225 Magazine [June 2023]

NOW GENERATION

Here’s why THESE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ARE STAYING in Baton Rouge—and plan to make OUR CITY THE BEST IT CAN BE for the next generation

WHAT DO THESE TWO HAVE IN COMMON?

FENTANYL KILLED THEM LAST NIGHT.

No matter where or when, just one hit, one bump, or one pill could be laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl. More than 50x stronger than morphine, fentanyl has quadrupled overdose deaths in East Baton Rouge Parish. Just 2 mg (0.0004 tsp) of fentanyl will end your life. Do you know what’s in your drugs? The difference is life or death.

IT’S TIME TO SOUND THE ALARM

ON THE COVER

Generation now BOOMERANGS. YOPROS. CREATIVE entrepreneurs. Call them what you want to, but a new generation of young leaders are calling the Capital Region home—and are optimistic about their futures here. For this month’s cover story, we talked with 16 young professionals in a variety of fields who are shaping the city, and even managed to find time for this month’s cover shoot by 225's Collin Richie. Read about their goals for the city and how they’re helping it get there on page 28.

While working on a “Louisiana Loyal”-themed campaign for Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation, Seth Irby says a national consultant he partnered with interviewed about 100 locals for their thoughts about Louisiana.

She told him: “You all kind of have a bad attitude. … This is one of the most unique and special places on Earth. We have the same problems in California, we just don’t talk about it like y’all do.”

When I moved to Baton Rouge eight years ago, I noticed it immediately, too. As a newcomer and an outsider, I saw a vibrant art scene, some of the most flavorful food I’d ever tasted, and a culture incredibly different from where I grew up.

But so many people I met didn’t seem to take the city seriously, or they spoke about it in a self-deprecating way.

Word of mouth

IT STARTED WITH a speech. That’s what inspired this month’s 225 cover story.

After attending the return of the Assembly Required speaker series this spring, 225 publisher Julio Melara and contributing writer Katie Dixon both came back to the office fired up about how Baton Rouge can reach its full potential.

The quarterly series, led by ThreeSixtyEight, gathers local and national leaders for honest conversations about how our city can progress. The spring event was a “love letter” to Baton Rouge. And sometimes that love can come in the form of tough love.

I haven’t been able to get these words from the event out of my head: “You have to rally the insiders before you can convince the outsiders,” according to Adam Harrell, co-founder of the Atlanta-based creative agency Nebo.

For our cover package, we created our own “panel” of speakers: young professionals who are passionate about the city. We asked for their thoughts on why Baton Rouge is a place that’s worth building a career and family in—and how they think we can leave it better for future generations.

The first step in fixing our city is rallying those insiders Harrell referred to—and that means tackling the negativity that colors so many conversations here.

Maybe every city dweller thinks this way. I traveled to Berlin for vacation this spring, and when browsing the local subreddit to get an idea of the culture, the posts seemed to focus more on the city’s issues— everything from election drama to subway train delays.

We all know, of course, that our city has major problems, from education and climate to infrastructure and crime. Complaining is an expected, understandable response. But the only way any of these problems will ever change is if we all stand up and force them to.

“We tolerate mediocrity … because it’s comfortable, and doing something different requires energy,” said Norisha Kirts Glover during Assembly Required. As CEO of NRK Construction, Glover is a leader in the construction industry in the Southeast. She is used to building better spaces—literally and figuratively—and is one of the people we interviewed for our cover story.

Glover is right. And finding that energy to make a change starts with searching for the silver linings of living here in the first place. There are many.

Turn to page 28 to hear what our city’s rising leaders have to say.

And when you’re done reading, don’t be afraid to speak now, too—or forever hold your peace.

Who's on our cover?

We gathered local leaders who were interviewed for our cover story at a group photo inside The Executive Center, an events venue that’s become a recent hotspot for social and business events:

1. Sabrina Galloway, cofounder of the Langston Galloway Foundation

2. Norisha Kirts Glover, founder of NRK Construction

3. Myles Laroux, Highland Wealth investment advisor

4. Seth Irby, chief marketing officer at LWCC

5. Whitney Lanassa, senior managing director at Stonehenge Capital

6. Rachel Eggie, owner of Eggie Salon Studio

7. Chase Lyons, owner of Soji and CML-Consulting

8. Marcus Williams, founder and owner of Williams Architecture

9. Jacquise Terry, campus pastor of Healing Place Church Dream Center

10. Amanda Vincent, owner of Studyville

11. David Fleshman, partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson

12. Jeremy Beyt, co-founder of ThreeSixtyEight and Assembly Required

Jennifer Tormo Alvarez 225 Editor

Publisher: Julio Melara

EDITORIAL

Chief Content Officer: Penny Font

Editor: Jennifer Tormo Alvarez

Managing Editor: Laura Furr Mericas

Features Writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson

Digital Staff Writer: Olivia Deffes

Digital Content Editor: Dillon Lowe

Staff Photographer: Collin Richie

Contributing Writers:

Cynthea Corfah, Katie Dixon, Tracey Koch, Benjamin Leger, Zane Piontek, Meg Ryan

Contributing Photographers: Ariana Allison, Sean Gasser, Hannah Leger, Amy Shutt

ADVERTISING

Chief Digital Officer and Sales Director: Erin Pou

Account Executives: Manny Fajardo, André Hellickson Savoie, Jamie Hernandez, Kaitlyn Maranto, Cassidie Tingle

Digital Operations Manager: Devyn MacDonald

Advertising Coordinator: Brittany Nieto

Customer Success Manager: Paul Huval

STUDIO E

Director: Taylor Gast

Multimedia Strategy Manager: Tim Coles

Corporate Media Editor: Lisa Tramontana

Content Strategist: Emily Hebert

Account Executive: Judith LaDousa

MARKETING

Marketing & Events Coordinator: Taylor Falgout

Marketing & Events Assistant: Hillary Melara

Events: Abby Hamilton

ADMINISTRATION

Business Manager: Tiffany Durocher

Business Associate: Kirsten Milano

Office Coordinator: Sara Hodge

Receptionist: Cathy Varnado Brown

PRODUCTION/DESIGN

Production Manager: Jo Glenny

Art Director: Hoa Vu

Senior Graphic Designers: Melinda Gonzalez Galjour, Emily Witt

Graphic Designer: Ashlee Digel

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume

Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre

Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano

A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC

Chairman: Julio Melara

Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto

Vice President-Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert

Chief Content Officer: Penny Font

Chief Digital Officer: Erin Pou

Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone

Chairman Emeritus: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. Circulation/Reprints

©Copyright

2023 by Melara Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved by LBI. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Business address: 9029 Jefferson Highway, Ste. 300, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. Telephone (225) 214-5225. 225 Magazine cannot be responsible for the return of unsolicited material—manuscripts or photographs—with or without the inclusion of a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of the information cannot be guaranteed.

TOP STORIES

April's most-read articles at 225batonrouge.com

Reader’s replies

On our peek at The Outpost, the new food truck from Tin Roof Brewing Co.: “Their brisket mac and cheese is fantastic. They also make an incredible burger.”

—@thundercat_levesque

“Had it last Friday! Super yummy, super fast, and the guys running it literally could not have been nicer!”

—@clbgay

Re: Our story on Shop House, a shoppable cottage full of new and consigned home decor in Mid City: “Love this style. I love seeing a mixture of pieces in a home. It feels cozy and tells a story. Can’t wait to stop by and check this out in person.”

—@nuayjewelry

Comments and analytics are from April 1-30, 2023. They have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

Time for the big reveal

By the end of this month, a new class of Best of 225 Awards winners will have been crowned. Be the first to know who won at our June 27 release party at Chelsea’s Live. In addition to complimentary copies of the new issue, guests will be treated to drinks, food trucks, live music by Parish County Line and more. This year’s theme is rodeo! Wear your best Western gear and get ready to dance the night away. Strap on your cowboy boots, get your tickets and party with the best of the best. Must be 21+. Grab tickets at 2023bestof225. eventbrite.com

ARIANA ALLISON ARIANA ALLISON

June Well, that’s funny

“EVERY TEACHER HATED me,” actor and comedian Jen Kober says. “They were like, ‘Will you please just sit down and be quiet?’’

Then, with a dismissive eyeroll and vowels stretched like taffy, the Lake Charles native adds, “the only phrase I learned in French was ’fermez la bouche.’”

But shut it she did not. In fact, her chronic talking had an upside. It was a warm-up for what has become a fruitful entertainment career. This summer, the 50-year-old delivers a 26-city Pride Month comedy tour that includes a performance at Manship Theatre. She’s also shooting two films: a horror remake shot in New Orleans, and a feature starring some of Hollywood’s most beloved actors filmed in North Carolina. In October, she takes her stand-up on the road again for LGBT History Month.

This year’s busy slate follows nearly two decades of not just comedy, but parts in numerous films and television shows that include The Righteous Gemstones, Hacks, The Mandalorian and American Horror Story. Kober’s bread-and-butter is small parts that deliver a memorable comedic punch, and it’s a trend that’s kept her working—often on high-profile productions.

Her big break came in the 2004 film Freshman Orientation, in which she played a college student who recites a protest poem about the social inequities of coffee production, and concludes by angrily ripping off her shirt. In her audition tape, Kober pushed the joke further by painting “drink more tea” on her breasts. She was told later that it made the director and his team burst out laughing.

“He called me within 20 minutes of getting the tape and said, ‘You’re hired,’” Kober says. “That’s been sort of what I do. Put my own spin on things.”

For her comedy sketches, the Los Angeles-based Kober writes monologues that fuse the edgy and the homespun. Some of the best known include an award-winning bit about Girl Scout cookies and what it’s like to watch television with “Nana.” This month’s show features new material, but it’ll no doubt include well-timed kickers delivered in a disarming drawl.

“The minute I open my mouth, people are like, ‘Oh my God,’” she says. “The accent gives me a lot of opportunity.” manshiptheatre.org

JEN KOBER

with special guest Jeff D Manship Theatre

Friday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. Hosted by Baton Rouge Pride manshiptheatre.org

Cropping up

Fresh Fest returns to the Red Stick Farmers Market

The Fresh Fest lineup

JUNE 3: Squash-tastic

JUNE 10: Cool as a Cucumber

JUNE 17: Tomato Me Crazy

JUNE 24: Dairy Day, featuring Lucy Anna the Cow

JULY 1: Star Spangled Saturday

JULY 8: Just Peachy

JULY 15: Everything Eggplant

JULY 22: Positively Peppery

JULY 29: Oh My Okra

SAY WHAT YOU will about the heat, but summertime in Baton Rouge also means the arrival of some of the country’s most bountiful and diverse fresh produce. The Red Stick Farmers Market celebrates the seasonal harvest with its annual Fresh Fest, an eight-week celebration of state agriculture featuring a different food focus each week. The June-through-July event at the weekly Saturday markets brings cooking demonstrations, live music, kids activities, recipe suggestions from farmers and other produce-centric activities. Some Fresh Fest events will also take place at the mid-week farmers markets at the Main Library at Goodwood, the ExxonMobil YMCA and Pennington Biomedical Research Center. breada.org

Happier trails

The Mississippi River Levee Trail is set to expand

BATON ROUGE’S POPULAR Mississippi

River Levee Trail draws walkers, runners and cyclists to 12.5 miles of paved, lighted pathway overlooking the river. Now, the path will expand 2 more miles, says City Parish Director of Transportation and Drainage Fred Raiford.

In April, the Metro Council gave the city-parish the greenlight to move forward with an agreement with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to jointly fund the project. The state will fund 80% of the work, with the city chipping in 20% through its MOVEBR program. The new extension continues the 10-footwide asphalt trail, including additional lighting. It will run from where the trail ends now near L’Auberge Casino & Hotel to the EBR Parish line.

The levee path began several years ago as a 4.5-mile stretch connecting downtown to BREC’s Farr Park. A major extension came in 2020 when the gravel path from Farr Park to L’Auberge was finished with asphalt, adding another 8 miles. The trail is part of an effort to expand the city’s walkability outlined in its Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan. Work should begin on the extension by the end of the year, Raiford says. brgov.com

THE ANTICIPATED NUMBER of admitted students to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine by 2024, up from the current number of 120. The move to nearly double the Vet School’s admissions is propelled by an initial $2.2. million investment from the state, and is in response to a workforce shortage. Along with small animal care, Louisiana needs vets to support its agriculture and horse industries. lsu.edu/vetmed

Hailey Van Lith’s statement about her transfer to LSU’s women’s basketball team. One of the top players in the ACC and the No. 1-ranked player in this year’s transfer portal, the former Louisville point guard will wear jersey No. 11 (since her former No. 10 is worn by LSU’s Angel Reese). Two weeks later, DePaul University power forward Aneesah Morrow also committed to transferring to LSU. lsusports.net/sports/wbball

STOCK PHOTO

STOCK PHOTO

“The fan base and university here love and support their women’s basketball team like no other … LSU plays with an intensity and grit that I am drawn to and I am wholeheartedly committed to helping this team be great.”

