Economic Development

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Community Voices Orchestrating Change May 2008

Issue #3 Volume 2

Economic Development What’s Inside: Innovations in the Upper Ninth

page 7

NPN Forum Wrap-up with Louise Dunlap

page 16

St. Claude: People and Places

page 10

Neighborhoods Partnership Network’s mission is to provide an inclusive and collaborative city-wide framework that empowers New Orleans neighborhood groups in community development and citizen engagement.

3500 Canal Street, Second Floor, New Orleans, LA 70119 • Office 504-940-2207, Fax 504-940-2208 • thetrumpet@npnnola.com

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NPN’s The Trumpet

May 2008

Letter from the Executive Director of NPN

The Iceberg Lady

Growing up in a city where more than fifty percent of the year is hot, you learn to appreciate and treasure the element of water. In its solid

state of ice, with sweet syrup, it transforms into a treat that you look forward to on those sweltering hot days. Saturdays were always the best in the neighborhood, because there was more time for us kids to get together and play.

Now in the early eighties, even during Reaganomics, fifty cents was a lot of money for kids. Even so, the real challenge was not the money, but the limitations of travel when you had only a bicycle, roller skates, or two God-given feet. Enjoying your Saturday afternoon of basking in the hot sun would make you ready for a treat and within a two block radius several options were available. There was the sweet shop lady, located across the street from my Broadmoor home, who sold all kinds of candy and snacks. Then there was the ice cream truck that carried my favorite ice cream treat, the Nutty-Buddy, but he wouldn’t get to our block until about 3:30 in the afternoon. No matter; the best treat in the neighborhood was Dear’s Icebergs, or as she called them, “huckabucks.” Dear was an elderly lady who had lived in the neighborhood for years. An Iceberg was no more than frozen Kool-aid in a Styrofoam cup, but the way Dear prepared them was magical. Her icebergs sold for a quarter and you could get them in a variety of flavors and colors. As the years went by and competition grew in the neighborhood, she added what I called special treats to her icebergs, like fresh lemon pulp or gumballs. Every neighborhood had an Iceberg Lady and some had more than one. It was always an oratory challenge amongst kids in the school yard to talk about which neighborhood had the best Iceberg Lady.

Looking forward to the economic state of New Orleans and the country as a whole today, the days of iceberg loyalty are not so far-fetched.

Community businesses are true assets to the development of entire neighborhoods that need community support. Economic development no longer means just making money but can be anything that is vital to all kinds of establishments for the products and services that an average person needs on an average day. How many times have you walked outside of your door to realize that the closest grocery store is more than ten blocks away? Or asked the question, “Why do I have to go to Metairie for shopping?” Or found yourself wondering why our shops are struggling and what we can do about it? These are all questions that many of us have considered answers to as we rebuild New Orleans.

None of us have all of the answers, but we can find them. Stay local and recognize that supporting local business means sustaining our neighborhoods. Think about if the Iceberg Lady or any other cottage business would be welcomed in your neighborhood? How have you embraced those local community businesses that have chosen to return to your neighborhoods? We as individual neighborhoods and the city as a whole must remember that we will have a stronger economy when communities build networks of purchasing options as diverse as the neighborhoods that use them.

-Timolynn Sams

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Letter From The Editor A

lmost immediately in planning themes for the Trumpet, we agreed that we had to try and discuss economic development. Originally, it was going to be the focus of our second issue. We wanted to frame it as a challenge to City Hall recovery efforts through asking officials “Where are the cranes?” (in reference to Dr. Blakely’s promise that by October of last year, construction efforts would be visible throughout the Parish).

However, since then, New Orleans and economic development have changed. When we discussed “economic development” with potential contributors at a forum last month (see the follow-up in this issue!), the range of opinions and views on the topic was overwhelming. In addition to pieces discussing the progress of different neighborhood groups, people wanted to talk about their own efforts in organizing their own businesses. Everyone seemed excited at the prospect of talking about economics and having a solid way to express their involvement with them. This wasn’t economics in terms of measuring “normative economics” and Milton Friedman – it was peoples’ hopes and plans for their lives.

