB is always free of charge.
August 12 at 6:00 p.m. FIX MIX at Keller Library Community Center 4300 Broad Street Bring an item to repair – a lamp, clothing, shoes, toys. ceramics – Don’t throw it away – bring it to the FIX MIX!
August 17 at 10:30 a.m. Intro Workshop at Freret Neighborhood Center 4605 Freret Steet If you are a new member or just wondering about how the NOLA TimeBank works, this workshop is for you. We will discuss the concepts and core values of TimeBanking. Then a hands-on demonstration of your on-line “bank account.” Bring a laptop if you have one. Participation in NOLATB is always free of charge.
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Councilmember LaToya Cantrell Focuses on Gert Town By: Julia Kahn and Cailin Notch
In her “State of the District Address” in April, 2013, Latoya Cantrell, Councilmember for District B, specified several areas in her district, including Gert Town, that are going to get her particular attention. She recently sat down with NPN staff, and told us more about her vision, plans, and initiatives for Gert Town.
Q: What issues need to be addressed in Gert Town and what has caused that lack of progress up to now? A: When I think about Gert Town, it’s not just from a leader’s standpoint, but also as community organizer. There were great ills that plagued Gert Town pre-Katrina; whether it was sub-standard housing, environmental issues, or even lack of trust. We’re still dealing with those social ills that have transferred into the post-Katrina environment. Now as the councilwoman of Gert Town I’m committed to taking a hands-on approach with the community so it can grow and reach its fullest potential. That means not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. We’ve been doing community outreach and have held meetings around the future of the community. Part of this is not just galvanizing the known local leadership, but expanding the scope of inclusion to reach residents. That also means strengthening the level of communication, because it’s currently lacking amongst community members. As a result we have distributed a newsletter targeted for Gert Town’s resident and businesses to carry that voice. That’s another way that as a district office we’re more engaged on the community organizing side. We see this void, but we also understand the impact we have if we address it because we need to build trust to plan for the community’s future. We’re in a great phase and have real opportunities. There’s 7.3 million dollars on the table for the second district police department which will be located there. There are some resident-owned private properties which could be used for community use. There’s the partnership between Xavier University. There’s the Fit NOLA grant program which Gert Town is a participant, where we focus on healthy lifestyle choices for the neighborhood. So there are opportunities from the community in terms of projects. That social capital can shape the planning of the community. We’ve done extensive outreach to bring community members into the conversation as well. We plan to create a memorandum of understanding between Gert Town, the district office and Xavier University in terms of this planning process. Once you lay out all of the options on the table you can approach the decision-making process with the given resources, and leverage them effectively so that everyone benefits. So that Gert Town sees itself in what is created, and there is a reinvestment in Gert Town that is tangible whether a project is privately or publically developed. Different projects can be a catalyst not only for jobs, but a place where people can share and build community. Now it’s time to change perceptions so we can build
We’re planning a NOLA for Life day in Gert Town on July 20th to identify projects that will be beneficial.
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partnerships. Of course we have to build the trust, and then bring resources into the community. It can happen if people are invested, and we need an investment in Gert Town. We need quality housing, we need senior living. We want to embrace the historic Gert Town which has played a major role in the city of New Orleans. So we’re really interested in working with the community and its partners to spur sustainable redevelopment that’s respectful.
There’s a dedicated line in the office that people can call 24 hours a day, 658-1026 and an email address, tellcantrell@gmail.com
Q: Could you talk about what the “TellCantrell” Initiative was and what you’ve heard from the community? A: It was another avenue of community outreach, to listen to residents and to be on the ground. We created “Council on Your Corner,” using a mobile camper to go into neighborhoods with staff and myself to meet with folks in the community. We’re planning a NOLA for Life day in Gert Town on July 20th to identify projects that will be beneficial. Currently we have two interns placed in the community who report back to the office where we respond to those complaints or issues. There’s a dedicated line in the office that people can call 24 hours a day, 658-1026 and an email address, tellcantrell@gmail.com. It was launched in Gert Town, but we plan to take the effort to every neighborhood. We’re open for business every day to serve everybody in the district.
Q: Given the tension between the community and other institutions including Xavier University, do you feel that people are ready to try and repair those relationships? A: There’s more work to be done, but I believe the time is now for it to happen in order to benefit mutually from the resources we’re bringing to the table. It has to happen if Gert Town wants to reach its fullest potential. There might be some uncomfortable periods, but through dialogue is how you build trust and improve. We’re going to have those uncomfortable conversations, but it will work to the benefit of the community in the end. So is there work to be done there? Absolutely. But is it worth doing? Yes it is, but it has to be done to improve the neighborhood, because you can’t do it by yourself.
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EvacuSpots
Integrating Public Art and Emergency Preparedness With hurricane season upon us, you may have noticed newly installed, 14-foot sculptures in your neighborhoods. These functional art pieces resembling waving figures are here to stay. In fact, 17 of these EvacuSpots (15 sculptures and 2 banners) will be installed at designated evacuation pickup points across the city. Installation began at the beginning of June and will be completed by the end of this month.
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ehind all of this is the non-profit agency, evacuteer.org, which partners with the city of New Orleans to recruit, train and manage evacuation volunteers (Evacuteers) who assist with New Orleans’ city-wide public evacuation option, Mandatory Evacuation. Mandatory Evacuation is designed to move 25,000-30,000 New Orleanians who lack transportation out of the city in the event of a mandatory evacuation. Evacuteer.org’s EvacuSpots initiative aims to address a pressing community need in an innovative way. When the Mandatory Evacuation was first implemented during Hurricane Gustav in 2008, it was discovered that there was one main issue impeding residents from taking advantage of the plan: they simply could not find the pick up points. With non-descript 8 x 11 placards denoting the evacuation zone for entire communities, it was no wonder that people had no clue where to go. EvacuSpots aims to replace these signs with visually-striking public art as a memorable rallying point to raise awareness around safety planning and emergency preparedness. In partnership with the Arts Council of New Orleans, evacuteer.org hosted a sculpture design competition two years ago. Artist Douglas Kornfeld’s simple yet elegant design—inspired by the gesture people use to wave down a cab—was chosen as the winning piece. Now, the City’s 17 evacuation points, located in easily accessible areas for residents to report to, will be clearly and consistently marked by Douglas’s 14-foot EvacuSpots (two pickup points will receive banners due to space limitations). There are 14 general population sites and five assisted evacuation locations for those with special care needs. These assisted locations will be indoors and have EMT on-site to provide extra support and assistance. On June 6, 2013, evacuteer.org joined with Jazz in the Park to raise awareness about these EvacuSpots and to help ensure that people are prepared in the case of an evacuation. The community’s reaction to these sculptures has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive. In response to seeing the EvacuSpot outside of Armstrong Park on June 6th, a Musician’s Village Resident said, “I think it will be helpful to know that there’s a location that’s permanent that [people] can check. It’s a good idea.” Lexus Michael, a communication student at Xavier who signed up to become an Evacuteer,
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responded, “I definitely think the EvacuSpots are a cool thing. I’m very, very impressed with the city to even go forth with something like this. I think it’s a great idea. In the case there are hurricanes [this year], hopefully we can move people out in time.” In the event of an evacuation, these EvacuSpots will be run by Evacuteers who will register and assist evacuees with luggage and pets at each of the locations. To become an Evacuteer, you just need to attend a brief, hour-and-a-half-long training session. There are trainings taking place every week. Now, at the start of the hurricane season, is the perfect time to become involved and be prepared. And if you are part of a community organization or business that wants to get involved, there are also partner group options available. We believe that because you know your neighbors better than we do, as an Evacuteer, you can best assist your family and friends during emergency situations.