Buzz feed

New to town

Norah, a new interiors and gift shop, opened on Highland Road last month. In addition to its stock of locally made art, home decor, jewelry, gifts, glassware and more, the store offers a conference room space for entrepreneurs and business owners to host meetings or classes. The owners aimed to turn the building, previously home to Poise ‘N Ivy Boutique, into a “breath of fresh air.” With a high ceiling, white floors and walls, and sunlight beaming through large windows, the shop welcomes customers to an open, tranquil atmosphere. shopnorahbr.com

STOCKIMAGE

National rankings

The LSU Flores MBA Program, offered through the E.J. Ourso College of Business, was ranked No. 93 on the U.S. News & World Report‘s 2023 list of the country's best business schools. Earlier this year, the program was also ranked 48th for best online program by The Princeton Review. lsu.edu/business/mba

Showing face

The Face Place, a medical spa that opened mid-March on Perkins Road near the Garden District, has a cheerful palette of greens, and walls sleekly trimmed with wood, wallpaper and gold hardware. The owners opted for a more spa-like vibe compared to the stereotypical "doctors office feel" found in other facilities. Just a few of its many services include: salt facials, microneedling, dermal fillers, chemical peels, vitamin shots and hair restorations. Co-owners Laura Nichols and Emily Kinsley tell 225 they prioritize continuous medical training and providing clients with educational information. thefaceplace225.com

HANNAH LEGER

Compiled by Katie Dixon

Hog wild

1 million

Number of feral hogs living in Louisiana, according to an April report by USA Today. Louisiana now has the third-highest population of swine in the nation.

600,000

The hog population in Louisiana eight years ago, when Robert Barham, then Louisiana’s Wildlife and Fisheries secretary, warned swine would soon be spotted roaming among state Capitol grounds.

A lunch plate place

All Star Catering owner Brian Medlin recently opened Opie’s, a new restaurant on Florida Boulevard. Starting in early April, the former location of LA Boilers was once more filled with Louisiana classics like boudin, cracklins, fried fish and boiled seafood. Opie’s, named after Medlin’s longtime nickname, will also serve barbecue specials twice a week. Medlin chose the location in part due to its proximity to the forthcoming Rouses Market in the area. “Florida Boulevard is at a turning point,” he says. Find it on Facebook

$100 million

Damages caused by Louisiana hogs to the state’s agriculture each year. They uproot crops and fields, trample tree seedlings and wildlife food plots and are disruptive to fences, levees, drains, pastures and waterways.

$5

The bounty per hog tail proposed in a bill presented before the Louisiana Legislature in April. The legislation was parked in committee after Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain said there are more cost-effective ways to combat the hog issues.

JAY DUCOTE, who walked away from Gov’t Taco, his blog and his radio show at the end of 2022. The former Food Network Star contestant recently ventured on an eastern seaboard Jambalaya Tour in partnership with the Louisiana Office of Tourism, Visit Lafayette and Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning. Ducote drove to craft breweries around the nation, where he cooked jambalaya on-site in a 15-gallon pot. Ducote, who wants to focus more on travel, says that the shift has been liberating.

“I wanted to go back to being an entrepreneur rather than an employee.”

This Month @ BREC [JUNE]

TWILIGHT TOURS

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo

Every Tuesday + Thursday in June | 6-7:30 p.m.

MOVIES AT THE LAGOON: JUNGLE CRUISE

Liberty Lagoon

June 2 | 7:30-9:30 p.m.

GUEST APPRECIATION DAYS

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo

June 3-4 | Regular Zoo Hours

KID FEST

Scotlandville Parkway at Badley Road + Veterans

June 10 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

BADDIES WHO BRUNCH

Independence Event Center

June 10 + 11 | 11 a.m-1 p.m.

libertylagoon.com

MOVIES AT THE LAGOON: STRANGE WORLD

Liberty Lagoon

June 16 | 7:30-9:30 p.m.

DOG DAY AT THE SWAMP

Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center

June 17 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

BREC’S LARGEST SWIM LESSON

Liberty Lagoon

INSIDE: A community builder's focus on assets, not issues

Local nonprofit helps dads become better fathers

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

BY SEAN GASSER AND COLLIN RICHIE

PHOTOS

Marlon Richardson, his son Micah, and daughter Marlie (not pictured) attended a Father's on a Mission event this spring to learn about healthy snacks together.

KNOW. SAY. DO.

WE BELIEVE

What you KNOW, what you SAY, and what you DO becomes what you believe. We believe that Baton Rouge is capable of greatness. We KNOW our future is bright. The inspiring stories of young professionals who champion our city give all of us something positive to SAY.

Kudos to the local businesses who DO the work that is changing our community. These leaders reshape business, entrepreneurship, creative capital and empower our youth for future generations. 225 We Believe!

Baton Rouge Area Chamber

Gatorworks Baton Rouge

Junior League of Baton Rouge

Mary Lee Donuts

MESH

Office of Mayor President

Sharon Weston Broome

Pennington Biomedical Research Center

SASSO

Stonehenge Financial

ThreeSixtyEight-The Challenger Agency

Tony’s Seafood

Transformative Health Center

Trichell Law Firm

Visit Baton Rouge

ON A RECENT Thursday evening at the Youth and Family Service Center on Government Street, Levar Robinson rolls out a rack of neatly hanging suits and ties. On thin tables lining the wall, he and his staff place free diapers, children’s undergarments and other items alongside Triplet’s Blue Store chicken wings and potato logs—tonight’s complimentary dinner. He wheels a brand-new lawnmower to the front of the room and leans a hedge trimmer, still in the box, beside it. They’re donations from Walmart that will serve as tonight’s door prizes.

Soon, a handful of men stroll in. The session is put on by Robinson’s nonprofit, Fathers on a Mission (FOAM). Tonight’s discussion explores what it’s like to navigate relationships in which the person you’re dating already has kids. It’s one of many weekly topics FOAM addresses on fatherhood, part of its

overall mission to encourage local dads to be more involved in their children’s lives.

Robinson starts by inviting the attendees to grab some chicken and enter the drawing for the lawn equipment. He also tells them to take home a free suit or two from the rack to help them look their best for job interviews. Then volunteer speaker Daniel Domingue, begins his talk, disarming the group by speaking candidly about his experiences.

“When I was dating, everyone I met had kids,” Domingue says.

“And when I met the woman who became my wife, I made a conscious effort to include her daughter in the things we did.”

The next speaker, Sonny Diolulu, a FOAM volunteer, offers his own experience of having to be patient while developing a relationship with his wife’s two sons, one of whom didn’t like him at first.

Participants ask questions and

comment on their own experiences. Domingue and Diolulu listen and respond without judgment.

“It’s all about creating space for fathers and supporting them to become more involved in their children’s lives,” Robinson says later. “I think about my own situation. If my dad had been in my life, a lot of mistakes I made would not have been made or would not have been as big.”

‘You’re not listening.’

In March, Robinson was named the Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s 2023 Rising Star, part of its John W. Barton Sr. Excellence in Nonprofit Awards. The distinction reflects the program’s impressive trajectory and long list of partners.

Along with weekly fatherhood classes, FOAM hosts special events like Easter egg dying, an annual father-daughter dance, a Father’s Day festival and healthy cooking classes. The program also offers

wraparound services for fathers in need of job training, drug abuse rehabilitation or mental health counseling.

About 30 to 50 fathers are currently receiving case management from the program, Robinson says. Additional dads attend the program’s free events.

Aaron Banks is a FOAM participant. He says the program has helped him be a better father to his two children, ages 15 and 9. A talk on how many fathers have experienced childhood trauma made a big impression on him.

DIGITS

FATHER FIGURES

54

Percentage of total births in the state that were to single mothers in 2022, according to the Louisiana Department of Health’s vital records

467,000

Children living in singleparent families in Louisiana, according to the most recent data in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual KIDS COUNT data book of child welfare statistics

45

Louisiana’s percentage of kids in single-parent families.

Louisiana is tied with New Mexico as the state with the third highest rate in the U.S., falling behind only Mississippi and Washington, D.C.

31

Percentage of single-parent families in the country that fall below the poverty line

“I had never thought about how you can pass that down to your children,” Banks says. “This program really gives something to men who just don’t know where to go.”

FOAM’s progress notwithstanding, Robinson says he at first resisted starting his own nonprofit.

Seven years ago, he had been a regular mentor to young people through his church and with organizations including Big Buddy, 100 Black Men and Volunteers in Public Schools. But as he watched the kids

Levar Robinson is the founder of Fathers on a Mission, which trains dads to be better fathers, and stocks kids clothes, school supplies and free suits at the Family and Youth Service Center on Government Street.

he spent time with continue to struggle, it occurred to him that more needed to be done at home. He thought of what a difference it would make if these children had fathers who were more involved.

Still, Robinson doesn’t judge. As a father of six kids from ages 9 to 22, he says he recognizes the impediments some unmarried fathers face, including poverty, a lack of job skills and discord with their children’s mothers. Many low-income fathers, he’s observed, also regard public institutions like child support enforcement as adversarial; they worry they will be held accountable for a level of support they could not pay. Many also believe they have no rights concerning visitation. Others don’t have a relationship with their own father to model.

“Talking about fatherhood is not something a lot of guys do,” Robinson says. “Mothers talk about motherhood all the time, but guys

don’t really know how. And there’s a lot of pieces to the puzzle about why they’re not involved.”

So, Robinson approached established nonprofits about adding fatherhood services. But he was told none had the bandwidth to add a new division.

“I’m a man of faith, and I

continued to pray about it,” Robison recalls. “And God told me, ‘No, you’re not listening. You do it. I’m telling you to do it.’” So he did.

A forgotten role

Robinson filed paperwork to establish a nonprofit entity with

the IRS in 2016. He received approval in 30 days, a rapid turnaround suggestive of the program’s need.

Statistics show Louisiana is filled with single-parent households, and the vast majority are led by low-income women. In fiscal year 2022, the Louisiana Department of Health’s vital records reported that of the 56,243 births in the state, 30,546 were to single mothers.

Mother-only households are more likely to suffer from poverty, and children who live in poverty are more likely to have physical, mental and behavioral problems, reports show.

Engaging fathers, Robinson believed, would go a long way in stabilizing families.

Juggling a full-time job at the time at a chemical plant, Robinson began by renting space in a former convenience store near Southern University. There, he gave fatherhood talks, later adding free

Marlon Vorise, his son Marlon Jr. and his daughter Marlee Vorise took a selfie at a FOAM event. 225 WE BELIEVE PARTNER

SAVE THE DATE

June 17

Celebration of Fatherhood

FOAM rings in Father’s Day with an annual celebration open to fathers, kids of all ages and immediate family members. The free event includes a petting zoo, barbecue cookoff, STEM activities, arts and crafts and more at BREC's Independence Park from 2- 5 p.m.

dinners and recruiting speakers to attract more participants.

Gradually, Robinson added more FOAM programs, classes and events that brought kids and dads together. His list of partners and supporters grew. About three years ago, he developed a relationship with the Zachary WalMart, which continues to donate school supplies and other items. He also began receiving diaper donations from the Junior League of Baton Rouge’s Diaper Bank.

In January 2022, Robinson began working closely with the Department of Children and Family Services. The state agency is now partially funding FOAM, which enables Robinson to pay himself and two others part-time salaries. He’s been able to move operations into the Family and Youth Service Center on Government Street, and he partners regularly with DCFS on strategies to better engage fathers, particularly when it comes to paying child support.

Robinson quit his job a year

WE’RE ALL BETTER TOGETHER

At one time or another, our city has been home to seven different nations! These cultural influences are what have shaped Baton Rouge into a beautifully unique place where we all come together to make our city unlike anywhere else in the world.

ago to focus exclusively on FOAM, taking a significant pay cut in the process, he says. Earlier this spring, he and three volunteers became certified as “responsible fatherhood” facilitators through a training held by the National Partnership for Community Leadership. FOAM now offers the program’s 10-week curriculum.

“FOAM is about the family, and the father is a very, very important part of the family that has kind of been lost and forgotten,” says volunteer facilitator Jeff Williams, one of FOAM’s certified trainers. “You don’t have to be married for 50 years if that’s not your choice, but fathers need to be involved and engaged in their children’s lives.”

Robinson hopes to make the program’s classes a requirement for fathers who have been in the court system for abuse and neglect.

“I see stories about fathers abusing on TV and I think, ‘They need to be here,’” Robinson says. “We can help them.” fathersonamission.com

Jeff Williams and his son Kohen Williams

Neighborhood watch

A new leader at City Hall focuses on big impact in smaller communities

MARLEE PITTMAN’S work focuses on an essential part of our city: its neighborhoods. Last May, she was named the first director of community revitalization for East Baton Rouge Parish. In the months since, she’s become a leader of holistic housing and neighborhood strategy, maximizing federal resources to fund communities’ needs. This includes championing the assets that might attract residents to a specific neighborhood—while simultaneously working to improve the flaws that might push people away.

