Mary Fanning Horaist, a longtime resident of the Audubon Riverside neighborhood, tells Neighborhood Engagement a little about the place she calls home.
How long have you lived in your neighborhood?
I have lived in my neighborhood for roughly thirty-eight years, in two packets of time, combined.
I was born and raised in this neighborhood, surrounded by family, friends and schoolmates for nearly twenty-six years. I later married under the archway of my family home and moved away,
ultimately divorced, but remained there until that home flooded in Hurricane Katrina. I had the opportunity to return to my family home, high and dry, and resided between locations, as I restored and prepared to sell that home. My sister made it possible for me to acquire the balance of the interest in our family home, making it truly now my family home.
What do you love about your neighborhood?
The beauty of it all. I love going down the streets where each home is characteristically different from the others. Growing up here, I came to appreciate the value of architecture, the sensibilities of scale and what they bring to a community. Further, as a child, as we traveled the streets of our city, both in the car and using Public Service buses and streetcars, my Dad would say, "Look up! Do you see how beautiful it is - how the oak tree branches form a natural arch across the entire street? Do you know how lucky we are to get to see these every day? Always be grateful for the people who had the vision to plant these trees - and for the people who take care of these trees - we are so blessed with beauty around us." Definitely, the natural beauty...and the people.
What successes have you had in your neighborhood?
I'd say, as for successes, it has been a slow process. In this era, my progress seemed to have been at a snail's pace. Since I first returned after Katrina, my focus, immediately and admittedly, was personal, delaying my re-engagement with my new/old community as I had to focus first on rebuilding what I had lost, as did so many others in our tri-parish area. Simultaneously with that rebuilding, I had to deal with the demands of handling my mother's final affairs while assessing what damage the family home had endured. In addition to getting the roof replaced, I later discovered hidden termite damage with which I later had to deal.
I had to find a part time job, as I, like so many other people, had also lost my place of employment to Katrina. Fortunately, I was blessed with both the opportunity to assist another parish in its rebuilding one of its essential departments, and, later, in a different position for a different agency, help, in a support capacity, the flood protection projects which now protect us. Each position allowed me to have met some wonderfully inspiring people there, learning and expanding my knowledge along the way. I was struck by how each community had its own challenges and how each met them. It was an honor to serve. To me, serving is succeeding.
Once I sold my other house and obtained this home, I began the process of updating this one and making it mine. (Ongoing process). As I was doing that, I began to explore the neighborhood, finding, over time, that my old and new neighborhood had changed drastically since I had last lived here. As a result, I had to reach out in civic, community and spiritual areas, as I found that I, literally, knew very few people in this "new" neighborhood.
I began attending community meetings, not just in my area, but for the city. I have taken courses. I have reached out to our leaders' staff members when issues arise, appreciating their timely response, with which I have been very pleased. My successes continue to be defined every day.
I have discovered that, although quiet, there are people working in committed diligence to improve the quality of life across this area, this city and beyond, even into other parts of the world. It has been inspiring. Somehow, their successes dwarf my own.
Based on your success in ARNA, what advice would you give to other neighborhood leaders?
I believe this city is filled with intelligent people whose ideas, along with a portion of time and commitment, are vital for the success and support of our city. I also believe that presenting your ideas in a respectful forum for discussion, without malice, combined with a willingness to not
just hear, but listen to each other, allows your neighborhood to find the important issues, mostly requiring a portion of compromise that you can live with, which you can present to city officials and really get their attention for action. We also need to truly respect how city finances and resources can best be used for the common good. Lastly, start, if you haven't, as yet, to utilize media resources to inform and build community, especially when time management has become so challenging. We are stronger as communities than we are alone. Respect and the "Golden Rule" practices apply, always.
Why do you love New Orleans?
Simply put: New Orleans is my home. Even though I left for a while, it has never left my heart.
I love the beauty, the music, the arts, the architecture, the flora and fauna; the people who usually DON'T MAKE the news but MAKE THE DIFFERENCE for the good in each other’s' lives; Audubon, Tulane, Loyola, U.N.O., Xavier, Dillard, SUNO, Holy Cross, Delgado and ALL the institutions of learning; the Fine restaurants and the Corner restaurants; the Lakefront, City Park, and Popp's Fountain - (I'd like to see it open for the citizens more hours, as the writing along its wall states); the Neighborhoods; the Saints, the Pelicans and all the athletes; the Museums and the Libraries;
and...the imperfections that keep us REAL and not "Cookie-cutter perfection" as if some "UFO" hovered over the city and just dropped us, our homes, and our shrubbery one by one, in boring vanilla-dom.