Hurricane Preparedness Tips • Under the Mandatory Evacuation plan, you can evacuate with your pet. • Prepare an emergency kit for your car with food, flares, booster cables, maps, tools, a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, sleeping bags, etc. • If you will need assistance getting from your home to an EvacuSpot, be sure to register with 311 now, before a hurricane occurs, so emergency services will be able to transport you to an EvacuSpot.
To become an Evacuteer or for more information, visit evacuteer.org or contact hello@evacuteer.org 13
The Gert Town Paradox By: Tim Garrett, NOLA Hoods
If Martians landed in Gert Town today, and assessed what they saw, they would be mighty puzzled. For here lies a land of many contradictions. Gert Town was always industrious, yet now is stalled; it is centrally located, yet marginalized in many ways; commercially zoned as light industrial, yet resolutely residential; a place of momentous occasions, yet its monuments are mostly gone.
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et’s imagine the scene, as an interplanetary spacecraft lands among the shotgun houses of aptly-named Mars Place, scanning the horizon. Its crew of vacationing Martians will need awhile to get their bearings here in Gert Town, because so many of the attractions they came to see are missing! For instance, the Map of 1833 instructed them to look for the vast New Basin Canal, a waterway teeming with vessels carrying cargo into the city center, where maritime trade had thrived beyond the marshy Macarty Plantation of yesteryear. Instead they discover a bustling interstate highway, traffic flowing to and fro, high and dry since the 1940’s. Modernization at the Port of New Orleans and the covering of nearby drainage canals mean the services of ditch diggers, stevedores or longshoremen are no longer required here. Even a century earlier, back-breaking dock work was routinely taken away from free men of color living in Gert Town and given to immigrant Irishmen living down-river. The aliens discover an old ditty among the ship’s history files: “Ten thousand Micks, they swung their picks, to dig the New Basin Canal. But the choleray was stronger’n they, an’ twice it killed them all.” Confounded, our little green space-tourists consult the ship library’s Annals of the Late Nineteenth Century, and wonder if the many railroad lines it shows traversing Gert Town – so numerous, in fact, that roads remained an afterthought well into the 1870’s – are still in place. But such is not the case; where freight and circus cars once rumbled through and around Gert Town, the tracks and trestles have all been gathered up and graded over. Only careful aerial reconnaissance reveals the railroads’ former rightsof-way – winding past Blue Plate Mayonnaise (now Lofts) and Sealtest Dairy (now a
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post office) – indicated by the obsolete rail insignia “New Orleans Jackson & Great Northern” and “Mississippi Valley”, and later “Illinois-Central” and “Southern-Pacific”. No more conductors to hire, or brakemen, nor rail workers of any kind needed; the last trains took all their commerce to other locales. Turning the dial of their Time-o-Tron forward slightly to 1900, the Martians feel confident of finding one particularly important landmark at the corner of Colapissa and Carrollton: Gehrke’s general store, Gert Town’s putative namesake. Alas, the erstwhile gathering place is long extinct, as is poor Alfred Gehrke, who now rests alongside his parents in the Carrollton Cemetery over a mile away, a simple gravestone the only testament to his legacy. When asked, “What ever happened to Gehrke?” a hapless passerby responds, “Oh, old Gert? She still lives over on Pine Street,” accompanied by a helpful pointing finger. The Martians raise a collective green brow at this disinformation. For all their careful planning and reconnoitering, the Martians’ visit has placed them helmet-deep in an urban paradox: Where work-a-day folk were once awash with wine, women and song, the Gert Town community has clearly fallen on hard times, its boisterous traditions largely silenced, its heritage increasingly overshadowed by encroaching commercial interests and intensified land use. They had naively assumed a community whose development did not get into full swing until the 1930’s should be flourishing today. In fact, the saucer set had mistakenly banked their entire holiday weekend on it! On the contrary, a review of Gert Town’s residency records reveals a decades-long downward trend, falling in lockstep with the area’s general socio-economic decline. From its heyday around 1950, Gert Town’s housing stock dropped from a high of 8,700 dwelling units to a mere 1,876 addresses by the year 2000, with fully a fifth of those vacant. Flooding during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 laid fallow countless more lots, such that some blocks possess only a single house, or none.
