HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
Most of my life, 51 years.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
From the start, at five years old, I was Miss Hardin Park. I was a medaled swimmer for Hardin Park through teen years and did water ballet across the city with the Hardin Park swimmers; later, a Lifeguard in summers; once returned from the West Coast for college, finishing graduate school at LSU finally and returned to my neighborhood where my neighbor, Mr. Charles Barnes, ran the London Avenue Neighborhood Association; he passed, then Katrina. It took me two years of attending neighborhood meetings to figure out how to continue the work Mr. Charlie did, so I invited folks from the 7th Ward, and they came.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
I love our glorious culture, home of the BIG 7 Social & Pleasure Club (those brothers can dance!) and many others -- the Yellow Pocohantas Black Indian crew, the Hard Head Hunters too. Fitchfield Recording Studio artists such as Richard C. Thomas, Charlie Johnson, Luise Mouton, Cynthia Ramirez. Musicians [such as] Germain Bazzle, Dwight & Connie Fitch, DeeLo, John Fitch, my family and so many great neighbors like Poree family of plasterers and artists, Blacksmith Darrell Reeves. Our history too uncovers Civil Rights icon A.P. Tureaud, and filmmaker Royce Osborne: All on a Mardi Grad Day -- (now passed). Too many to name here but certainly Jelly Roll Morton and Joe Jones, Jazz drummer and composer. Current movers and shaker include Royce Duplessis, LA State Representative (District 93), and long-time home of The Louisiana Weekly, where even in jim crow days, Black people could see themselves positively in the world.
WHAT SUCCESSES HAVE YOU HAD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
Last year, we ran outreach to neighborhood churches, and with the help of the Mayor's Office of Community Engagment, held a TriCentennial Praise Fest at Dillard University's Lawless Chapel. We linked historic Martinez Black Creole School with United Methodist Church for after-school programs. We support the neighborhood Pharmecia, a garden and people space in process. We've had annual book give-a-ways to support literacy for families with the help of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities & First Books. Most importantly, soon after we began, we held the largest 300+ volunteer park rebuild at Hunter's Field and commissioned our own Richard C. Thomas to paint a lovely mural on play, and he trained and paid some 30 kids to do the work. What a joy-filled day that was. We even had healthy food eating and growing lessons from LSU AG Center and Dillard University's Ray Charles Program in Material Culture. Since then, we've cleaned catch basins, planted free trees with S.O.U.L. (Sustaining Our Urban Landscape), built French Drains and Water Gardens with WaterWise South, even rain barrels too.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
Gaining consistent participation, getting more folks to meetings, that is, working on outreach to more neighbors, encouraging folks become active to plant trees, get rain barrels, or rain gardens. We are in the bowl, and folks' efforts pay off.
ANY WORDS OF ADVICE FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND CHANGE MAKERS?
Be good neighbors by being there to share information (Thank YOU Mayor's Office of Community Engagement), remain at the table to stay informed, keep learning, and love this life we are blessed to have together.