“It’s about creating neighborhoods of opportunity (residents) can really call home,” Pittman says of her work. “They want to raise their kids where their mothers raised them. But, they want to do this in a place that’s safe, that has history and culture, access to healthy food and medical care, quality housing. … It’s (about) the residents of neighborhoods who

will be there for a long time. Their success is Baton Rouge’s success.”

Prior to making her move to the mayor’s office, Pittman’s work zeroed in on one neighborhood as the director of community development at Mid City Redevelopment Alliance. An LSU alum, she’s a recognized Truman Scholar, Baton Rouge ChangeMAKER and a Hebert Scoville Jr. International Peace Fellow.

And just a matter of days after our interview, she added another title to her resume: interim director of the Mayor-President’s Office of Community Development. She tells 225 “the mission of her work will remain much the same” in the expanded role.

We sat down with Pittman to talk about how she got to where she is today and the future she sees for the Capital Region. brla.gov

KATIE DIXON QUOTES HAVE BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND BREVITY.

Marlee Pittman in front of a recently complete rehab home on North 26th Street, one of many revitalization projects underway in the city.

225 WE BELIEVE PARTNER

How did you get into this line of work? What keeps you so passionate about community revitalization and redevelopment?

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge. When I graduated from LSU, I moved to D.C. to work in public policy. When the floods of 2016 happened, I felt a lot of pull to come home and make a difference in the community. It was incredibly rewarding, and I haven’t looked back once. There is so much work you can do for and with people who are passionate about making a difference.

You led numerous community development projects when you were at Mid City Redevelopment Alliance. What are some of your proudest moments and successes there?

Safe Hopeful Neighborhoods is a collaborative effort that I co-designed with the Mayor’s Safe Hopeful Healthy team while at MCRA. The long-term change is to invest in residents, listen to their vision for their community and simply ask what they need to make that a reality. While that might

Issue Date: June 2023 Ad proof #2

• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.

What areas or aspects of Baton Rouge need the most 'revitalization?'

All neighborhoods need investment, but it’s important to understand which neighborhoods need what type of investment and what level of resources. I’ve spent much of my time working in our disinvested and historically Black neighborhoods. There are so many incredible things happening there that we don’t often see and there is so much to capitalize on. We’re looking at how to invest across the parish in the ways that each neighborhood needs it the most.

There are community centers, libraries and parks that are full of life in areas some warn you shouldn’t go to.

In Zion City, I’ve heard from residents who are banding together to reinvigorate a civic association so they can rebrand an area some refer to as the “Jungle.” In Old South Baton Rouge or Scotlandville, the history and pride is palpable, but they may need support in rebuilding aging homes or commercial buildings.

The diversity of challenges and resources are as numerous as the number of neighborhoods within Baton Rouge. But we all call this city home. It’s only by working together, understanding each other, and investing in areas that are

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What are you most proud of achieving thus far in your roles in the mayor's office?

The Blight Redevelopment Pilot, which took an intense amount of research on how the city ordinances work around cleaning up blight and clearing titles. We got funded last year through the council and we’ll be identifying those abandoned lots this year.

We’re also really proud of our planning work. Last year, we led a housing planning process that included everything from one-on-one interviews to a Housing Summit that involved more stickers, Post-its, and truly engaged stakeholders than I have seen at a planning meeting in a long time. We used everything we learned from the community and from national experts to create strategic plans on community development priorities from homelessness to disaster recovery, from housing to blight. We just completed the public input period for the HOME ARP Action Plan on homelessness, but expect more action plans on federal funding resources to come throughout the year so we can continually get feedback.

What is your vision for the future of Baton Rouge?

A neighborhood of opportunity that you can really call home. A place that’s safe and has cultural memories that are important to them,

Christina Melton

CHRISTINA MELTON AIMS to make a difference. As executive director of Knock Knock Children’s Museum in Baton Rouge, she’s doing just that by creating a formative, educational experience for children and families. Learning zones inside the 26,000-square-foot museum offer hands-on opportunities to dig deep into science, art and math.

Melton took on the role in September 2022, during the museum’s early stages of pandemic recovery. For 447 days, starting in March 2020, it was closed due to restrictions. “That’s devastating for a hightouch, face-to-face, on-site institution that relies heavily on admission, revenue and programming revenue,” she says.

Melton says Knock Knock’s focus now is building on what worked prior to COVID-19, bringing back popular programming, longer admission and a focus on inclusivity. Signature events like its seasonal parties are returning, plus programming for infants and toddlers.

“There seems to be sort of a renewed excitement around the museum, which is really thrilling to me,” she says.

Melton joined the museum following years in public television, documentary production and communications. Much of her work focused on families, including overseeing the education department while she was Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s deputy director and chief content officer. During her time at consulting firm Emergent Method, Melton worked on outreach to under-resourced communities for state programs, including educational and health programs.

These roles helped her learn about engaging with all corners of the community.

“I felt like I had a lot of the skills that would be required to make sure the museum was consistent and serving its mission, its membership, its donors and its community partners,” she says.

Hailing from Atlanta, Melton calls herself a “new native” to Baton Rouge after living here with her husband (a local to the Capital City) for the last 22 years and raising their children here. The city’s families will be a priority for her, as she knows they are always in need of a safe, clean space for their children to explore, create and learn.

“Every single inch of this museum,” she says, “has been intentionally designed to be educational.” knockknockmuseum.org

“I think it is really, really important that the Knock Knock museum represents opportunity and an amenity for the people of Baton Rouge. It’s a safe, welcoming and inclusive place for all children and families—and there aren’t many of those in our region.”

Who we interviewed:

Back row, left to right:

SETH IRBY, chief marketing officer at LWCC

RACHEL EGGIE, owner of Eggie Salon Studio

DAVID FLESHMAN, partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson

WHITNEY LANASSA, senior managing director at Stonehenge Capital

MARCUS WILLIAMS, founder and owner of Williams Architecture

JEREMY BEYT, co-founder of ThreeSixtyEight and Assembly Required

Front row, left to right:

SABRINA GALLOWAY, co-founder of the Langston Galloway Foundation

AMANDA VINCENT, owner of Studyville

JACQUISE TERRY, campus pastor of Healing Place Church Dream Center

CHASE LYONS, owner of Soji and CML-Consulting

NORISHA KIRTS GLOVER, founder of NRK Construction

MYLES LAROUX, Highland Wealth investment advisor

Not pictured:

TYLER LITT, president of Forum 225

Shot on location at The Executive Center

Generation

now

STORIES BY CYNTHEA CORFAH, MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON AND

PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

DIGITS GOOD growth

While Baton Rouge has many challenges, here are some areas where the city is a leader—and is providing opportunities for young workers:

14,000

Number of new jobs added over the past year, making Baton Rouge the leader among peer metros, including Birmingham and New Orleans

422,400

Number of jobs as of March—a record high for the city, even as unemployment was down to 2.9%

62.3%

How much less the average cost of housing is in Baton Rouge as compared to Chicago, while utilities cost on average 23.7% less than Houston

Source: Baton Rouge Area Chamber

As they move into leadership positions, here’s why these young professionals plan to stay in Baton Rouge for the long haul— and make it the best city it can be for the next generation

ZANE PIONTEK

Building a creative capital

What will it take to keep millennials and Gen Z in Baton Rouge? The city’s young leaders crave connections, culture and change

BY ZANE PIONTEK

EREMY BEYT HAS house-shopped in many different cities. His appetite for innovation has often made him feel pulled toward the coastal hubs that are typically seen as the exclusive epicenters of the cutting edge–places like New York City or the Bay Area in California.

He calls it a kind of FOMO.

“I always want to be everywhere,” he says. “I’ve had one foot out the door many times.”

But sometime around the end of the pandemic, Beyt says a conversation with a friend helped change his thinking. He was talking to Kenny Nguyen, who he cofounded the local creative and tech agency ThreeSixtyEight and its Assembly Required speaker series with. The pair got on the topic of native retention in Louisiana, and how many of the people who grow up here and choose to stay here tend to do so because it’s where their families are.

“The conversation went to a place where we said: ‘What’s wrong with that? Why is that

The panel

something we’re ashamed of? Why do we feel like we have to trade family for opportunity?’”

THE ‘BOO m ER a NG’ EFFECT

Beyt believes that, in order for Baton Rouge to thrive, its denizens must break from the idea that exciting work is limited to certain loci. While those coastal meccas will never lose their mythic status, he says they have a problem you won’t find in Baton Rouge, one that may even make this city a more “fertile” environment for the innovation-minded: Those coastal hubs have been the hubs for a long time, and they’re getting saturated.

“You can go over there and enjoy it—enjoy the riches, the abundance,” he says. “Or you can come here and create it.”

Through his work in design and brand consultation, Beyt sees bright horizons for the industry in Baton Rouge. But the technological ether is not the only realm in which there is a future for exciting work in the Capital City.

Rachel Eggie owns Eggie Salon Studio, which splashed onto the local hair scene in 2020 with its first brick-and-mortar on Goodwood Boulevard. Eggie had a vision to bring a hair experience

the city hadn’t seen before, and its stylish interior—with arched entryways and Italian marble floors—isn’t the only reason she hopes clients return. Her brand rests on two main pillars: rigorous technical training for her onboarding staff, and a continuous intonation with the latest methods and trends in hairstyling.

“Continuing education is so important in this industry,” she says. “When clients walk through our door, they trust us to know what the trends are, what would look best with their skin tone, face shape, etc. When we as stylists stop learning and stop investing in classes to learn more, we are no longer providing the best service we can to our clients.”

Eggie herself is a good example of the pull Baton Rouge exerts on its natives. After graduating from LSU, she studied cosmetology at the Aveda Institute of Houston and then found employment in that city at the renowned Therapy Hair Studio.

“I learned so much and quickly built a clientele. But I was aware that if I continued growing, it would be difficult to come home,” she says. “I felt called to build a community in Baton Rouge where people not only wanted to come and enjoy, but also to work and grow.”

This idea of community has a significant power in Baton Rouge. It’s often cited as a chief reason for coming home by the

Rachel Eggie

Owner of Eggie Salon Studio

Jeremy Beyt

Co-founder of ThreeSixtyEight and Assembly Required

Tyler Litt President of Forum 225

The panelists for our cover story hammed it up with a selfie after our photo shoot.

“boomerangs” who begin their careers elsewhere and return to Baton Rouge. Eggie interrupting what showed every sign of being a bountiful career just to feel that community again and bring her talents home is a prime example.

She says the urge to return to her hometown was so strong and sure it felt like divine intervention.

Building quality of life

Tyler Litt believes we should broaden our idea of what is meant by “community.”

“I really want us to be a bit less myopic around the way we describe community,” Litt says. “Community could be any place,

QUALITY OF LIFE boosters 900+

The number of restaurants in Baton Rouge 184

professionals should be united in both pride for the city and a push to help it prosper. The organization hosts socials, monthly luncheons, leadership training programs and service projects.

Through all of it, Litt has developed a strong finger on the pulse of where the new generation’s aspirations lie and what they’re looking for in the city where they might stake their futures.

But in order for these aspiring professionals to fully understand all that Baton Rouge has to offer, Litt says they must be proactive in exploring and engaging with the city beyond their comfort zones.

The number of opportunities to see live music around town on a typical Friday night

Sources:

any person, and so I think the more we’re able to expand our definition of what it means to be in community with people, the better stewards we can be of one another, and the better stewards we can be of the actual place that we live, as well.”

As president of Forum 225, Litt directs a variety of programs meant to support and educate young professionals in Baton Rouge and steward those connections that will help them succeed. The organization’s message is that it welcomes natives and newcomers alike—and that local young

“Your education and your job are things that in some ways tie you to a community,” Litt says, “but your experience outside of that space is what really makes you want to live here and build a family here and build a life here.”

Part of that is engaging with the community, whether that’s through local nonprofits or causes you believe in. Litt sees a simple solution to forging connections: Just ask questions. When people are more outspoken about what they want to learn and do—whether it’s starting a new club or reducing litter or crime—she says they can both make more concrete progress to achieving those goals and attract others with similar values.

But the coin of meaningful connections has two sides. In order for people to want to engage with

Baton Rouge and seek out a sense of belonging, they need to first see some indication that living here will be worthwhile, something to pique their interest and spark the search for a passion within the city.

One way to do that, according to Chase Lyons, is with food.

“Young people, especially out of college, want to be somewhere that’s vibrant,” he says. He believes the city’s food culture could, with the right effort, be that thing that sparks people’s interest.

Lyons has left his own mark on the restaurant and hospitality scene in Baton Rouge. He was one of the original founders of City Pork and is the founder and owner of Soji. He also helms a hospitality consulting firm, CML-Consulting, through which he provides guidance for restaurants and budding restaurateurs.

Lyons still remembers the moment he was inspired to get into the industry. It was over dinner at Cochon Butcher in New Orleans, where the cutting-edge flavors and atmosphere electrified what was then his somewhat wayward professional life.

He’d recently finished nursing school and planned on a medical career, but that night opened his eyes to what would become his life’s mission: to bring those unique and memorable dining experiences to Baton Rouge.