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Time and again, the extra-terrestrials (reading from their “Gert Town Getaways” brochure) are foiled in their attempts to reconcile a Gert Town that was with what is. The Tulane-St. Charles streetcar? Gone. Lincoln Amusement Park with its skating rink and hot-air balloon rides? Gone. All the renowned musicians, like Jazz greats Buddy Bolden and Freddie Keppard, performing outdoor concerts? Gone. The composer-pianist Allen Toussaint, and singers Tami Lynn and Merry Clayton? Moved on to find fame and fortune, they learn from curious onlookers steadily converging on the tiny green beings. Suspecting a prank has been pulled at their expense, the Red Planet visitors begin asking pointed questions of local historians, such as “How many of the nine Muses can be found here?” To which they are informed, “Four. Thalia, Erato, Clio and Calliope ... although we insist on calling the last two CL-10 and Cal-ee-ope.” Sure enough, the spacemen are getting wise to the local hijinx! A modern-day road map reveals that the Muse streets are unceremoniously muted upon crossing Audubon Court, where they transform into Forshey, Olive, Edinburgh and Palm. Likewise the venerable streets of State and College are given different names – Bloomingdale and Audubon – upon crossing Earhart, as if to remind less-affluent Gert Town residents, “We are not part of you.” The Martians are not amused. They present more questions, along the lines of geography. “What exactly are the boundaries of Gert Town?” A long-time resident steps forward to give his authoritative answer: “Carrollton to Washington to Jefferson Davis and back along Earhart.” The man’s neighbors nod general agreement, although a few put forth that they would also lump in a few blocks on the other side of Earhart Boulevard, going south as far as Walmsley Avenue. Further complicating matters, the crowd’s estimates of Gert Town’s expanse range anywhere from 90 square blocks to triple that number. Many are also overheard mispronouncing the District B subdivision Marlyville as “Maryville,” without a trace of irony. “Wrong!” interjects the New Orleans Assessor, whose house is on Coolidge Court, “Gert Town really begins two blocks on the other side of Carrollton, plus half of what you described – from Pine Street going east – is technically Zion City, not us.” The assessor’s assertion stuns not just the Martians, but other onlookers as well, such as volunteers from Hollygrove Market and Farm, on discovering they are not in Hollygrove after all. Ditto the amazement of Zion City residents, who hitherto believed they belonged exclusively on the other side of Washington, all the way to Broad. Perhaps not least startled are the staff of Xavier University – resplendent in vibrant green garb akin to that of our ET ambassadors – who exclaim, “Wait, isn’t the school considered part of Gert Town, too?” “Almost, but not quite,” a Federal census worker intervenes, hoping to patch things up a bit. “For that matter, all of you are partially correct.” She continues, “Gert Town is officially coterminous with Census Tract 72, which you can see on this map,” whereupon she produces a detailed diagram depicting a geographical area extending eastward to Eve Street. Upon inspecting this document, one notable reverend shakes her head, taps her finger on a spot located several blocks south, in adjacent Tract 124, and intones, “But
I live here, and I’m in Gert Town.” Standing right next to her, a council member’s aide whose late father tended a nearby church congregation, mutters to himself, “I never realized how complicated a simple question could be.” “This is all such a quandary. A conundrum. A paradox!” the Martians signal telepathically and emphatically among themselves, aware of the difficulty reconciling all the people’s different subjective viewpoints with objective reality. But they, being endowed with their species’ legendary vast intelligence, pause a while to mull over the dilemma, to size up the situation. After some close discussion, they face the growing throng and begin delivering their stark valedictory address: “Denizens of Gert Town, we came to visit your illustrious and progressive neighborhood, only to find it a shell of her former glory. Your children want a good education, yet there are no schools. Teens need jobs, but have no foundation. The young frolic on playgrounds abutting a former toxic site and a concrete mixing plant! Displaced residents seek to return, while empty lots sit idle, harboring overgrown weeds and discarded tires. Public safety is paramount, yet shots ring out. Your elders have nowhere to retire, nor the sick to heal themselves. Those who remain preach community, while families remain divided across old lines. Homeowners wishing to live harmoniously next to large institutions succumb to their expansion. You yearn for sound infrastructure, living among potholes and unlit streets. Money comes in, as money vanishes. How will you survive in the Twenty-First Century? Has the City forsaken you and this consecrated ground? Who will lead you forward to reclaim your birthright?”
Alfred Gehrke (Gert Town’s namesake) now rests alongside his parents in the Carrollton Cemetery, a simple gravestone is the only testament to his legacy.
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With their rhetorical admonishment still reverberating amidst the modest clearing, the otherworldly crew turns to board their ship for the return flight to Mars. The crowd stands silent, momentarily dumbstruck by the weight of the Martians’ words. “I will,” snaps one of the children, breaking the silence and stepping forward defiantly from the front line. “And me,” asserts her big sister, not hesitating a moment. “I will, too!” shouts their older brother, proudly holding the girls’ hands and looking sharp in his school uniform. “So will I, and a hundred others here,” offers the young man’s teacher, known to many as a rising community leader. “Don’t forget about us, either,” barks a stout road foreman, gesturing toward his team of workers, among whom several Gert Town trainees are standing. In unison, motivated community members of every stripe – cops, clerics, parents, elected officials – and everyone else who believes in the promise of Gert Town’s future begins chanting, “We will!” And on and on grows the crowd’s enthusiastic, collective response to the visitors’ challenge. “We will!” From which the Martian contingent, now prepared for flight, takes heart: “Then we shall return to Gert Town ten years hence, to study your Master Plan and monitor your progress. In the meantime, remember that this neighborhood was once the beating heart of New Orleans, as well as its soul, and Gert Town must become so again. You, her stewards, must honor that legacy!” As the departing ship rises high overhead, the heavenly chorus – seemingly backed by the resounding spirit of the Muses – echoes triumphantly: “We will!”
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NEIGH SPOTBORHOOD LIGHT G
ert t own
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NEIGH SPOTBORHOOD LIGHT G
ert t own
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Gert Town
A Home to Jazz and R&B Legends By Dr. Mona Lisa Saloy
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orld beloved New Orleans, unique for its architecture, history, great food, and the birthplace of Jazz, is a neighborhood of nations and people; it is the consistency of these neighborhood people, their traditions that create and sustain the uniqueness of the Crescent City. On such place is Gert Town. Gert town is known as uptown to some, or back-of-town, even called pigeon town by others. Did you know that Gert Town is also a home to Jazz, R & B legend? Did you know that some substantial music legends hail from Gert Town? Would you believe that since the mid-twentieth century, Gert Town is sung about in Blues songs? Did you know that Gert Town was the home of Creole traditions, amusement parks, and the only HBCU (Historically Black College or University) in the world founded by a Catholic saint? Which Black Indian tribe is home to Gert Town? Originally, Gert Town was part of the early expansion of the city, stretching on to the once large McCarty plantation, built on a high levee stretching from the Mississippi along the Basin canal. The Carrollton railroad passed through Gert Town. Seemingly situated for development, Gert Town was once the home of Blue Plate Mayonnaise, the World Shipping supply company, Coca-Cola, and Xavier University. It became an expanse of Shot-gun style homes of families, who continued the cultural traditions many hold dear. continued on page 19
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Musical & Cultural Roots Gert Town is neighbor to Hollygrove and the once only “Colored” part of Jefferson, called Shewsbury, as well as Broadmoor, where Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Dave Bartholomew made his home later in life. Although born in Edgard, Louisiana, composer and arranger of multiple musical genres, Dave Bartholomew co-wrote many popular Fats Domino hits like “Ain’t That a Shame.” It was in 1949 that Dave Bartholomew’s “Gert Town Blues” was released and is part of the history of Rhythm and Blues. Yes I really love you baby, but I’ve just got to let you go Yeah I really love you baby, but I’ve just got to let you go Oh how you hurt me, Oh why did you hurt me so Well, I’m going back to Gert Town baby, I’ve got to loose these blues I’m going back to Gert Town baby, I’ve got to loose these blues I’m gonna have a ball down at Joy Tavern Gon’ Knock myself out before I blow a fuse Here lives the melancholy of love, in the 4/4 rhythm and 12-bar structure; also, here is the jubilation of relief of going to a better place, Gert Town, where joy is found at the Joy Tavern, like the blues a necessary relief. In 1954, Gert Town is mentioned again in the popular song “Mardi Gras Mambo” (by Frankie Adams, Ken Elliott, Lou Welsch). We all know the opening and often repeated first stanza: In the second verse, we meet Gert Town: In Gert Town where the cats all meet There’s a Mardi Gras mambo with a beat Join the Chief with the Zulu gang And truck on down where the mambo’s swing
Toussant speaks fondly of Gert Town, which was also called “Gerty Pit,” meaning “don’t mess with me.” He says they also called it “Back o’Town,” which was always good.