Just as the Trumpet is meant to chronicle as many facets of New Orleans as possible, we hope that with this issue, we can cover just a few of the ideas and plans of the individuals and groups struggling in this city.

Ted Hornick Editor-in-Chief

The Trumpet

Staff

Ted Hornick Editor-in-Chief Alethia Picciola Art Director Editorial Team Ava Rogers Breonne DeDecker

Cover Photos:

These photos represent the different types of ecomonic deveoplment going on in New Orleans. From Tanqueria trucks to the appearance of new corpations, for better or worse things are definitely changing in the crescent city. Photos by Alethia Picciola.

Corrections:

In last month’s article on the Gentilly Post Office, we neglected to acknowledge the efforts of Donna Brown, President of the Gentilly Heights East Neighborhood Association. Ms. Brown was instrumental in advocating for the Post Office’s return to Gentilly.

Find out more at NPNnola.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Timolynn Sams COMMUNITY PROGRAMS MANAGER Gill Benedek BUSINESS MANAGER Mario Perkins FOUNDING BOARD MEMBERS Phil Costa, Board Chair City Park Neighborhood Association Patricia Jones, Board Treasurer NENA Lower 9th Ward Deborah Langhoff Steering Committee District 5 Lakeview, Lake Vista Neighborhood Association Latoya Cantrell Broadmoor Improvement Association Amy Lafont Mid-City Neighborhood Association Dorian Hastings Central City Renaissance

Elizabeth Falcon

Julius Lee Real Timbers Property Owners Association, Inc.

Mia Partlow

Victor Gordon Pontilly Neighborhood Association

Shawn Chollette Ted and Alethia dressed up as Mia and Shawn. Photo by Breonne Dedecker.

NPN provides an inclusive and collaborative city-wide framework to empower neighborhood groups in New Orleans.

Kim Henry Gentilly Civic Improvement Association Nikki Najiolia Oak Park Neighborhood Association

Third Party Submission Issues Physical submissions on paper, CD, etc. cannot be returned unless an arrangement is made.

Submissions may be edited and may be published or otherwise reused in any medium.

By submitting any notes, information or material, or otherwise providing any material for publication in the newspaper, you are representing that you are the owner of the material, or are making your submission with the consent of the owner of the material, all information you provide is true, accurate, current and complete.

Non-Liability Disclaimers The Trumpet may contain facts, views, opinions, statements and recommendations of third party individuals and organizations. The Trumpet does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information in the publication and use of or reliance on such advice, opinion, statement or other information is at your own risk.

Copyright Copyright 2008 Neighborhoods Partnership Network. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Neighborhoods Partnership Network is expressly prohibited.

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NPN’s The Trumpet

May 2008

Table of Contents Letter from the Executive Director of NPN, page 2 Letter from the Editors, page 3 Letter to the Editor, page 5 Neighborhood Voices A Challenge to Care, page 6

Get Connected to the Network

People in your Neighborhood

The Idea Village: Innovations in the Upper Ninth Ward, page 7 Charter School Helps Revitalize New Orleans East, page 8 St. Claude Ave. Focuses on People and Places, page 10 New Nike Store to Make Big Impact in New Orleans, page 15

In the Spotlight

O.C. Haley Looks at the Past to Look Ahead, page 12

NPN Initiatives

Moving Forward on Citizen Participation, page 14 NPN and City Connections, page 14 Forum Wrap-up: Undoing the Silence with Louise Dunlap, page 16

Rethink

Barack Obama: Where Does He Stand on Education?