“Baton Rouge, particularly, has a very sophisticated palate and

SHOW YOUR BR PRIDE

BATON ROUGE’S MAKER scene has really flourished in the past five years, providing local artists stronger income and shoppers with chances to buy homegrown art and T-shirts. As a result, several boutiques and brands focusing on Capital City-made or -themed art have popped up in recent years. Here are a few to check out.

Brass by Circa 1857 | 327 North Blvd., Suite 100 brassbr.com/brassbr

Hey Penelope | 7317 Jefferson Highway | heypenelope.com

Local Supply | 1509 Government St. | localsupplybr.com

Local Leaf Gallery | 555 Caddo St. | localleafgallery.com

Sweet Baton Rouge | 1509 Government St., Suite D sweetbatonrouge.com

Founder of NRK Construction

Tim’s Garage | timsgaragebr.com

Chase Lyons

Owner of Soji and CML-Consulting

Norisha Kirts Glover

The number of local parks, which boast free activities like playgrounds, running trails and even rock climbing walls and paddle boarding.

Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Red Stick Music

expects to be entertained by food,” he says. “The bar is set very high. However, if you get it right, they will support a new culinary experience and keep coming back.”

Stuck in our ways?

While the city’s ever-growing culture may excite and entice young professionals, many believe there is still difficult work that needs to be done in order for Baton Rouge to truly thrive.

NRK Construction founder Norisha Kirts Glover is a Black woman owning and operating a business in the construction industry—a field where women comprised only 10.9% of the national workforce in 2022. Her firm specializes in commercial construction, buildouts and renovations throughout the Southeast. Locals might recognize its modern projects, like Gov’t Taco, Counterspace BR bakery, Kaleidoscope salon and TWINkling Smiles pediatric dentist.

Glover has accomplished much, but has also come right up against the heads of the many regressive beasts that need slaying to clear the path for progress—one of which, she says, is a generally stagnant and insular attitude about how things should be done in a Louisiana town. For instance, she says, she has seen people resist

outside consultation on projects, favoring local networks, and offer as justification for their insularity some variation on this phrase: “Louisiana is different.”

To her, those words powerfully illustrate the attitudes standing in the way of progress. She feels the construction industry can represent a microcosm of some of the larger barriers to positive change.

“We’re at the bottom of all the lists,” she says “We’re at the bottom of health, we’re at the bottom of education, we’re like top of crime. How can we hold so tightly to wanting to do it our way and also be on the bottom of lists? That just doesn’t make sense to me.”

She does, however, know of at least one reason for this regressive

school of thought. “People become comfortable in what works for them,” she says, “not recognizing that it’s not working for others.”

As a speaker during this spring’s Assembly Required speaker series, Glover called out Baton Rouge for tolerating mediocrity.

Doing something different, she added, will require energy. Recognizing that is the first step in the path toward realizing the city’s greatness.

But by no means, she says, does this limit the possibilities of the future—so long as the new generations of Baton Rouge’s stewards keep their minds open and focused on progress and equity.

“Diversity of thought and diversity of experiences provide a

SPEAK UP

Conferences and speaker series are great tools to inspire the city’s younger generations. Here are three new events on the calendar:

JUNE 22

Assembly Required:

“The Future of Talent”

Remote work and AI are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the changing workforce. The next event for this quarterly series will feature speakers from organizations like Tulsa Remote, Opportunity@Work, SkyHive Technologies and City Year Baton Rouge. assemblyrequiredla.com

JUNE 28-29

YP Summit

The second annual conference hosted by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Forum 225 aims to help young workers network and expand their careers. Attendees can pick and choose their breakouts from four tracks containing personal, professional, leadership and community development sessions. brac.org/ypsummit

SEPT. 14

TEDxBatonRouge

Baton Rouge is getting its own set of TED Talks, with the “Think Again”-themed event to be held downtown at the Manship Theatre. Speakers will be asked to create thought-provoking discussions that “challenge assumptions, consider possibilities and cultivate curiosity.”

tedxbatonrouge.com

breeding ground for opportunities and change,” she says.

And as advice for the younger generations who will pick up the torch in this work, she is encouraging. “Feel comfortable,” she says, “in creating (your) own path.”

Norisha Kirts Glover was one of the panelists at this spring’s Assembly Required event.

FAIRFILM / COURTESY ASSEMBLY REQUIRED

Lotus Lounge, the tiki bar attached to Soji, was opened last year by restaurateur Chase Lyons.

FILE PHOTO BY COLLIN RICHIE

CLAIRE BERRYMAN, PHD, RD

Assistant Professor, Clinical Science Nutritional Physiology Lab

For three decades, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, or PBRC, has served as the go-to provider of nutrition science for the Department of Defense, and in doing so, it has attracted some of the nation’s best rising scientists who are researching ways to keep America’s soldiers fit and healthy. In August 2022, PBRC recruited Drs. Claire Berryman and her husband Stephen Hennigar, whose research into soldiers’ health made the Baton Rouge research facility a perfect fit.

Prior to arriving at PBRC, Berryman and Hennigar served as post-doctoral researchers for the United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, or USARIEM. The two then served as assistant professors at Florida State University before moving to Pennington Biomedical. They are collaborating with Dr. Jennifer Rood and Dr. Tiffany Stewart on a new $3.6 million federally funded project to further study soldier health and performance.

Additionally, Dr. Berryman brought with her to PBRC a $2.3 million grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Berryman is putting the funds toward the Low Oxygen Weight Loss, or LOWS, study, for which she is the principal investigator. Her past research includes investigating health and performance of soldiers during training at high altitude, which showed that body weight loss in this healthy population was considerably greater at high altitude than under similar conditions at sea level. Such effects have the potential to negatively impact soldier readiness and performance. While high latitude may generate less than optimal performance in soldiers, its potential as a weight loss tool for adults with excess weight has not been explored until now.

In leading the LOWS study, Dr. Berryman is taking insights gained from the study of soldiers to the broader populations – a perfect example of PBRC’s capacity to bring Baton Rouge up close and personal to the latest in research. The tools, laboratories, resources and support for researchers at PBRC is fostering tomorrow’s discoveries and attracting top talent to the Capital Region.

To learn more about the work being done at Pennington Biomedical, visit www.pbrc.edu or follow them on social media.

“Other universities simply can’t compete with the opportunities, resources, and support for research found at Pennington Biomedical. Baton Rouge residents can play a major role in the discoveries made here.” - Dr. Claire Berryman

“Obesity is a disease with many factors, but one that has not been fully explored is altitude and oxygen level. We are investigating low oxygen’s potential as a weight loss tool.”

Passing the baton

BY CYNTHEA CORFAH

IT COULD HAVE been a teacher, mentor, tutor, family member or family friend—we all remember that one person in our childhood who encouraged us to follow our dreams and helped us see our potential. Even if they only dropped in our lives fleetingly, it’s those moments that can make or break a child.

That’s why some Baton Rouge professionals and entrepreneurs are reaching a hand down to the next generation of changemakers to lift them up and give them the tools to succeed.

Education impacts everyone

Amanda Vincent wanted to build an academic workspace where children and teens can go to complete homework, projects, test prep, and study for tests with a trained tutor. She opened Studyville in Perkins Rowe during the pandemic with a goal of giving students a space outside of home to study and do homework, while also alleviating the pressure off of already busy parents.

“If we could fix education, you can fix so many things,” Vincent says. “You can fix infrastructure problems, keeping talent in our state, crime, drug problems, workforce issues. Education is not just going to school from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. It’s a mindset in how we raise our children as a community.”

Marcus Williams, founder and owner of Williams Architecture, has a passion for designing

Amanda Vincent

Owner of Studyville in Perkins Rowe

Educating and empowering children and teens is the best way to brighten the city’s future— and these locals are taking responsibility for it

Amanda Vincent runs Studyville, an academic workspace in Perkins Rowe, and Jacquise Terry is the campus pastor at Healing Place Church Dream Center. Both hope to pave a better future for children and teens.

Marcus Williams

Founder and owner of Williams Architecture

The panel

functional educational spaces with community, students and staff in mind.

“The school is where it starts,” Williams says. “If you’re in school and you’re excited about being educated and it’s not so difficult for you to learn, that increases the amount of folks being more willing to pursue additional training or become more integral parts of society in a positive way.”

Outside of building educational spaces like Park Elementary School, he also visits schools and community centers whenever he can. He's a South Louisiana Teach For America board member, was a youth sports coach at the YMCA, has read books to students at school, and mentors aspiring architects and engineers.

He doesn’t work alone. Williams Architecture has previously partnered with collegiate athletes to promote careers in the STEAM field to children.

Under a NIL agreement, Williams hired athletes like LSU football player Emery Jones Jr. to volunteer at schools or talk with children at Boys and Girls Club about the opportunities a job in science can bring. By showing how popular athletes appreciate STEAM careers, Williams hopes to inspire the youth (especially underserved communities) to dream bigger and remind them that they can be anything they want to be.

Today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow

As entrepreneur and philanthropist Sabrina Galloway grew her professional platform, she felt called to give back. In 2018, she co-founded the Langston Galloway Foundation with her husband, Langston Galloway, a nine-year NBA veteran. Through their organization, the Galloways work with student athletes to improve their wellbeing and prep them for life off the court.

The organization has offered free basketball summer camps, hosted a healthy meals program at Thrive Academy and partnered with BREC to refurbish aging basketball courts.

The Galloways also have a footwear brand, Ethics, through which they carve symbolism into each sneaker design. The basketball shoes are made of vegan materials and aim to provide an inclusive experience with shoes tailored to fit all kinds of feet. The couple hosted a free clinic for the students at the Business of Sports School in New York City, aiming to encourage the next generation of sports entrepreneurs.

“It’s our responsibility to leave our city and the world better than how we found it,” Sabrina says. “What better way than to pour into the

Sabrina Galloway

Co-founder of the Langston Galloway Foundation

Jacquise Terry Campus pastor of Healing Place Church Dream Center

next generation that’s coming behind us?”

Consistency is key

Jacquise Terry’s passion for empowering at-risk youth oozes through his words and actions. He gets fired up when talking about the programs he leads with Healing Place Church Dream Center, where he is the campus pastor.

After the former pro football and basketball player for the Detroit Lions and the San Diego Kings hung up his jersey, he says he used the culmination of his skills and background to “be a bridge that meets people where they’re at and

helps them get to where God wants them to be.”

“The more that we are diligent, doing the small things for a long time and consistent in these young kids’ lives ... I believe that they start to trust in us and our words carry more weight,” Terry says. “We really want to be a part of the holistic growth of their whole entire lives.”

Terry and his team work with underserved youth, student athletes and families. They partner with other organizations and businesses to provide families with clothes, leadership training, violence prevention lessons, education and resources for locals’ body, soul and spirit.

“I want to encourage all leaders to truly invest in the youth and to be those change catalysts,” Terry says. “We are all called here to do different things, but if we work together just like the body, with unity, we can help our people grow, flourish and thrive.”

Stonehenge Capital is a nationally recognized marketplace leader in federal and state tax credits and incentives with 25 years of experience providing creative capital solutions to sponsors, developers and institutional clients. With fresh thinking that leads to better results, Stonehenge is not the same old style of investment firm, but something else entirely. Some call it transformational capital. We call it the right way to do business.

“It’s our responsibility to leave our city and the world better than how we found it. What better way than to pour into the next generation that’s coming behind us?”

SABRINA GALLOWAY, co-founder of the Langston Galloway Foundation, which hosts free basketball summer camps and has partnered with BREC to refurbish aging basketball courts.

Maybe they’re BORN WITH it

How young creatives and entrepreneurs are continuing in the footsteps of their parents

QUITE A FEW names come to mind when we think of who represents different industries around Baton Rouge. We have local grocery stores owned by the same family for decades and creative minds who have become icons for their work in art or media. And there always comes a time to pass on the torch to a new generation. “Nepo babies” have been a constant talk lately, especially in Hollywood. But the children of these local celebrities aren’t just riding the coattails of their parents’ careers. They have been mentored by the pros and are now bringing in fresh ideas, carrying on the family legacy while making names of their own.

OLIVIA DEFFES

Drue Alexander

Floral Department Manager and Florist at Alexander’s Markets

Drue Alexander grew up roaming grocery store aisles. From a young age, she was stocking shelves and learning the ins and outs of each department in her father’s and uncles’ stores, Alexander's Markets.

With the longtime family business now working to open its fourth location, Alexander today works full-time for the brand. And at only 21, she’s already making it bloom.

Alexander started working in the floral departments of her family’s stores in 2020 and now tends to all the buds in the business by creating bouquets, boutonnieres and more. In that time, she has transformed the department and provided florals for small weddings and even this year’s Flower Fest.

“I’ve found my passion through our family business,” she says. “I never knew I liked flowers so much until I worked in floral, so it’s helped me figure out what I like and what I’m passionate about.”