Readers may not know that there’s a “New Gert Town Blues” by California’s Mitch Woods and his Rocket 88s, who take their inspiration from that era. More recently, rapper, Juvenile, a.k.a. Terius Gray, from the Calio area, mentions Gert Town in his song “Nolia Clap,” where he nods to the neighborhoods of the area in a hip hop lingo: [Verse 2] I’m in Hollygrove searchin’ for the Skip dog H2 chromed out, nice whip dog Let’s hit Gert Town, I heard they pop it off. Perhaps the most famous of Gert Town’s musical sons is in the genius of Allen Toussaint, composer and musician, who was born in the neighborhood, he affirms affectionately, in a shot-gun home. His father played first or second trumpet with a big band, but he had to raise a family. In those days, it was more difficult to make a living by music, and his dad was a railroad mechanic by trade to support his family. Toussaint’s older brother, Vincent, played guitar well but didn’t make it a career. It was his sister, Joyce, who took piano for a short while, and left music since she had a bad teacher who spanked her hands. Joyce learned music quickly, and was generous sharing lessons with her little brother Allen. She started him in music, and they
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“picked the songs off the radio” together. His mother too was musical. Both parents were Creole, passing on the love of family and music. His grandmother Elizabeth spoke perfect Creole, and Toussaint remembers the elders giving orders in Creole: Go get me some water: “donnez moi de l’eau ici,” which is an older, familiar form. Toussant speaks fondly of Gert Town, which was also called “Gerty Pit,” meaning “don’t mess with me.” He says they also called it “Back o’Town,” which was always good. Another musical family was the original Guitar Slim, and his son Jr., now continuing his father’s legacy today. Slim, too, was raised Creole, but doesn’t remember saying. Once when he sprained his thumb, his great grandmother prayed over him with crossed fingers and healed him. She was maybe part Natchez or Choctaw. His mother sang Gospel song, played the piano and Organ. His Dad was legendary. Slim, Jr. says that he inherited the name later, from Earl King, who “put him in a trick bag,” and started calling him that around the time of Marvin Gay’s “What’s Going On” hit was out. His mother told him he got it double, musical talent from both parents. In Gert Town, his sister had the house next door. There were singing contests in the yard, dancing contests. Gert Town was his parents home.
Xavier University, home in Gert Town
The only HBCU that is Catholic and founded by a saint is Xavier University of New Orleans, founded by St. Katharine Drexel. Xavier is also nationally famous for being the teaching home of artist & sculptor John Scott, and for leading the nation in the number of Blacks earning undergraduate degrees in biology, physics, the physical sciences, in pharmacy degrees, and placing the most Blacks into medical schools.
Gert Town Gert Town or back-of-town is home to Jazz and R & B musical legends, the subject of Blues lyrics, it’s own Gold Star Hunters Indian Tribe, and an HBCU Catholic university founded by a saint. It has it’s own Creole traditions, was once the site of amusement parks and a railroad now long gone. Gert Town still has an expanse of Shot-gun style homes of families, who continue the cultural traditions that are an essential part of the unique New Orleans landscape.
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“Big Read” is Encouraging Reading Among Americans By Christine Bordelon
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ocally, Xavier University of Louisiana, in partnership with the New Orleans Public Library, was awarded a “Big Read” grant from the NEA this year to take part in the project to encourage reading everywhere – in schools, libraries and bookstores. Each of the not-for-profit grant recipients received 1,000 copies of one of 34 books, digital recorders and was free to adapt activities to the needs of its community. Xavier University centered its efforts on “A Lesson Before Dying,” a book based in Louisiana by Louisiana-born author Ernest Gaines. “How meaningful for students in Louisiana to participate in the reading of this book,” said Olger Twyner III, associate vice president of sponsored programs/Title III with the Office of Resource Development
at Xavier University. He said the book was chosen due to its Louisiana theme. The month-long project in New Orleans opened with a Feb. 23 launch at the New Orleans East Library branch and a keynote event at Xavier University with author Ernest Gaines. It has continued with book discussion groups involving “A Lesson Before Dying” at library branches, local bookstores, the YMCA Learning Center, Covenant House and at Xavier University. Local high school students also conducted oral history projects with elders who had lived during the time of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation. Two film screenings of the 1999 adaptation of “A Lesson Before Dying” also were held at Zeitgeist Multidisciplinary Arts Center in New Orleans.
Oral histories Xavier University Preparatory School students visited Feb. 26 with seniors at the Gert Town Community Center in New Orleans to get a first-hand account of their experiences of institutional injustice and racial inequality as portrayed in Gaines’ book. Sophie B. Wright students also conducted oral history interviews. Xavier Prep students in English III honors taught by Margie Gillard explored with the African-American seniors what life was like during that time in history. They asked things like how hard it was to find a job, what kind of job they were able to get, if they ever worked for a Caucasian person, if they attend school with white children and did family members move from the South. They recorded the answers and transcribed the interviews. Gillard said her students were well-prepared for the oral histories, having read “A Lesson Before Dying” in class, discussed the book and the Jim Crow laws at the time the book was set and famous African Americans during that time. It also “makes the lesson of the book come alive for them.” “So many things that they talk about that pertains to African Americans is not in the textbooks,” Gillard said. “I wanted them to see what is reality and learn some of the
terms that were in the book” (such as grinding, sharecropping, parran). The students gained insight to how different times were for older generations of African Americans. “I was surprised that they never went to school with white people,” 11th grader Dominique Caston said. Students also mentioned how Gaines’ book reinforced what they had learned in class about the gains made by Civil Rights Movement. But some of the language – especially the derogatory names that were used to describe African Americans – shocked them. “It made me see how much our people struggled to get where we are right now,” 10th grader Janay Major said. “It shows the things we take for granted in everyday life, like going to any bathroom we want. They couldn’t do that (in the 1940s). It made me see what my grandmother would tell me when we would ride on a bus: ‘If we fought to get to the front, why would you run to sit in the back?’” Xavier Prep assistant principal for curriculum and teacher development Latricia Baham said the Big Read isn’t the only collaboration between Xavier Prep and Xavier University of Louisiana. Xavier University physics students help students in science and continued on page 21
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math departments at Xavier Prep. Xavier University also provides student teachers at Xavier Prep. Students also participate in Xavier University’s concurrent admissions programs to earn college credits.
How Big Read started
The National Endowment for the Arts created the Big Read in 2006 in response to its 2004 study “Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America.” The study “showed that literary reading was declining among all age groups, with the steepest
decline in the youngest age groups.” For Xavier University, the Big Read is part of its five-year initiative “Read Today, Lead Tomorrow” that enables its college students to become more “engaged readers who will enhance the reading culture on campus and in the community.” The Big Read closing ceremony on March 23 at the library’s main branch recognized students who wrote social justice essays or did other created works based on the novel.