Part 2, page 17

Ask City Hall, page 18 Community Events, page 19

Neighborhoods Partnership Network to receive weekly updates or to find out who your neighborhood liason is, e-mail

newsletter@npnnola.com

Letter to the Editor

NPN’s The Trumpet

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“Represent the mind . . . know [that] a . . . mind is like a parachute. It can’t work if it don’t open up! . . . I want to resurrect the minds of my people, by giving them the proper education of selfknowledge!”

-Charles Taylor, a.k.a. Brother Shabazz

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NPN’s The Trumpet

May 2008

Neighborhood Voices The Opinions of New Orleans

The Trumpet has no responsibility for the views, opinions and information communicated here. Each article’s contributor(s) is fully responsible for content. In addition, the views and opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the the Trumpet.

A Challenge to Care Marcia Wall

French Quarter Colunmist

Recently, I had the honor

of viewing No! The Rape Documentary by filmmaker Aishah Shahidah Simmons. In a scholarly yet accessible way, it focuses on the rape of black women by black men. As the film traces the history and culture of sexual violence against black women, it exposes the way their sexuality was appropriated and exploited for economic gain, especially during the days of slavery. Simmons makes a convincing argument that our nation’s economy, particularly in the South, flourished in large part because white slave owners controlled black women’s sexuality for pleasure and profit.

For a long time, I have understood the relationship between our rapacious culture and patriarchal capitalism, but this film refreshed my understanding and enriched it with respect to the experience of black women. This film and its messages compelled me to consider this month’s theme of “economic development” in an unexpected way.

As our city and the surrounding regions continue to re-imagine and remake themselves, economic development must be a chief concern. Many of us, especially people with grassroots consciousness, understand that

self-determination is necessary for New Orleans to reach its optimal potential and surpass the city it was before the storm. Citizens fight to rebuild their homes, businesses and neighborhoods in ways that meet their needs, not the needs of bureaucrats and corporations. Not too long ago, Starbucks and a local chef competed to occupy the retail space in Jackson Square left vacant by La Madeleine’s departure. The community cried out to City Hall to reject the Starbucks bid because it believed that our city is our soul and our soul is not for sale. In our post-K world, we fight to throw off the shackles of greed, corruption and oppression that prevent us from truly owning our city.

We passionately reject a slave mentality that puts us at the mercy of government and big business.

Why then do men continue to rape women and girls? Rape is possible because some men (not all to be sure) believe that they have the right to possess women’s bodies (and by extension their psyches and souls) as they see fit. Like slave owners who claimed African people as their property in the name of White supremacy, some men think that maleness entitles them to own women. They may not articulate this consciously, but the very fact that they rape and abuse women is proof enough.

As we move beyond rebuilding and beyond a post-Katrina mentality, the idea of economic development must be radically altered. In order to prosper, in order to create the New Orleans we all dream about, we—that means every single person in each of our communities—must be free to live our lives. Rape robs women and girls of their lives.

There is no room for rape in our vision for a new New Orleans.

Rape must stop now.

While preparing to write this month’s column, I looked to the words of wise and celebrated women for inspiration. I collected quotes from many of the great women in history - authors, pioneers, activists, doctors - they each have something important to say about the lives of women and human destiny. I am struck by the way their voices mirror and echo one another. In their fashion, they each speak to empowerment and freedom, both individual and collective.

I challenge you to read what these women have to say. I challenge you to read what they have to say in light of my discussion and to own up to your thoughts about women, rape, the idea of ownership and our city’s struggle to be reborn. I challenge you to change our culture that makes rape possible. I challenge you to change yourself.

In our post-K world, we fight to throw off the shackles of greed, corruption and oppression that prevent us from truly owning our city.

how we live / is important business --Notzake Shange You have to be taught to be second class; you’re not born that way.

--Lena Horne …if colored men get their rights, and not colored women theirs, you see the colored men will be masters over the women . . .

--Sojourner Truth Your silence will not protect you.

--Audre Lourde We are each other’s harvest.