Adrienne Connelly Adams

Stylist at Eggie Salon Studio and Art Curator at Studio Annex

Fine art has always surrounded Adrienne Connelly Adams. With an art gallerist as a mother, it was hard for it not to. Some of Adams’ earliest childhood memories even took place inside her mother’s famed local gallery Ann Connelly Fine Art.

Adams went on to study studio art, where she became more and more interested in artist critiques. She loved hearing why creative minds thought the way they did and what processes fellow artists used in their work, and she loved questioning her peers during class critiques.

But after interning with an art consultant and appraiser in Washington, D.C., Adams decided the careful coordination side of the art industry wasn’t for her. Instead, she chose to pursue a different creative medium: hairstyling. Years of art school taught her many things she still employs as a stylist, like using color theory knowledge to formulate hair color.

“I was so extroverted that I didn’t even know how to express myself with my art unless I was doing hair,” she says. “So hair, to me, is my art form.”

While starting her beautician career in Shreveport, she dubbed herself the “balayage queen” after mastering the painted hair-dying technique. Now, she’s a stylist at Eggie Salon Studio where she still hand paints hair color.

The 32-year-old works part-time at the salon and helps out Studio Annex, an extension of her mother’s gallery, where she hosts artists and helps plan events— it’s her way of carving her own path in her family’s industry. She also loves spending quality time with her infant son, Ellis—and she says he has made her appreciate life even more.

T-Bob Hebert Host of Off the Bench and self-proclaimed “Radio Boy”

Fans of local sports talk radio have probably heard the voice of T-Bob Hebert play through their speakers in the mornings.

The 34-year-old is no stranger to sports media. T-Bob followed in the footsteps of his father, famed NFL quarterback and longtime sports radio commentator Bobby Hebert: first as an offensive lineman for LSU and then joining the Guaranty Media team where T-Bob cohosts the morning radio show titled Off the Bench and a twice-weekly podcast called Scone and T. T-Bob also cohosts national football college podcast SNAPS, which he records daily.

He credits a lot of his success to his father.

“I’ve always tried to be very cognizant of the fact that I was very privileged and undeserving of that opportunity, and since I’ve just tried to make the most (it),” he says.

While T-Bob acknowledges his career is similar to his father’s, he says his content is “packaged differently.”

In the age of the internet and social media, all of T-Bob’s talk segments are recorded for video, even his radio show. And he’s not just providing stats and facts, he’s also infusing his segments with humor and wit.

‘OPPORTUNITY BUSINESS’ is BOOMING

Why build a career in Baton Rouge? These young professionals see the city as an underrated place that rewards hard work and new ideas

BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

LAST YEAR, SETH Irby invited a longtime friend from Chicago who had never visited Louisiana to spend a fall weekend in Baton Rouge.

“He said, ‘You know, I’ve always questioned why you settled for Baton Rouge,’” Irby recalls. “But he said, ‘After spending Friday night with 40 friends and family at your house, and after going to an LSU tailgate and meeting hundreds of people, I get it. Chicago’s a special place, but it doesn’t have the tightknit community that you have here.’”

Irby, a Baton Rouge native, returned to the city in 2016 after spending the first five years of his career in Richmond, Virginia. The chief marketing officer at LWCC, Irby has been at work on the company’s Louisiana Loyal initiative to elevate the state’s brand to a national audience.

He’s also part of an increasingly vocal group of young professionals who could have landed anywhere, but who chose to settle in Baton Rouge. They’re not naïve to the city’s challenges with traffic, crime and education. But they say those problems exist in other cities that don’t share Baton Rouge’s unique upsides. Along with its emblematic culture and college town identity, they say the city has undersold assets and opportunities that make it a

The panel

Whitney Lanassa

Senior managing director at Stonehenge Capital

Myles Laroux

Investment advisor at Highland Wealth

David Fleshman

Partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson

Seth Irby

Chief marketing officer at LWCC

WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR MYLES LAROUX TO DECIDE WHERE TO START HIS CAREER, BATON ROUGE SEEMED A NO BRAINER.

great place to grow a career.

“I travel all the time,” says Whitney Lanassa, senior managing director at Stonehenge Capital, an investment capital firm in downtown Baton Rouge. “There are not a lot of places that are better. We’ve got something really special here.”

On the map

That something, Lanassa says, is “the people,” and more specifically, their willingness to open the door to others. It’s not hard to network with people doing interesting work in a variety of sectors, from medical innovation in the Baton Rouge Health District to start-ups at the Louisiana Business and Technology Center at LSU, she says.

Irby describes Baton Rouge as a meritocracy—a place where hard work and a can-do attitude make it possible to gain access, regardless of social pedigree.

Highland Wealth investment advisor Myles Laroux likewise has a natural curiosity and a thirst for travel. He graduated LSU with a degree in Middle Eastern politics.

“I’ve had Big Macs on five continents,” Laroux says.

The Shreveport native grew up in a 16-by-80-foot trailer with a single mother who pushed him to take advantage of every educational opportunity, he says. That included leaving home to enroll in LSU, where he played in Tiger Band.

When it was time to decide where to start his career, Baton Rouge seemed a no brainer. Laroux had built connections while at LSU, albeit casual, and he saw the community as his best shot for finding a job. A few years after graduating, he joined Highland Wealth’s team in 2016 and his career took off. Now as a wealth advisor, Laroux places a big priority on connecting people, so much so that friends call him the “Baton Rouge sherpa.”

“Somebody comes to town and says, ‘I don’t know anybody,’ and I say, ‘You got to meet this guy,’” Laroux says.

A new perception

One of the things young leaders and many institutions want to change is attitude.

David Fleshman, partner at Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson and a Baton Rouge native, cautions locals that it’s easy to get stuck traveling in the same circles. He’d like barriers broken, particularly between north and south Baton Rouge.

“We’re all in this thing together,” Fleshman says. “And there’s the opportunity for everyone who wants to get involved.”

He sees the city as a landscape of burgeoning opportunities just waiting for young, energetic professionals to grasp. Case in point: Fleshman is parlaying his lifelong interest in sports into

the practice of sports law. The 2004-2006 LSU men’s basketball walk-on is an adjunct law professor at the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center, where he teaches the school’s only class on sports law. Rules surrounding Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) law is one of his practice areas—and he sees Baton Rouge as a place that could become home to national experts in the fast-moving field.

Though all working in different avenues, there’s one quality these young leaders share: optimism. It’s something they want to help build up among other professionals, too.

While working on LWCC’s Louisiana Loyal campaign, Irby partnered with a national consultant who noticed something striking. Andrea “Andy” Cunningham, a veteran Silicon Valley marketer whose accomplishments include helping Steve Jobs launch MacIntosh, spent eight months interviewing about 100 Louisianians to assess feelings about their home state.

“She said, ‘I’ve got to be candid … you all kind of have a bad attitude,’” Irby says. “‘A lot of people … lead with the negative, but … this is one of the most unique and special places on Earth. We have the same problems in California, we just don’t talk about it like y’all do.’”

DIGITS

BR A C’S YOUNG PROFESSIONAL GOAL

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber says bolstering a talent pipeline will be crucial to the city’s economic growth. Here’s where we are now—and where BRAC thinks we need to be.

27.5%

Current portion of Baton Rouge’s population aged 25 to 44.

5%

The amount of growth in the population of young professionals BRAC aims to foster. It will be no small feat—despite thousands of college students filtering through the city each year, BRAC points to a net outmigration of young people during five of the past six years.

32.5%

Proportion of young professionals the city's population will have—if it successfully reaches its 5% growth target. BRAC says this number would rank closer to metros like Seattle and Denver. It also suggests that developing a reputation as a hightech city would help Baton Rouge be more of a magnet for young workers.

Caring for Generations

RISING STARS

This special section celebrates 12 young athletes from the Greater Baton Rouge area who are “Rising Stars” in their respective sports. Each one was selected by their school’s athletic leaders for demonstrating not just physical talent, but personal character as well. Scan the QR codes for stories about these outstanding young men and women.

SPONSORED BY

A public awareness campaign for the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Louisiana was made possible due to the support of the local businesses featured in this section. Sponsors have no association with the students in this section except in a congratulatory role.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Student athletes who rise to the top of their sport are in a special category of their own. While talent is certainly important, student athletes exhibit unique personality traits that help them succeed.

These include a competitive spirit, self-discipline, focus, confidence, and a commitment to their goals. These qualities will serve them well as they transition to adulthood and become leaders in their chosen fields someday.

The Baton Rouge Clinic congratulates the 12 students featured in 225 Magazine’s 2023 RISING STARS section. These elite athletes dazzle us with their incredible “star power” and the bright futures that lay ahead of them.

Ethan Aguilera

Cooper Coates

Rhaia Davey

Jayce Depron

Emma Loupe

Dashawn McBryde

Elizabeth Meisner

Henry Mensman

George Perkins

Drew Silman

Brennon Thompson

Josie Viator

Caring for Generations

KILLING

IT

As a state champion in volleyball with a 4.0 GPA, Rhaia Davey is shining both on and off the court.

SPONSORED BY:

DASHAWN MCBRYDE

Denham Springs High School

PASSIONPURPLE & GOLD

Despite dozens of offers from across the country, this young man is taking his talents just down the road to LSU.

SCAN TO READ MORE

SPONSORED BY:

DREW SILMAN

Zachary High School

FULL SWING

After a prep career that culminated in a state championship, he is ready to take the next step.

SPONSORED BY:

SAVE DAY THE

Dutchtown’s Elizabeth Meisner is coming up big both on and off the pitch

ELIZABETH MEISNER

Dutchtown High School

East Ascension High School

FAMILYTIES

This East Ascension athlete is following in the family footsteps to become the next football star.

SPONSORED BY: OF

Brusly High School

FRESHMANPHENOM

As a first-year, dual-sport athlete, she’s making the most of her academic and athletic career.

IMPACT INSTANT HENRY MENSMAN Catholic High School

It hasn’t taken long into his high school career to prove he’s a star in the making.

LOUDPROUD &

St. Joseph’s Academy

Reniyah Jackson

What is Youth of the Year?

Since 1947, Youth of the Year has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program, celebrating the extraordinary achievements of Club teens. Club members who earn the Youth of the Year title embody the values of leadership service, academic excellence and healthy lifestyles. They exemplify the crucial impact that Boys & Girls Clubs have on the lives of young people.

Meet Our Youth of the Year

Our Youth of the Year, presented by Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust, is Reniyah Jackson. Reniyah is a sophomore at Salmen High School in Slidell where she is captain of the varsity cheer squad and is on the softball team. She is an honor student and hopes to become a pediatrician one day. She has been a Club member at our Slidell Club for seven years, and she is currently part of the junior staff at the Club.

How has Your Club Served You?

“My Club has provided not only me, but many other kids in our city with a safe place to hang out when schools are closed. I appreciate having supportive mentors who care about me and encourage me to be the best I can be in all things. My Club has impacted my life by providing opportunities to be a leader in the Club and community,” said Reniyah.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana serves those 6-18 who need us most in our nine Clubs located across Baton Rouge, Covington, Gretna, New Orleans and Slidell through after-school and summer programs. To learn how to get involved, visit bgcmetrolouisiana.org.

Baton Rouge | Covington | Gretna | New Orleans | Slidell

All that

glitters

Gold jewelry is trending nationally. Here’s how you can rock locally made pieces—without wearing them down during summer pool days

BY OLIVIA DEFFES // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

INSIDE: Bridal exhibit / Sneaker style / ‘Antiques Roadshow’

SUMMERTIME POOL SPLASHES and indoor sweat sessions offer an escape from the scalding Southern heat—but they aren’t always great for jewelry. Certain metals might tarnish, dull or even turn your skin green.

But maybe not anymore, courtesy a new jewelry trend that has landed in Baton Rouge. Gold-filled and gold-plated jewelry looks similar to the real thing but at more budget-friendly price points, allowing wearers to stack all the bracelets, necklaces and rings.

To achieve the gilded look, a less costly metal is given the Midas touch in a shimmering bath, plating the jewelry in a light layer of gold to mimic the look of higher-end, solid-gold pieces.

Grace Robichaux, owner of Designs by Grace in The Village at Willow Grove, prefers to use stronger metals like stainless steel or titanium steel to ensure her gold-plated pieces stand the test of time. She began her business a little over two years ago, popping up at markets to help customers create jewelry-heavy looks that were well-made but not expensive.

Inside Designs by Grace, shoppers browse glimmering trinkets displayed on mini, whitestone busts that make the setup look just as luxe as any fine jewelry store. Though she’s her own boss, Robichaux dons an unofficial work uniform that includes stacks of her jewelry in her ears, on her neck and around her fingers and wrists.

“I wear all the jewelry,” she says. “It’s super long lasting. Everything is stainless steel or titanium steel, which makes it water- and tarnish-resistant. You can swim in it. You can

MAKE IT LAST

Tips for preserving the life of gold-filled or -plated jewelry

• Pool and beach days are OK, but avoid long exposure to chemicals. Regarding wearing jewelry in chlorine-filled pools, Robichaux says, "If you wear it once, fine, but I wouldn’t make it continuous. … You don’t want to lather it in sunscreen, either. But if you put your sunscreen on first and put the chain on once it dries, you should be fine. I wear all of this to the beach. I wear all of this to the pool, and I work out in all this stuff.”