For details on the project, visit www.neabigread.org Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarionherald.org
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The Health and Wellness Center
Focusing on the Whole Health Education Aspect of Health Care By Christine Bordelon, Clarion Herald
Did you know there is a center where anyone, not just the uninsured or underserved population, can get free checks on blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol and individualized instruction on nutrition, exercise and healthy living? destroyed the center’s original location and wiped out the population that used it. As recovery from the hurricane continued, Xavier’s College of Pharmacy began speaking with its many community partners, Kirchain said, and Wal-Mart offered a 3,000-squarefoot space that allowed the Health and Wellness Center to reopen in Harahan in 2009. Pharmacists from Xavier University’s College of Pharmacy and senior pharmacy students man the center along with administrative assistant Danitra Hawkins. It’s funded by a Xavier Foundation grant and other grants.
Watching your weight
Dr. William Kirchain, a professor at the College of Pharmacy at Xavier University of Louisiana, shows off a treadmill at the health clinic in Harahan. Open weekdays, the clinic offers free screenings to anyone.
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he Health and Wellness Center operated by the Xavier University School of Pharmacy at 5110 Jefferson Hwy. (next to the Wal-Mart on Clearview Parkway in Harahan) offers those screenings. Screening results are immediate. In addition, free individual or group classes on diabetes management with a certified diabetes educator, free medication checkups and peripheral artery disease screenings are available, said center director and pharmacist, Dr. William Kirchain, a pharmacy professor. “We try to focus on the whole health education aspect of care,” Kirchain said. Several free classes on healthy holiday cooking in the center’s demonstration room have been presented during holidays.
A post-Katrina rebirth Before Hurricane Katrina, Xavier University’s College of Pharmacy worked with the City of New Orleans’ health department in Gert Town, near Xavier’s campus. The thrust then was to help individuals with diabetes-related health issues by offering screenings and education. “It all started out as a vision by the dean of the college of pharmacy and (Xavier president) Dr. Norman Francis to do something that would reach the underserved population in our area, give them tools to prevent disease,” Kirchain said. Katrina
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In addition to screenings, the center offers a Healthy Happy Weight Club with oneon-one attention. Members get measured for body fat, muscle mass, how many calories are burned at rest and are offered meal and exercise plans. Members decide on visits, Kirchain said. The idea behind the weight club The center is open is not necessarily how many pounds a Monday through Friday person loses. “We are trying to create a from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., healthier lifestyle in someone that but appointments are will last,” Kirchain said. “We’re more available after hours interested in the net health effects, not at 733-1127 or the weight effects, but we’re not going to argue if someone has a weight goal by contacting in mind.” wellnessctr@xula.edu. After any assessment at the center, Transportation also pharmacists refer clients to their doctor can be arranged. or community health centers and can send results in writing. “We have people come in with all kinds of issues,” Kirchain said. “We have caregivers with medication questions, mental health issues, etc. As pharmacists, we are used to that. If you were a community pharmacist, at least once a week, you’d have questions from people who need to see another doctor. No one gets diagnosed. It is a screening to see if they need to see someone else as a follow up.” Kirchain sees the center as a work in progress. If there is a program or screening requested, the center will try to provide it. He hopes to establish a partnership for exercise classes in the future. Health fairs have been conducted off-site, and the center already opens its demonstration room for community meetings free of charge. Kirchain hopes more people realize the center has reopened. “I think we’re having a positive impact in the community, but it could be greater,” he said.
Christine Bordelon can be reached at cbordelon@clarionherald.org
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“He Matters Because” Local and National Partners Support Campaign Focused on Fathers
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he Lindy Boggs Center for Community Literacy, The New Orleans Fatherhood Consortium, Ashe Cultural Arts Center and Women In Fatherhood, Inc. have joined forces to produce a media campaign aimed at changing public perceptions about fathers and the impacts they have on the growth and development of children. The campaign will feature signs on RTA buses and will run until August 3, 2013. In addition, the campaign will include billboards located at 3958 Downman Road and 2000 South Claiborne Avenue, which will be displayed until late July. For more information regarding the media campaign, please contact us at (504) 864-7077. The media campaign also includes Color Him Father, a traveling banner exhibit dedicated to presenting images of fathers and father-figures in loving and supporting situations with their children and families. We have been fortunate to host the exhibit at locations across New Orleans, and a few are listed below:
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• 2012 New Orleans Favorite Fathers Ceremony (Marriott Hotel at New Orleans Convention Center), Rosa Keller and Norman Mayer Branches of New Orleans Public Library • Loyola University’s Dana Center • Family Service of Greater New Orleans • Ashe Cultural Arts Center • Desire Community Development Corporation’s Open House • NFL Yet Center • The Daughters of Charity Health Clinic If you are willing to host Color Him Father for a meeting, event or specific period of time, please contact NOFC by email at grattler@loyno.edu or by phone at (504) 864-7077. Banner proofs can be provided upon request.
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Favorite Fathers Announced
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he 2013 New Orleans Favorite Fathers Ceremony recently recognized more than 100 men who have made a difference in the lives of women, children, families and communities in our great city. Master of Ceremonies and 2011 Favorite Father Frederick “Hollywood” Delahoussaye opened the program by acknowledging all of the fathers and thanking them for “being their sons’ first hero and their daughters’ first love.” In delivering the Keynote address, WDSU Meteorologist Damon Singleton, spoke about his lifelong commitment to making his father proud and living up to his father’s example of manhood. Mr. Singleton also spoke to the influence his father had on who he would become as a father to his three children. “We think fathers, especially black fathers, are an asset to this community,” said Petrice Sams-Abiodun, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Lindy Boggs Center for Community Literacy at Loyola University. “Although community members focus on absent fathers, we believe we need to promote more images of black men as fathers. Our main goal is to address different, not negative images.” She also made reference to the current “He Matters Because” bus and billboard campaign that features positive images of black men as opposed to the negative images of black men on “Wanted” billboards. We would like to thank the members of the New Orleans Fatherhood Consortium for their continued support and partnership. It was an honor and a privilege to meet and celebrate these men for the assets they are to the lives of our children and families.
“We think fathers, especially black fathers, are an asset to this community,” said Petrice Sams-Abiodun
The New Orleans Fatherhood Consortium salutes the members of the 2013 Class of New Orleans Favorite Fathers on page 25.