--Gwendolyn Brooks How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

--Anne Frank Find “NO! The Rape Documentary” at

notherapedocumentary.org

Rape Crisis Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 VIA Information Line: 504-269-2673 (social service referrals)

NPN’s The Trumpet

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The People in your Neighborhood The Idea Village Innovations in the Upper 9th Ward Miji Park The Idea Village

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ocal entrepreneur Phillina Carradine is joining the drive to revitalize the Upper 9th Ward. The Idea Village, in collaboration with a team of Stanford Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB) students, has partnered with her to unveil “Reflections of Beauty,” a hair salon specializing in natural and healthy hair. Carradine has had aspirations of opening Reflections since she entered the beauty industry over ten years ago.

Carradine was the winner of a competition for one thousand square feet of subsidized retail space in the Idea Village at North Galvez Business Innovation Center, located at North Galvez and Piety.

The Idea Village is an innovative area designed to foster entrepreneurship through combining retail and office space, with an additional technology center and conference facility for hands-on technical business support. The Idea Village, or IV @ N. Galvez, is slated to open in the early third quarter of 2008. Founded on a cocktail napkin by local entrepreneurs at a New Orleans bar, the 501(c)3 economic development organization has a mission to provide strategy, talent and resources to entrepreneurial ventures.

Like many developing businesses, including Reflections, the Idea Village was once just a crazy idea in a New Orleans that was struggling to retain its talent and opportunities.

Officially incorporated in 2002, The Idea Village has since become the primary driver of business initiatives through a global network that shares the vision of New Orleans as a vibrant, entrepreneurial community, proving that crazy ideas can ignite social and economic changes.

Understanding that the engagement of university students is integral to attracting and retaining young talent

This is the proposed architectural rendering of the Idea Village at N. Galvez Business Innovation Center. Photo courtesy of the Idea Village.

in New Orleans, The Idea Village established IDEAcorps in July 2006 to connect professional services from local and national universities to the New Orleans-based entrepreneurs’ challenges. To date, IDEAcorps has engaged over 230 students from seven universities, including Tulane, Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Depaul and the University of Pennsylvania.

It was an IDEAcorps team from the Stanford GSB that accelerated IV @ N. Galvez. At the end of March 2008, fourteen Stanford MBA students from all over the world, including Sri Lanka, Jordan, India and Japan, spent an intensive week solving challenges developed by The Idea Village.

The Stanford team also raised $50,000 that the Idea Village matched to seed the initial $100,000 for the grant for IV @ N. Galvez. The Idea Village charged Stanford IDEAcorps with identifying the winning entrepreneur of the competition, developing sustainable business models for the finalists, and allocating $100,000 in grant funds in one short week.

Some 19-hour days, spirited debates and volumes of financial projections later, Stanford IDEAcorps

made their final recommendations to an advisory panel of key business and civic leaders. Certain panelists, including Margaret and Kenneth Beer, Communications Director of BNOB and Senior VP/CFO of Stone Energy, respectively, were unfamiliar with the Upper 9th Ward but well-versed in the entrepreneurial spirit needed to drive the reinvention of New Orleans and its neighborhoods. Others, like Katherine Prevost, President of Bunny Friends Neighborhood Association, have been instrumental leaders in positioning the Upper 9th Ward for revitalization.

The panel, energized by the team’s overwhelming diligence, enthusiasm and commitment, approved the final recommendations in full.

Carradine will receive $28,000 to help cover her start-up costs. The remaining funds will be allocated among the other finalists and IV @ N. Galvez.

Seed funding and consulting was only the beginning for Carradine.

She will also receive one year of free rent, with her second year subsidized at 50% of market rate.

Perhaps most valuable will be the continued business support offered by The Idea Village and its professional

network, which may include strategic consulting, marketing and public relations, accounting, legal assistance and web development services.

Daryn Dodson, an Idea Village consultant and Stanford GSB graduate, explained that “The passion and commitment of Phillina is exactly what we look for in entrepreneurs. We are confident that with Phillina as a role model, other entrepreneurs will successfully establish businesses to help reverse the disinvestment that the area has historically experienced.”