• Know that gold-plated or -filled jewelry wears differently depending on the person. “Everyone’s pH levels are different,” Voorhies explains. “So I can’t really say ‘Oh this will last you X amount of time.’ ... But for me, I can wear things for months. I’ve been wearing my anklets for over a year. I usually get bored of things before I can make it last that long.”

sweat in it. You literally don’t have to take it off. It lasts for years and years without tarnishing, and you’re able to wear it a lot longer than most jewelry.”

Drip Jewelry by AK was also birthed in Baton Rouge over two years ago by owner Alana Voorhies. Similarly, she has built up her business by participating in pop-up shopping experiences and introducing patrons to more affordable gold-filled and gold-plated jewelry.

Though she’s now living in North Carolina, Voorhies still calls the Capital City home and often comes back to town to participate in popups. If you can’t catch her while she’s visiting, her pieces are usually stocked at Eloise Market and Cakery and can also be purchased online. Voorhies promises each piece has been tested to withstand wear.

Both companies offer jewelry that's made to withstand sweat and water, and Voorhies and Robichaux have put their items to the test by wearing them daily and experimenting to see how the jewelry wears. Though jewelry from either company is made to last, both owners give customers care instructions and disclose that the jewelry may wear differently on different people. designsbygracebr.com and dripjewelry.com

THE EGG TEST

Drip Jewelry by AK owner Alana Voorhies has developed the ultimate test for her jewelry to ensure customers get a reliable product. The secret ingredient to this experiment? Boiled eggs. Yes, that’s right. Voorhies crushes boiled eggs in a plastic bag, inserts jewelry samples and leaves them outside for almost a month. Grab a mask—this can get smelly. But it’s effective. The eggs release sulfuric acid, which Voorhies says can tarnish jewelry. She also does saltwater tests and wears pieces for months to further challenge her pieces’ reliability.

Gold-filled and -plated jewelry by Baton Rouge-born brands Designs by Grace and Drip Jewelry by AK

Making Healthcare Convenient

With more than 25 locations across the region, Ochsner Baton Rouge is close to you. We offer convenient and compassionate primary and urgent care providers who treat you personally, as well as highly specialized care when you need it. Our virtual visit and digital medicine programs let you choose the style of care that’s most convenient for you, and our MyOchsner app makes it easy to fill prescriptions and communicate with your care team.

Scan the QR code to find a doctor in Baton Rouge, to find a location near you or to schedule an appointment.

THE LSU TEXTILE and Costume Museum gallery has been transformed into a “sea of white.” At “‘Til Trends Do Us Part: A Retrospective of Changing Fashion in Bridal Wear,” viewers can nurture a better understanding of bridal fashion history—and perhaps even find inspo for their own nuptials.

The exhibit doors are open for free viewings now through Aug. 31, Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.4 p.m. and the first Sunday of every month from 2-4 p.m. Find it in the Human Ecology Building on LSU’s campus near the corners of South Campus and Tower drives. Here’s a preview. lsu.edu/textilemuseum

Number of wedding gowns included in the exhibit. Each dress tells a social or political story, accompanied by descriptions explaining the factors that influenced its design, etiquette of that time period and names of the dress’ wearer and designer. iPads sit beside the cases for those who want even more information.

sewing orange blossoms into veils and learn about how congratulating the bride was once seen as a social faux pas. A 1968 A-line mini-dress with a floral motif running down its center showcases how brides of that era carried the then-new mini-skirt trend into their wedding attire. Another gown was created by its bride to mimic Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding garment.

Icing on the cake

In addition to the gowns, photographs by the late Louisiana photographer Fonville, who described himself as “the world’s best wedding photographer” during his heyday, are also on display, along with other wedding-related memorabilia, like an intimate Western Union telegram wishing newlyweds well.

Blushing brides

How far back the exhibit’s bridal educational history dates. Gowns line the room in chronological order. “Visitors are able to see fashion changes that occurred and its parallels,” says Pam Vinci, the exhibit’s curator and recently retired director of the LSU Textile and Costume Museum. “I wanted to exhibit them—not by fabrication, length or silhouette—but chronologically, so we can see the trends.”

1800s

Something old

Viewers can explore how the sinking of the Titanic and commencement of World War I affected the way ceremonies were held, the history behind brides

The original wearers of the dresses on exhibit were notified that their dresses made the cut, and they have been invited to recollect on their own special days while viewing their gowns intricately displayed on dress forms. “I’m anxious for these brides to come and see their gowns,” Vinci says.

Parting shot

Vinci donated her own wedding dress for the display—the last of 20 exhibitions she helped curate before retiring last month. “This collection has always been a love of mine,” she says. She bought her dress for $250 from Maison Blanche, a nowclosed New Orleans department store. She later realized her dress was on the cover of Brides magazine the same year of her purchase.

If the sneaker fits

Scoping out some of the stylish footwear pairings at this year’s Sneaker Soiree

By Zane Piontek // Photos by Ariana Allison HORDES

OF SHARPLY dressed

Yolanda and Don Johnson

Don Johnson is the first vice president of programs for 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge. “We’ve been doing a lot to try to impact kids within greater BR,” he says. “We’re really doing this (event) for our graduating seniors, offering them scholarships from the proceeds.” He wore a tan three-piece seersucker suit from Jos. A. Bank with green- and orange-accented Nike Air Force 1s, while his wife, Yolanda, donned a floral-patterned Kay Unger dress with Nike Air Force 1 ‘NOLA’ sneakers—an ode to her hometown of New Orleans.

Issue Date: June 2023 Ad proof #1

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions.

supporters of the 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge flocked to L’Auberge Casino & Hotel for the nonprofit’s second annual Sneaker Soiree in April. The night of food, drinks and dance supported its aim to widen the resources available to local Black youth. And as the title indicates, shoes were the star of the night: from Nike to Chanel to Balenciaga, attendees sported their flyest footwear and elegant evening attire. 225 dropped in to capture some of the guests and chat with them about the organization. 100blackmenmetrobr.org

• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hours from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Shagari Jackson

Shagari Jackson is a member of 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge as well as a wedding photographer and owner of Achroma Studio and Fine Arts. He and two other members proposed the idea for the sneaker ball last year.

“This is the second one, and it’s been a pretty big hit,” he says. Jackson sported teal velvet Nike Dunks and a tuxedo suit custom-made to match the sneakers by his friend Wayne Willis, founder of Well-Groomed Man, a suiting operation based in Houston.

QUALITY WITH

Jasmine Sampson, Chianta Harris and Tanzleda Vinnett

“We think it’s a great event and we’re just happy to give back to the mentees,” says Tanzleda Vinnett, who attended with her friends Chianta Harris and Jasmine Sampson. Sampson wore a green fit-andflare suit from Rose Benton and matching Nike Dunks; Harris, a tulle dress with Chanel sneakers; and Vinnett, a Rose Benton bandage dress with black-and-white Nike Air Force 1s and an Yves Saint Laurent bag.

Martin Collins Jr.

A former member of the U.S. Marine Corps and current student of Southern University Law Center, Martin Collins Jr. is a cousin to the president of 100 Black Men's St. Louis, Missouri, chapter. He is a prospective member of the local chapter. “It’s always a good time,” he says of the soiree. He paired Balenciaga track graffiti sneakers with a simple gray suit and blackand-white patterned pocket square to complement the shoes.

Tramell Howard is the Louisiana state director of the Education Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to dismantling barriers to education for underserved students. Kristen Smith co-owns Tre’s Street Kitchen, a food truck operation that provides event catering, including concessions at Tiger Stadium. Marshall Muse III is the director of organizing for the Louisiana Democratic Party. Muse sported Nike Dunks and a royal blue suit; Smith, a Jovani dress with pink Balenciaga Speed sneakers; and Howard, a double-breasted black and cobalt-blue suit with matching Nike Dunks and a velvet turtleneck.

Tramell Howard, Kristen Smith and Marshall Muse III

Show and tell

Lessons from Antiques Roadshow’s visit to Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE WAS the first stop of the season for Antiques Roadshow, the 20-time Emmy-nominated PBS series. When the resulting episodes air next year, they’re likely to draw more than 6 million viewers, the show’s average weekly audience.

The May 2 filming at LSU Rural Life Museum drew quite a crowd, too—nearly 10,000 people applied to

ANATOMY OF AN ANTIQUE

Medicine on-the-go

Apothecary kits were made for doctors to travel with medicine, Supp says. Its bottles would commonly contain drugs like cod liver oil, sulfur, opium, cocaine, sugar pills and more. Each bottle was numbered so a doctor could match symptoms to treatments listed in a book. “If you were a (bad) doctor, or had no idea what you’re doing, you could read this book and go, ‘Oh, if your symptoms are this ... take (this),” Supp says. “There wasn’t a lot of consumer safety stuff going on back then.”

Lock and key

This American-style locking mechanism was used around the 1850s to 1860s, Supp tells 225. A hook-eye pen is inserted into the top portion of the box to keep the bottom drawer secure, as traveling doctors at that time always kept their apothecary kits close.

have an antique appraised by the show. From there 2,000 lucky ticket holders were allowed to bring two antiques each, 150 of which will make it to screen. During the filming, 225 brought one of our colleague’s generational treasures: an 1800s apothecary kit from Baltimore. This is what show appraiser James Supp told us about it. pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow

KATIE DIXON

HOW TO WATCH

The three episodes featuring Baton Rouge will air in January 2024. Eagerly awaiting the screenings? LBP promises its newsletter will share schedule updates.

lpb.org/news/newsletters

Everything is illuminated

The iridescence on this bottle indicates it was likely buried for some time before being dug up. “That little bit of iridescence is almost always from sitting in an alkaline soil … and being buried for like 50 or 100 years,” Supp explains.

Signs of age

The style of glass bottles helps confirm the antique’s era. Flat lid stoppers were seen mainly in the mid

value between $500 to $700, with

To scale

This type of goldsmith traveling scale was often used by miners and apothecaries. “Gorgeous, beautiful box,” Supp comments as he unboxes the scale to examine it. “It’s a great traveling scale for balancing weights.” He estimates the specific scale is from the 1850s to 1860s, and adds that the carved name on the box adds value as it helps authenticate its maker and identify its origins.

PHOTOS BY ARIANA ALLISON

INSIDE: Pickles, please! / Kid-friendly recipes

Taco

the town

The rules of engagement at Barracuda Taco Stand

The Crispy Fish Taco at Barracuda Taco Stand slaps beerbattered catfish onto a chewy tortilla.

Barracuda Taco Stand

BY BENJAMIN LEGER // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

About 225’s food critic: Benjamin Leger previously served as managing editor for 225 and was the editor of its Taste section from 2012 to 2021, editing, writing and steering the direction of its food coverage in print and online. He is passionate about all things food and food journalism, and has written about the greater Baton Rouge area’s cuisine and culture for nearly two decades.

eatbarracuda.com

2504 Government St.

Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

THE FIRST RULE of making dinner plans at a much-buzzed-about taco restaurant: Don’t go on Taco Tuesday. Or if you do, get there early. Way early.

Don’t do like I did and show up starving at 6:30 p.m. on a beautiful, 70-degree Tuesday evening. At a place like Barracuda Taco Stand, the New Orleans hotspot that opened a Mid City Baton Rouge outpost in late December, expect a long line winding around its patio.

The second rule: Check the weather at this fully outdoor eatery. The “taco stand” part of the name should be taken literally. Walk up to a window to place an order, then find a table scattered around the property it shares with D’s Garden Center. There’s a greenhouse-style covered area that can shield against inclement weather, but it won’t block out the midday sun.

This might all sound like I’m complaining—and I did do an about-face on that Taco Tuesday after I saw the line. But when I returned a day later (and 45 minutes earlier) with friends, I understood the fuss. We ended up having the kind of leisurely outdoor dining experience that made me think, “Oh, this is the chill-vibes-only hangout Mid City needs.” It’s the kind of place where you can bring the kids and the dog, where you’re likely to run into people you know or even share a picnic table with people you don’t.

The menu hanging above the walkup window is deceptive in its

THE BASICS: Former LSU student Brett Jones brought his New Orleans taco concept to Mid City in December 2022. Taking over the former Smokin’ Aces location at the corner of Government Street and St. Rose Avenue, he turned it into a popular hangout spot with outdoor-only seating in a sprawling, greenery-filled patio shared with D’s Garden Center.

WHAT’S A MUST: The Chips + All the Dips starter lets diners sample the queso, guac and top-tier salsa. Our table’s favorite taco was the Crispy Fish with beer-battered catfish. The Pork Bowl is another excellent choice, though beware: The adobo-braised pork shoulder is very spicy. Wash it down with a classic margarita or “Marg of the Moment” made with rotating fresh seasonal fruit juices, such as watermelon in the summer.

simplicity. The tacos are all dressed the same, just pick your protein or veggie of choice. There are a few sides and appetizers. And there’s a range of no-frills cocktails like a michelada, ranch water and margs.