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2013 New Orleans Favorite Fathers Patrick 2X DJ Big Abe Marcus Akinlana Darren Alridge Samson “Skip” Alexander Rupert Mulan Alexis Fr. Chuck Andrus Ansel Augustine Brent Anthony Balthazar, Jr. Brian Balthazar Jim Belfon John Bernard “Wild” Wayne Benjamin Bruce Boucree Don Boucree Fr. Anthony Bozeman D’Wann Brooks Jerry Miles Brown, Sr. Ronald Walter Brown, Sr. Sean Bruno Hubert Caliste
Rodney Carey, Sr. Conrad C. Carriere, Sr. Enoch Jude Carriere Monsignor John Cisewski Leon Clark Kevin Coleman, Jr. Randolph Cooks Fr. Kyle Dave Jarvis DeBerry Marlon Dews Ben Diggins Melvin Dillon Keith Donatto Leo D. Dunn, Jr. Camara Dupree Earl W. Duvernay, Jr. Kenny Folines Daron B. Franklin Anthony Gabriel Joe Louis Gordon Victor Gordon
THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
Gregory Harris Donald Harrison, Jr. Deacon Lawrence Houston Keith Hudson Frederick Jackson, Jr. Sensei Gerald Jackson Wendell T. Jackson Fr. Michael Jacques Albert J. Jefferson, Jr. Calvin Johnson Jirrea Johnson, Jr. Lucky Johnson Tyrone Johnson Johnny Jones, Jr. Johnny Jones, III Morris Jones, Jr. Remy Jones Brother Juan Jerome Jupiter Lawrence Keys Marland Keys
Romander King Russell King Leno Knox Murray Lacey Gavin Lewis Cade J. London, IV Derrick Lowe Lawrence Matthews, III Sean Matthews Darrin McCall Raphael G. Meyers, Sr. Will Moten Cedric Muhammad Dwayne Muhammad Jason Muhammad Martin Muhammad Roosevelt Muhammad Damien Muse Jadi Ramu Mwendo Norman J. Nail Kwame Michou Nantambu
Kwesi Ayo Nantambu Terry Nash Nchor B. Okorn Ronnie Perine Gary Peters Keith B. Pittman Ted Quant Negel R. Quintal Sean Ranson Larry Reed Jermaine Reynolds Tyrone Reynolds Fr. Tony Ricard Dr. Dereck Rovaris Stanley Schofield Deacon Reginald Seymour Joe Simon Willie Simon Kamau Smith Matthew Smith, Jr. Sadat Spencer
Bobby Earl Spruille Deacon Allen Stevens Calvin Stevens Jeff Stirgus, Sr. Shaun Talbott Torrence Taylor Markeith Tero Thaddeus Theriot, Jr. Cornell C. Thompson Keith Turner Walter Umrani Deacon Jesse Watley Kirk C. White Deandre Bernell Whitley Aaron Williams Cleavon Williams, Sr. Stephen B. Williams Lenderay Wilson, Sr. Lawyer Winfield Jonathan Winfrey Roosevelt Wright, III Vincent X
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Local Government Begins with YOU By Greg Lawson, Associate Neighborhoods Editor, NPN
T
he City of New Orleans is known world-wide for its culture, well-seasoned cuisine and great hospitality. And now it’s festival season, a time for lawn chairs, food and lots of laughs. But after all the festivities have come to a end, New Orleans residents are still plagued by corruption within local government. Residents have few opportunities to provide input on city issues and unresponsive elected officials offer little accountability when allocating tax dollars. But imagine a city where residents truly held the decision-making power, a place where elected officials paid more attention to neighborhood concerns and residents had input on city issues and development. Soon, community leaders and residents will have the opportunity to change how elected officials engage with constituents. On February 1, 2014, New Orleans citizens will elect a Mayor, five Councilmembers (oneper district) and two-at-large Councilmembers. And YOU can be on the ballot! • The Mayor’s office serves as the executive branch of government and its primary role is to oversee and enforce all city laws and ordinances. The Mayor also appoints city department heads, and is often responsible to prepare the city’s budget. The Mayors annual salary is $140,000 with a 2.5 percent annual increase per year. • The City Council serves as the legislative branch of government and its primary role is to consider and enact all local laws that govern the city, as well as approve operating and capital budgets. Councilmember salary is $83,507 per year. Interested individuals can qualify for the February 1 election at the Criminal District Clerk of Court office located on 2700 Tulane Avenue on the first floor on December 11, 12 and 13, 2013. Qualifying fees for Mayor and Councilmember are $375 paid in cash, cashier checks or money orders. If you’re interested in running for an elected office, amplify your voice on citywide issues by joining a network that works for YOU.
To get connected to the city-wide conversation, contact Greg Lawson at 504.940.2207 or greg@npnnola.com
SweetCakes & Candy Emporium creates the most beautiful and delicious cakes, pies, cupcakes, & candy for your personal needs. We also offer the following services for local businesses, organizations & associations. • Business gift giving programs • Special occasion dessert catering services (holidays, birthdays, client recognition, & customer development days)
• Very interactive & engaging dessert cooking classes (which serve as great team building activities)
• Custom orders
(we can create cakes that match your organizations events & themes)
Give us a call at 504-383-4059 or www.sweetcakesandcandy.com to place an order &/or to book a date.
Your Personal Baker...For All Your Baking Needs 26
THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
Archon Information Systems’ CivicSource® platform is a leading provider of: • delinquent tax collection, • online property tax auctions • and tax collection software We provide all levels of governmental agencies with comprehensive tax and treasury management solutions at no cost to the department. If you have questions about any of our services please contact us at 504-267-0065 or info@archoninfosys.com We are a proud supporter of Neighborhoods Partnership Network and the Trumpet.
THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
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Beauty Shop Talk By: Christy “CeCe” Chapman
H
ey DIVAS! We are starting the summer season and things tend to heat up. One of the topics recently emailed to “Beauty Shop Talk” was on this topic: “I am a great friend to my childhood friend of 15 years. Sometimes I feel that she may be jealous because of the way she acts when I share accomplishments. Is she jealous or what?” This is something that some of our readers can relate too. So sit back, grab your cocktail, take a break from your busy lives and let’s elaborate on this. Jealousy is a nasty character trait— and here are six signs of a “jealous” friend you need to know about!
1. Lack of Encouragement When you share good news with a friend and their response is “Oh Okay,” with no encouraging words behind it, it is a sign. Lack of support is key; even sarcastic comments like “good for you” are flags to watch.
2. Shying Away Have you been getting the “I am BUSY” line? Have you tried to make plans with a friend and suddenly they
are don’t have time and don’t even try to reschedule? They become the “friendly ghost” … why? Because your happiness is a constant reminder that they are unhappy, and, as a result, they’d rather stay away then face the fact they feel bad about themselves in your presence.
3. Tearing You Down If your friend constantly makes you feel bad about your decisions in life, they might be doing it to feel better about their own decisions and about themselves. They may criticize you. You may come up with an idea, and they give you every excuse in the book why you shouldn’t be doing it. They might even attack your character … you get the point.
4. Attention-Grabbing with Your Other Friends Okay, you may have noticed a friend adding a lot of your Facebook or Instagram buddies to their own list. This comes only after saying “hi” once—or maybe not at all. They try to befriend your friends. This is a sign that they may be jealous of your popularity and want to take your friends and make them your own.
5. Insincere Happiness If they know they are jealous, your friends may try to overcompensate by putting on a huge grin and acting overly happy. Unfortunately what your friend doesn’t realize is that this type of behavior is unnatural and comes across as very insincere.
6. Copying You or Trying to Upstage You Have you ever brought a pair of designer jeans or shades, only to learn the very next day that your friend bought the same exact item? Or even purchased a higher end version of what you have already brought? Are they admiring your style … or competing with you? If you notice these signs, evaluate the situation and make sure you aren’t intensifying their feelings of jealousy. Your friend may be in a bad spot at this point in his/her life. Put yourself in their shoes. Communicate your concerns. Once everything is on the table, re-evaluate the friendship and move forward … to better the friendship, or with the knowledge you genuinely removed a negative presence from your life.
Here are six signs of a “jealous” friend you need to know about! If you would like to ask a “Beauty Shop Talk” question email beautyshoptalkNPN@rocketmail.com
The Trumpet is New Orleans only community newspaper written by neighborhood residents, for neighborhoods, and about New Orleans neighborhoods. The bi-monthly newspaper, with a circulation of 5,000 copies throughout greater New Orleans, has over 110 contributors from our network who are fulfilling our vision of “community voices orchestrating change.”
And, We Would Like to Invite YOU to Be a Part of This Symphony! As an advertising partner, can choose from either a quarterpage, half page, 3/4 page or a full page.
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Whether you want to write something “article style,” or use the full space for a single graphic to highlight a serviceor event, you are welcome to shape your advertising space to best communicate your message. In addition, you will also have access to our other communication outlets, including our website, www. npnnola.com, The Trumpet Blog and our weekly newsletter, Trumpet Tidbits, which currently reaches 3,500 readers.
To Advertise email thetrumpet@npnnola.com THE TRUMPET | MARCH/APRIL | 2013
CeCe Gets ” e v a W e h T “ . a . k . a s ate
from K.G
By Christy “CeCe” Chapman, the author of the book, 20 Thoughts Every Woman Should Have. She is a New Orleans native who is “twenty something years of age.” Follow her on Twitter at @CeCetheAuthor.
K.Gates, or “The Wave” as he is now called, became nationally known with his hit Black & Gold. It became the anthem for the city of New Orleans and for every Saints fan around the world. His performances have been featured at the Super Bowl and on BET’s 106th & Park, and, through numerous documentaries and his dedication, he has created a “wave” of enthusiasm for his art and his hometown. New Orleanians from all walks of life are checking for him, and it’s no surprise—growing up, he was always developing a plan for success. 1. Tell us your name and the significance behind it.
8. Tell our readers about an obstacle that you faced.
K.Gates, the Wave. K. Gates started with me just selling products. I created my name dealing with middle class people. I worked from door to door. The Wave means that I am traveling around the world doing business deals and marketing music, film and fashion.
2. Where are you originally from?
I am a Wave. I am a hip hop artist … a film maker ... an entrepreneur … a Renaissance Man.
4. When did you realize you were destined for the entertainment world?
I got a premonition at 12—I don’t know from where. But I felt I was going to be a successful rapper.
5. How did you get into film?
Film is a great way to connect a face with a name. I traveled a lot, so I started carrying cameras. I shot a pilot of myself on my experience trying be a rap star, so it started from there.
Through film, I received many negative and positive responses, but I wanted to shed light on the city of New Orleans. I created “Murda Capital” which was my first film. I was very nervous because of the scrutinizing, but I took a chance. The world needs to see what we go through in New Orleans.
7. What are some of your accomplishments?
Surviving in New Orleans over the age of 21, every day living. I celebrate life. Every record I have recorded and sold … performing The Saints song at the Super Bowl … traveling, my life.
THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
Overcoming adversities. My mom raising me on her own, working and wanting success. It’s like exercise. If you work out every day, you become stronger.
10. How is it being in the group “The Rap Pack?”
It is a blessing. We represent New Orleans well. It gives us all an opportunity to have a wider scope of fans because of our versatility. We did things as a group that we wouldn’t be able to accomplish as a solo artists.
Actually that was my third time appearing. It was a blessing as a first performing as a hip hop artist. It confirmed my accomplishments. It reminds me how important necessary steps are getting where you need to.
16. What national artists have you worked with?
Jazzy Pha, Ciara, Young Jeezy, Three 6 Mafia, Mackmaine , Kidd Kidd, Compton Menace to name a few … and I was in a group formed by New Orleans own B.G. “Eighties Babies.”
. 17. Where does your creativity come from?
Imagination. I have a big imagination, especially wanting things as a child. Traveling and seeing things, seeing life. I was exposed to a lot of things.
11. What is your favorite meal?
18. What else can we expect from you?
Organic lamb chops, asparagus and portabella mushrooms. I love that.
12. How do you stay motivated?
6. Why did you get further into film?
9. What made you so strong?
New Orleans, Louisiana
3. What are your titles?
Facing stereotypes as an African American male … people not supporting my success. Negativity is an obstacle that I have faced. I continue to face it and will face in the future, but I overcome them.
15. How was the experience of being on BET, especially because it is something many people dream about?
Striving and setting new goals. Family. Living the life that I imagined as a child. I can do better. I am still not satisfied.
13. What is your ultimate goal?
My goal is to be a successful hip hop artist. Being able to empower, enrich and enlighten other people. Staying in a position to present opportunities to others.
14. What did you think you were going to be?
A rapper—but before that I wanted to be a chemist. I always knew I wanted to be a millionaire.
A lot more! I haven’t caught the “major wave” yet. We are almost mainstream. Anything that is positive, with a financial gain. I want to continue to contribute to the hip hop community. I am working on a clothing line and more documentaries.
19. What do you feel others can learn from you?
That where there is a will, there is a “Wave.”
20. What do you live by?
I live by the religion of Islam.