We began with the Chips + All the Dips starter. Three paper cups contained a spicy queso, a straightforward guacamole and the house salsa. The roasted salsa was the clear star here. It was smoky, spicy and a little salty, and it just might join my favorite salsas in town.

Of the taco options, we went with the Beef, Mushroom and Crispy Fish. Make any taco a “Deluxe” for an extra buck, adding grilled cheese, beans and guac. We did that for the Beef Taco, and it was an excellent choice. The meat was tender and flavorful, but the rest of the toppings made it sing.

I felt similarly about the Mushroom Taco. The sliced and grilled mushrooms were good, but Barracuda’s signature salsa macha chile oil drizzled across the top stole the show. It was a spicy,

unique addition that I saw again on the Crispy Fish Taco.

This was my favorite of the three. The beer-battered catfish was tasty, layered with that smoky salsa macha, crunchy cabbage and a light drizzle of homemade crema.

We all remarked how great the tortillas tasted. Word is they're made from scratch in the Northern Mexico style—thinner than most, but with a nice chew.

Each taco can be turned into a bowl, and we tried that with pork. The plate came piled with green rice, beans, guac, pickled red onion and cotija cheese. The hefty serving of tender, roasted pork shoulder was braised in a spicy adobo sauce that had us reaching for our margaritas. It’s a great pick if you’re not in the taco mood. I found myself scooping up some of the ingredients with the chips to build makeshift nachos.

And that speaks to something owner Brett Jones told 225 after Barracuda opened: Its simple menu is designed so there are a lot of ways to put together a meal.

There’s something to celebrate about a new restaurant that's refreshingly low on concept but high on an unpretentious vibe and

really, really tasty food. Which brings me to my final rule: Plan to spend time at Barracuda with people you enjoy, order up some margaritas and revel in the comforts of what I think is the best new spot in town.

Tacos come dressed with cilantro, onion and lime. Diners can go “Deluxe” with the addition of grilled cheese, beans and guac.

Similar to Mexican street corn, the Corn in a Cup side is loaded with cotija cheese, crema and a peppery seasoning.

Pucker up!

The real dill: Local food businesses level up dishes and apps with house-made pickles

IN A PICKLE

A bounty of foodstuffs can be pickled. To add bite to its barbecue plates or boards, City Pork pickles onions and even fruits. Chow Yum Phat pickles corn, jalapenos, watermelon and more to complement its Asian-inspired dishes.

DILL OR SOUR? Sweet or spicy? There are endless ways to transform a cucumber into a pickle. While these crunchy, briny medallions can be divisive, plenty of us love to pile them atop a burger, snack on a bowl of slices or crunch down into the spherical versions as a final complement to a lunch sandwich. As for me, I am proudly part of the party who asks everyone to pass their unwanted pickles to my plate.

Luckily for us proud-pickle-people, there are quite a few Baton Rouge establishments making in-house pickling a priority. Here is a handful of the local businesses that employ the vinegary goodness of marinated cucumbers as a secret weapon on their menus.

1. and 2. Grinning Jupiter Jammery

Ashley Andermann is a master at jarring up jams, jellies and preserves, but she also knows how to make a good pickle. Andermann’s Grinning Jupiter Jammery offers dill, spicy dill, and bread and butter pickles. She even shares her wisdom by hosting a Pickling Workshop at Local Supply. Find it on Facebook

3. BRQ Seafood & Barbeque

BRQ’s pickles make a first impression. Guests are served a heaping bowl of complimentary bread and butter pickles (along with kettle potato chips) at their table upon arrival. Snack on a few of these tangy treats while waiting for entrees. brqrestaurant.com

4. Mid City Beer Garden

Elevate any burger or chicken sandwich with the beer garden’s house-made spicy garlic pickles. The cucumber-y chips pack a fiery punch with an added acidic kick. midcitybeergarden.com

This reimagined Perkins Overpass fave boasts a menu of essential bar snacks and meals. Of course, most can’t have a sandwich dressed without a few pickles in the mix, so the bar slings its own dilly delights using a recipe borrowed from its sister eatery Chow Yum Phat. Catch these pickles as sandwich toppers or side pieces to a spicy pile of wings. Find it on Instagram at @zeezeesbr

Pickled products and barbecue prove the point that opposites attract. Where pulled pork is rich, pickles pack in acid. And where brisket is tender, pickles bring crunch. That explains why there’s no shortage of homemade pickles at City Pork. Dilly spears are made with a little spice and served with sandwiches. And cucumber slices are soaked in a sweet concoction overnight to be served atop barbecue dishes the next day. citypork.com

5. Zee Zee’s

6. City Pork

On the menu

• Crispy Crackercrusted Chicken Tenders

• Cheddar Cheese Sauce (For pasta and vegetables)

• Fresh Strawberry Slush

Recipes by Tracey Koch

DINING IN

Summer kitchen camp

BY TRACEY KOCH

PHOTOS BY AMY SHUTT

I STILL REMEMBER the mixed feeling I’d get as summer approached when I had young kids at home. I loved not having to wake up early, and enjoying a slower pace together. But with less of a set schedule came a different type of stress: the pressure of entertaining and engaging my kids for months while also keeping up with my own work deadlines and daily chores—which seemingly doubled as the kids ran around the house all day. I always tried to remind myself how quickly the years fly by and embrace all of the stages of raising school-aged children.

With this thought in mind, I decided to find the element of “fun” in everyday chores. I tried to make everything from cleaning up their rooms and putting away groceries to helping me in the kitchen into a game and learning experience. My hope was to instill in my kids good habits and life skills, along with a positive attitude.

And the one skill that both of my children happily gravitated to was cooking. When they were young, I taught them how to plan a balanced menu, read recipes and make a grocery list. I showed them basic cooking skills and kitchen safety. As they got older, I let them experiment more on their own in the kitchen. I think they now have a deeper appreciation for sharing a meal with people you love.

Below are some of the first recipes I taught my kids. They’re great beginner recipes that can be elaborated as your kids continue to grow.

Because, 10-plus years later, my kids may not always make their beds, put their clothes away or make their own dinner—but at least I know they know how to.

Crispy Cracker-crusted Chicken Tenders

Even the most finicky child likes chicken tenders. And seriously, what’s not to like? Tender, juicy tenders with a crunchy outer layer are hard to resist for kids and adults alike.

Making fried chicken tenders from scratch can be a bit of a hassle, not to mention an oily mess. But this oven-baked recipe only takes about 30 minutes and is an easy starting point for beginner cooks. Your young kitchen helpers will be able to crush the cracker crumbs and can dip the chicken tenders in the melted butter before rolling them in the crumbs to form the crunchy coating. Just be sure to wash their hands with warm soapy water after and have dry oven mitts at the ready for baking.

These tenders bake up light and crisp and make for a delicious meal when served with your family’s favorite sides. The tenders also can be turned into an easy chicken Parmesan when topped with your favorite red sauce and mozzarella.

Servings: 6

18 to 20 Ritz or butter crackers

1 cup plain Panko breadcrumbs

1 stick melted butter

1/3 cup olive oil

½ teaspoon Creole seasoning

2 ½ to 3 pounds of clipped chicken tenders

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick foil.

2. Place the crackers into a 1-quart zipper plastic bag. Press the bag to release the air before sealing it.

3. Using a rolling pin, crush up the

crackers into coarse crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a shallow baking dish. Add in the Panko and toss until well combined.

4. Place the butter into a separate microwave-safe shallow dish and heat until the butter is just melted. Remove from the microwave and add in the olive oil and Creole seasoning.

5. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the melted butter mixture into the crumbs. Use a fork to mix up the crumbs until they are evenly moistened.

6. Rinse the chicken tenders under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Working in batches, place the tenders into the melted butter mixture and rotate to butter both sides. Roll the buttered chicken tenders into the cracker crumbs until each tender has been coated on all sides. Place the tenders on the lined baking sheets. Repeat the steps with the remaining tenders.

7. Bake the coated chicken tenders for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle and the outside is golden and crunchy. Remove the tenders from the oven. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Coax kids into eating their veggies or upgrade snack time with a creamy ranch dip. Find the recipe at 225batonrouge.com/recipes

Cheddar Cheese Sauce (For pasta and vegetables)

One of the first sauces I learned to make when I was in culinary school was a cream sauce or bechamel. This basic white sauce is a blank canvas, and once you learn how to make it, it can be used to create many different sauces using it as a base. A bechamel comprises a few simple ingredients: equal parts flour and butter per cup of milk, combined together to create a smooth, creamy consistency. From here you can add cheeses, seasonings, herbs and spices to spruce up all kinds of dishes. I use this simple formula when making my cheddar cheese sauce that’s always been a crowd pleaser. Toss it into pasta for a quick mac and cheese, or pour it over steamed broccoli for a delicious vegetable gratin dish even kids will enjoy. By adding in a little salsa and chopped jalapenos, I turn this cheese sauce into a festive queso dip to serve with chips. The possibilities are endless.

Yields: 5 cups of sauce

4 cups whole or low-fat milk

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1. Pour the milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat until warm. In a heavy 2-quart sauce pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour to make a blond roux and cook, stirring continuously for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Whisk the warm milk into the blond roux until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps. Keep stirring this mixture over medium heat until the sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon.

3. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the mustard and cheese until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the cheddar sauce over your favorite cooked pasta, drizzle over blanched broccoli and cauliflower, or stir in ½ cup of your favorite salsa and serve with tortilla chips for delicious homemade nachos.

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Fresh Strawberry Slush

Popsicles and frozen sweets are always a treat in Louisiana’s hot summer months. However, the storebought ones tend to be full of too much sugar, or worse, high-fructose corn syrups and artificial colors and flavors. This fresh strawberry slush is a cool, sweet treat that is made of simple, natural ingredients—and it sneaks a full serving of fruit into your little one’s day.

These slushes are also a lot of fun to make with kids. With a little adult supervision, they can help remove the tops off of the strawberries and slice them. They can also help add in the lemon juice and honey. And the very best part? They get to use the blender.

Serves: 6

8 cups fresh strawberries

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup agave nectar

1. Cut the tops off of the strawberries, and then cut them in half. Place into a blender or food processor.

2. Pour in the lemon juice and agave nectar, and pulse until the strawberries are pureed but still have some texture.

3. Pour the strawberry puree into 3 ice trays. Freeze.

4. Once the strawberry puree is completely frozen, remove the cubes and place into a blender. Pulse on medium speed until slushy. Spoon into serving dishes and serve.

Our

Mission

Inspiring humanity through transformational learning in the classroom and in the community.

Our Vision

Be the cornerstone of the community as a premier educational institution by inspiring, cultivating and producing a modern workforce prepared to create a robust and thriving economy.

EVERY STUDENT. EVERY DAY

Do you believe in magic?

BY OLIVIA DEFFES // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

INSIDE: Local actor stars in Max’s Love & Death / Arts and music events

VENESSA

LEWIS

SPENDS her hours tending to royalty.

Polishing crowns and planning regal parties is all in a day’s work. Think of a modern-day fairy godmother. That’s Lewis.

Lewis has devoted herself to training princes and princesses since 2015. The result is a kingdom of polished, professional characters that have brought joy to families.

Lewis heads the Petite Princess Company, formerly known as Rent A Princess, which was started in 2014 by then-LSU student Reagan May. Lewis says at the time a live princess party concept had not yet arrived in Baton Rouge, which gave the company instant popularity among parents hoping to host unique birthdays.

Before taking over for May, Lewis had already made a name for herself in children’s entertainment as Venessa the Louisiana Mermaid. Lewis bought herself a silicone

tail—at first just for fun. But she soon became known locally and nationally as the Louisiana Mermaid, performing at birthday parties and events.

“It was fun, but it was also super fast-paced and super intrusive on my life,” she remembers. “So, I did it for a couple of years and then this opportunity presented itself for me to be able to stay within the children’s entertainment industry. I was older, I had kids, and I needed other people to actually do the entertaining and I’d manage it. ... It was just a perfect dovetail in life to continue on that path.”

Since purchasing the company, Lewis has made it her mission to employ young, local talent who work well with children and love to entertain. This takes a little more work than waving a magic wand. Lewis has hand-picked all 20 members of her team to ensure they’re the right fit for the company and are able to connect

with children. Each cast member undergoes extensive training, learning to sing storybook songs, get into character and transform their physical appearance to mimic fairy tale favorites.

Though some of these faces may look familiar from different movie adaptations, Lewis says the characters are from beloved fairy tales families have adored for years.

“I love that we’re growing that imagination of children in the area. That whimsy. That fantasy,” she says.

Birthday parties are the company’s bread-and-butter, but Lewis also looks for ways to add educational components into programming. Her characters have traveled to schools, camps and libraries to read stories and teach little ones about different animals, cultures and culinary items.