Congratulations to The Wave on all these accomplishments. Want to learn more? To follow The Wave on Twitter and Instagram, follow his hashtag “GatesWave.” 29
Neighborhood Meetings
Neighborhood Meetings
Algiers Point Association Every 1st Thursday of the month @ 7 p.m. Location changes each month www.algierspoint.org Broadmoor Improvement Association 3rd Monday of every other month @ 7 p.m. Andrew H. Wilson Charter School Cafeteria 3617 General Pershing St. New Orleans, LA 70125 http://www.broadmoorimprovement.com Bunny Friends Neighborhood Association Every second Saturday of the month Mt. Carmel Baptist Church 3721 N Claiborne Ave Bywater Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Holy Angels Cafeteria 3500 St. Claude Ave. www.bywaterneighbors.com Carrollton Riverbend Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Thursday of the month Parish Hall of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Corner of Carrollton and Zimple Carrollton United Every second Monday at 5:00p.m. every other month St. John Missionary Baptist Church, corner of Leonidas and Hickory Central City Partnership Every last Friday of the month @ 1 p.m. Allie Mae Williams Center 2020 Jackson Ave. http://www.centralcitypartnership.org
Central City Renaissance Alliance (CCRA) 1809 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. http://www.myccra.org Chapel of the Holy Comforter Every 4th Thursday of the month @ 6:30 p.m. 2200 Lakeshore Drive Claiborne-University Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings, time and date TBA Jewish Community Center 5342 St. Charles Ave Downtown Neighborhood Improvement Association (DNIA) Every last Tuesday of the month @ 7 p.m. Joan Mitchell Center 2275 Bayou Road (the corner building on Rocheblave and Bayou Road) DeSaix Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Saturday of the month @10 a.m. Langhston Hughes Academy 3519 Trafalgar Street http://danadesaix.org East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Committee (ENONAC) Every 2rd Tuesday of each month @ 6 p.m. St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church http://www.enonac.org Faubourg Delachaise Neighborhood Association Quarterly meetings, time/date/ location TBA http://fdna-nola.org
Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association Board Meeting: Every 2nd Monday 7p.m. Holy Rosary Cafeteria 1638 Moss Street General Membership: 3rd Wednesday, every other month 6:30 p.m. Black Gold Room at the Fairgrounds http://www.fsjna.org
Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association Every 2nd Wednesday of the month @ 7 p.m. Gentilly Terrace School 4720 Painters St. http://www.gentillyterrace.org
Faubourg St. Roch Improvement Association Every 2nd Thursday of the month @ 6:00 p.m. True Vine Baptist Church 2008 Marigny St. Filmore Gardens Neighborhood Association (meets every two months) 5506 Wickfield Street Project Home Again 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Garden District Association 1 annual meeting per year, time/date/ location TBA Gentilly Civic Improvement Association (GCIA) General Membership- Every 3rd Saturday of the month 10am Board Meeting - Every 3rd Wednesday of the month 6:30 p.m. Edgewater Baptist Church 5900 Paris Ave. Gentilly Heights East Neighborhood Association Every 3rd Monday of the month @ 6 p.m. Dillard University Dent Hall – Room 104 Gentilly Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association Every 3rd Monday of the month @ 6:30 p.m . VOA – 2929 St. Anthony Ave. (meetings on hold until further notice)
Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 5:30 p.m. Pleasant Zion Missionary Baptist Church 3327 Toledano Street Hollygrove Neighbors Association Saturdays at 12:00 (noon) St. Peter AME Church 3424 Eagle St. (Eage St. and Edinburgh St.) www.neighborhoodlink.com (type in 70118 and click on “Hollygrove Neighbors”) blog us at http://www. hollygroveneighbors.blogspot.com/ Holy Cross Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Thursday @ 5:30 p.m. Center for Sustainability, Greater Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church 5130 Chartres, Lizardi and Chartres http://www.helpholycross.org Irish Channel Neighborhood Association 2nd Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. Irish Channel Christian Fellowship 819 First St. http://www.irishchannel.org Lake Bullard Homeowners Association See website for meeting schedule Cornerstone United Methodist Church 5276 Bullard Ave. http://www.lakebullard.org Lake Catherine Civic Association Every 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 7 p.m.
Get connected to the Neighborhoods Partnership Network. Post news & events for your organization at NPNnola.com 30
THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
Neighborhood Meetings
Lake Willow Neighborhood Every 2nd Saturday of the month @ 10 a.m. St. Maria Goretti Church Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association (NENA) Every 2nd Saturday @ 12 noon NENA – 1120 Lamanche St. http://www.9thwardnena.org Melia Subdivision Every 2rd Saturday of the month @ 5 p.m. Anchoren in Christ Church 4334 Stemway Drive Mid-City Neighborhood Organization General Meeting – Second Monday of every month @ 6:00 p.m. meet-and-greet @ 6:30 p.m. Neighborhood Meeting Warren Easton High School 3019 Canal St. http://www.mcno.org Milneburg Neighborhood Association Chapel of the Holy Comforter 2200 Lakeshore Dr. 6:30 p.m. Monthly meetings are every 4th Thursday of the month Oak Park Civic Association Every 3rd or last Tuesday of the month
Ask City Hall
Paris Oaks/Bayou Vista Neighborhood Association Last Saturday of every month @ 4 p.m. Third District Police Station 4650 Paris Avenue
Seabrook Neighborhood Association Monthly meetings are every second Monday Gentilly Terrace School 4720 Painters Street
Pensiontown of Carrollton Neighborhood Association Every 1st Saturday of the month @ 2 p.m. Leonidas House Community Center (under renovation) 1407 Leonidas St. Temporarily housed at St. Paul AME Church, 8540 Cohn St. (corner of Leonidas and Cohn)
Tall Timbers Owners Association Semi-annual meetings: Second Wednesday of October & April 7 p.m. Board meetings: Second Wednesday of every other month 7 p.m
Pontilly Association Pontilly Disaster Collaborative – Every 3rd Wednesday of the month General Meeting – every 2nd Saturday of the month http://www.pontilly.com Rosedale Subdivision Last Friday of every month @5:30 p.m. Greater Bright Morning Star Baptist Church, 4253 Dale Street Seventh Ward Neighborhood Association Quarterly, 3rd Saturday @ 1 p.m. St. Augustine High School 2600 A.P. Tureaud Ave (A.P Tureaud and Law Street) Contact: seventhwardassoc@aol.com
Tunisburg Square Homeowners Civic Association, Inc. Every 2nd Monday of the month @ 6:30 p.m. http://tunisburg.org Village de l’Est Improvement Association General Meeting - Every other first Tuesday of the month @ 7 p.m. Einstein Charter School 5100 Cannes St West Barrington Association 1st Tuesday of every month @ 6 p.m. Holiday Inn Express 70219 Bullard Avenue
Send your neighborhood meeting details to: info@npnnola.com
Neighborhoods Partnership Network 4902 Canal Street • #301 New Orleans, LA 70119 504.940.2207 • FX 504.940.2208 TheTrumpet@npnnola.com
THE TRUMPET | JULY/AUGUST | 2013
District A Susan G. Guidry City Hall, Room 2W80 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1010 Fax: (504) 658-1016 Email: sgguidry@nola.gov District B LaToya Cantrell City Hall, Room 2W10 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1020 Fax: (504) 658-1025 lcantrell@nola.gov District C Kristin Gisleson Palmer City Hall, Room 2W70 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1030 Fax: (504) 658-1037 Email: kgpalmer@nola.gov District D Cynthia Hedge-Morrell City Hall, Room 2W20 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1040 Fax: (504) 658-1048 E-mail: chmorrell@nola.gov District E James Austin Gray II City Hall, Room 2W60 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1050 Fax: (504) 658-1058 Email: jagray@nola.gov Council Member-At-Large Stacy Head City Hall, Room 2W40 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658 -1060 Fax: (504) 658-1068 Email: shead@nola.gov Council Member-At-Large Jacquelyn Clarkson City Hall, Room 2W50 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1070 Fax: (504) 658-1077 Email: jbclarkson@nola.gov
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NEIGH BORH SPOT OD LIGHO T G
ert t own
Photo: Heidi Hickman