Lewis has also organized ticketed community events at venues like the Old State Capitol in which

tickets sell out in mere minutes and waitlisted guests number in the hundreds. From teas to brunches, the storybook-themed events draw crowds from across the state.

In July, Petite Princess Company will host its first Fairytale Festival, which sold out in just a few weeks. For the first time, Lewis has joined forces with other local children’s entertainment like the Dinosaur Experience, Capital Superheroes and Trixie the Clown to collaborate on fun quests and activities for every kid to enjoy.

She says the Fairytale Festival was something she has always wanted to accomplish. Now that the event has sold out, she plans to keep moving forward with more entertaining parties, personal princess phone calls and other events to fill south Louisiana with even more magic—and grow the company to its full potential. petiteprincesscompany.com

Petite Princess Company owner Venessa Lewis, center, leads a team of 20 princes and princesses.

RODEO

JUNE 27 6 – 8 PM

CHELSEA’S LIVE LIVE MUSIC BY PARISH COUNTY LINE

Join us for the reveal of the 2023 Best of 225 winners! Be the first to know who won all of your favorite categories. Celebrate with drinks, food trucks, live music, a 360 photo booth and more. We encourage you to wear your best rodeo gear as we dance the night away with Parish County Line.

Tickets are limited, get yours today! Visit 2023bestof225.eventbrite.com or scan here

EVENT PARTNERS: CHELSEA’S LIVE & EUROPEAN WAX

EVENT SPONSORS:

A star is born

On set with Amelie Dallimore, the young local actor who appears in Max’s new Love & Death series

LOVE & DEATH, a new drama series released April 27, comprises the sort of A-list cast anyone would expect from mammoth production and streaming company Max. Elizabeth Olsen, Jesse Plemons and Kristen Ritter are just a few of the show’s stars. Also joining that cast is a face that may be familiar to some in Baton Rouge for a different reason—perhaps, even, because she goes to school or does gymnastics with their kids. Amelie Dallimore, an 11-year-old actor and Baton Rouge native, appears on the show as Jenny Montgomery, daughter of lead character Candy Montgomery, played by Elizabeth Olsen. It marks the young actor’s second on-screen appearance.

225 sat down with Amelie to discuss the surreal experience of landing this role, the challenges of the gig, getting to know Elizabeth Olsen and more. imdb.com/name/nm12567199

How did you first get into acting?

I started when I was 7, because my sister was doing it, mainly for confidence, and I thought it looked fun, so I wanted to do it. I started off at Debby Gaudet’s studio for young screen actors, when she still had it in Baton Rouge. Around a year later, Cindy Hill Agency, which is now Gravity Hill, reached out to Miss Debby looking for new young talent and wanted to sign me. So I began doing auditions, and I auditioned a lot between gymnastics and school and stuff. Then in August in 2021, I booked my role in Love & Death that I’m really grateful for.

What does it mean to you to have this opportunity to act on a Max production?

Some people train like their whole life to try to get there, and I got it right in my first years of acting. And I was really worried about how the people would be on set, but every one was really nice and protective over me and the other kids. ... This experience is something I’ll always remember. It was really fun.

Tell me a little about your character Jenny on Love & Death. How did you prepare for that role?

Jenny Montgomery is the daughter of the main character, Candy Montgomery, played by Elizabeth Olsen. The importance of the role was to really help develop the character of her mom. Jenny was a normal girl living a seemingly normal life growing up around the late ’70s and early ’80s with her mom, dad and little brother, Ian. They spent a lot of time with their family and friends in church and doing church activities, and Jenny spends a lot of time with her best friend, Alyssa Gore, who’s the daughter of the other leads. Honestly, I don’t think I did too much to prepare. I did have all of my lines

memorized, of course, but they film in such small segments that it isn’t too hard. … I can just be the character and be natural.

Did you have to travel a lot for filming? Where to?

Yes, we did. We spent six months going back and forth between Austin and home. There was a soundstage in Kyle, Texas, which is 20 to 30 minutes from Austin, and that was kind of like our home base. But we traveled all over Austin and the surrounding areas to film. I got to experience some really cool, small Texas cities that I’d never been to.

How did you juggle filming and school?

We had a teacher, Ms. Heather, who would teach us in a trailer on set, and sometimes we’d have a sub. We’d do fun projects, like paper mache. I thought she was a really good teacher, and she spent a lot of time explaining stuff that I didn’t get.

What was it like on set, and what did you learn about the business?

The wardrobe people were very nice. Just for one scene, it takes hours to prepare for. And the directors, for a minute of tape, it’d take like around an hour to film everything and get all the right angles. For the set, they found an actual house, and they got the homeowners to let us use it. They built (an exact replica of) the house in the soundstage. If you saw the tape, you couldn’t tell if you were in the real house or the replica house. …

All the crew put so much work into everything.

The previous short film you acted in was 2021’s Honey: Us. How was filming Love & Death different from that experience?

It was a lot different. That one took like a day to film, and there weren’t

that many people. We just wore our normal clothes and had barely any lines at all. It was really easy.

What was it like getting to work with Elizabeth Olsen and all the other famous actors on that show? It was awesome. Elizabeth Olsen was very nice, and my parents got to know Patrick Fugit (Pat Montgomery) really well. They were very nice, and they would do anything for us. Elizabeth gave me and some of the other kid actors a present on one of our last days.

Any other interesting acting projects lined up for the future? I keep trying to do auditions and doing my best with them. So we’re just waiting for the right role, really.

ZANE PIONTEK

QUOTES HAVE BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND BREVITY.

COLLIN RICHIE

In Love & Death, Amelie Dallimore plays Jenny Montgomery, the daughter of lead character Candy Montgomery (Elizabeth Olsen).

MAX COURTESY THE DALLIMORE FAMILY

ARTS BEST BETS

JUNE 1

Witness a Cher tribute performance when the traveling show “The Beat Goes On” makes its way to the stage at Manship Theatre. See entertainer Lisa McClowry transform into the iconic singer with plenty of flashy costumes and sky-high wigs as she sings hit songs like “Believe” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” manshiptheatre.org

JUNE 6

Pack up your lunch and head to the LSU Museum of Art for "Art at Lunch: Appropriation in Media." This month’s lunch and learn presenter, Liz Lessner, an artist and art instructor at the LSU College of Art + Design, will take a deep dive into Hank Willis Thomas’s work, which is currently on display at the museum. lsumoa.org

JUNE 11

Learn the meaning behind the art on display at Baton Rouge Gallery at its monthly ARTiculate Artist Talk. These informal sessions allow the public to listen to stories from the artists featured in BRG’s current exhibit. At this month’s free event, hear from Mary Ann Caffrey, Margaret Humphris, Phyllis Lear and David Scott Smith as they explain their inspirations, techniques and more. batonrougegallery.org

JUNE 16-18 AND 23-25

Bend and snap your way to Theatre Baton Rouge to see a hilarious production of Legally Blonde. Follow the actors of Theatre Baton Rouge as they sing their way through Elle Woods’ journey at Harvard Law School in this witty musical inspired by the popular film. theatrebr.org

MUSIC BEST BETS

JUNE 3

Louisiana native and country singer Dylan Scott is journeying back home for a show at The Texas Club. Come out for a night of country music as Scott plays all his hits like “My Girl” and “Can’t Have Mine.” thetexasclub.com

JUNE 3

Who doesn’t love a good cover band?

The Chee-Weez will bring all the greatest hits of rock ‘n’ roll to the stage at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel. The New Orleans band is known for energetic shows with plenty of covers and tribute performances. lbatonrouge.com

JUNE 4

Hailing from Austin, Texas, Band of Heathens is ready to hit the stage in Baton Rouge. Hear a modern-day take on rock ‘n’ roll as the band plays soulful hits like “Hurricane,” “Medicine Man” and more at the Manship Theatre. manshiptheatre.org

JUNE 24

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of rock’s biggest albums when Bricks in the Wall: The Sight & Sound of Pink Floyd comes to Chelsea’s Live. Hear iconic songs from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon live and relive the glory days of the 1970s. chelseaslive.com

COURTESY MANSHIP THEATRE

COURTESY HANK WILLIS THOMAS AND JACK SHAINMAN GALLERY

COURTESY L’AUBERGE CASINO & HOTEL

COURTESY CHELSEA’S LIVE

Planting trees

establishes

Photo: JCW Creative/Baton Rouge Green

People in communities with abundant green space generally enjoy better health and happiness. Gathering together promotes social ties and by planting and caring for trees we ensure clean and fresh air for generations beyond our own.

Benefits of trees:

• Gives off oxygen, the very thing we need to breathe.

• Traps CO2 gas and scrubs the air of impurities.

• Provides shade which helps reduce and moderate the temperature and climate.

• Prevents soil erosion and absorbs stormwater to minimize flooding.

• Provides wind protection to homes and shelter to birds and animals.

BatonRougeGreen.com 225batonrouge.com | [225] June 2023 87

Keeping your neighborhood clean and green secures a brighter future. It can be achieved.

Compiled by Olivia Deffes

PUPPY PAGEANTRY

Come out to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center to see pooches strut their stuff in two fur-filled dog shows. The Jambalaya Cluster Dog Show hosted by the Baton Rouge Kennel Club and the Riverside West Kennel Club of New Orleans takes place first, with the Northlake Kennel Club of Covington’s Pelican Classic Dog Show held a few weeks later. These shows are free and open to the public and include fun specialty events featuring breeds like poodles, Boston terriers and more. akc.org

Gather the kiddos and head out to Kid Fest in Scotlandville. This event will have plenty of activities to keep the little ones occupied. Along with live entertainment, there will also be speakers, health screenings and outdoor play opportunities. Find it on Facebook

CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH

Take a trip to Donaldsonville’s Louisiana Square to celebrate Juneteenth with good times and live music. The Donaldsonville Juneteenth Music Festival will feature food, a health fair and, of course, good entertainment from local acts like The Michael Foster Project and more. This event is free and open to all, so bring the whole family. Find it on Facebook

ALSO THIS MONTH

ALL MONTH

Go back in time to the 1920s at a new exhibit at the Old State Capitol, “Jazz Age Juxtaposition: Prohibition Era in Louisiana.” Learn all about the secret speakeasies and undercover bootleggers who challenged the laws of prohibition. louisianaoldstatecapitol. org

JUNE 2

Bring your appetite down to Perkins Rowe for a good ole Food Truck Round-Up

Local food trucks and mobile eateries will be parked along the outdoor path. perkinsrowe.com

JUNE 8

The EBR Master Gardener Series wants to help gardeners keep their green thumb in scorching weather with an informational session about succulents. Head to the Zachary Branch Library and listen as Master Gardener Joyce Ryder explains how to care for the low-maintenance greenery. ebrmg. wildapricot.org

JUNE 17

Chirps, tweets and squawks. Those are the peaceful sounds you’ll hear during this month’s Birding at Burden

STANDING PROUD

Follow the rainbow downtown for the 15th Annual Baton Rouge Pride Festival held at the Raising Cane’s River Center. This event will be the festive end to a pride-filled week in Baton Rouge. Enjoy live entertainment for all ages along with educational booths, vendors and the Queerative Market, where LGBTQ+ artists can showcase their creative work. batonrougepride.org

Grab your binoculars and birding journals to discover a few new species on this three-hour guided tour. lsuagcenter.com/portals/ burden

MORE EVENTS

Subscribe to our newsletter 225 Daily for our twice-weekly roundups of events. 225batonrouge. com/225daily

LAFAYETTE

JUNE 1-4: Cajun Heartland State Fair, cajundome.com

JUNE 10: ArtWalk, acadianaqueercollective.org

JUNE 16: Thomas Rhett, cajundome.com

In every issue of 225, you’ll find a free print on this page. FRAMED celebrates life and art in Baton Rouge, each one featuring a local photographer, place or graphic designer. Cut it out to hang in your cubicle, or frame it for your home gallery wall. Show us where you hang them by tagging them on social media with #225prints.

“Lessons from My Mother” BY MALAIKA FAVORITE 2019 / Mixed media on canvas

From the permanent collection of the LSU Museum of Art. Purchased with funds from the Manship Endowment for Acquisitions and Conservation, Beverly and Steven Heymsfield, and Salomia and Ben Jeffers. lsumoa.org

From romantic tables filled with candlelight to festive Sunday brunches. Our grills are working overtime to ensure your favorite dish is ready for you. Because some of the best moments of our lives are in our favorite restaurants.

Plan your trip and make your reservations now.

For more information, visit NewOrleans.com/RestaurantWeek

LIFE IS SHORT.

DON’T MISS ANOTHER BEAT.

Not only is Matt Neumann the drummer behind one of the local area's most in-demand cover bands — he’s also Dr. Matt Neumann at the Spine Center of Baton Rouge. And as someone who’s suffered back pain, he understands what it means to help patients return to music or whatever moves them.

Dr. Neumann specializes in spinal injections as an effective, noninvasive treatment for back, neck, leg, and arm pain. It’s a lasting solution that can provide up to years of relief — and get you right back into the rhythm of life. Call us today to learn more.