Upon learning of her future as a new entrepreneur, Carradine burst into tears, spurring a similar reaction from the Stanford MBA students seated within the Idea Village’s whiteboard-paneled Idea Room.

Carradine explained that “This opportunity changes my life. In the hardships of post-Katrina, it is overwhelming to receive this support for a dream that has been a lifetime in the making.” Sometimes, with a little innovation and support, you should trust your crazy ideas.

For more information about The Idea Village, please e-mail innovation@ideavillage.org or visit www.ideavillage.org.

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NPN’s The Trumpet

May 2008

Charter School Helps Revitalize Sean David Hobbs New Orleans Writer

New Orleans East

white portable trailers, Abramson n the commercial district of Charter School opened for New Orleans East, along Read business in September of 2007.

Boulevard and south of I-10, the At present, 411 students in grades large department stores, banks K-9 (by 2011 the school will and fast food chains are still be K-12) attend Abramson. The closed. Boarded-up buildings school is predominantly Africanlook like large multicolored American (96%) with Asians (2%) boxes surrounded by miles of and Latinos (2%) making up the empty parking lot space. Driving rest of the student population. through this spectacle, one feels Mustafa Guvercin, 37, is as if America itself is laying the school C.E.O. Guvercin, a naked and lobotomized. native of Turkey, has worked as Before Hurricane Katrina, a charter school administrator in Marion Abramson High School Oklahoma and Texas since 2000. was an important education center He came to New Orleans in 2007 in New Orleans East. Now, as when Abramson opened and seen from Read Boulevard, it is found that the newly developed a drowned-out brick rectangle.

“Harmony Education Model” Toppled trees and trash litter was very effective with students the grounds of the school. There regardless of their backgrounds. is one lone open door at the His test statistics show a steady front. A glance inside the school improvement among Africanshows flooded trophy cases, American, Latino and Asian with pictures of smiling Africanstudents who participated in the American students blurred by “Harmony Model.” water damage.

While he believes in the Yet, there is life in this area “Harmony Model” curriculum, of New Orleans East. Behind Guvercin says that it is the school the old school building stands staff that make his Charter school the new Abramson Science and both innovative and effective. He Technology Charter School. explains that “We can see if there Built as a makeshift campus of is a problem and implement the

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Students stand outside Marion Ambramson Charter High school. Photo by Sean David Hobbs.

Abramson Science and Technology Charter School’s new modular campus opens in September 2007. Photo by Sean David Hobbs.

changes (to the problem) within a week or two because we are small.”

Guvercin wants his staff to have a personalized touch with all students and parents. He encourages teachers to work “a little extra” by going to families’ homes and talking directly to the parents. As he sees it, “In the public schools they have collective bargaining. You have a rank and a pay scale that everyone gets. In my school there is a performance bonus and a return bonus for good teachers. We want our teachers to do more, teach more, give longer hours to the students . . . In reward we pay them well.”

If a teacher is not doing a good job, it is easy for Guvercin to remove him, though Guvercin has only had to fire one this year. “I can’t do that in public schools,” Guvercin says. “In my school, I can use the best performing teachers.”

While most of Abramson’s teachers agree that the school is progressive and moving in the right direction, some feel that

teacher unions are a good idea for all schools. Says one teacher, “If there is a problem with anything from violence to taxes to money coming out of your check, we don’t feel we have a voice in this whole situation. We don’t have a benefit of a union representing us.”

Guvercin explains that the mentality of a Charter school is totally different from a traditional public school. As a Charter school is competing for local, state and federal tax funds, each student that comes to Abramson means more money for the school. If students and parents are unhappy they can take their children out of the school and immediately limit the school’s funds.

Guvercin believes that it is always in a school’s best interest to hire the best teachers and keep them happy. “If we have bad or unhappy teachers, then the kids aren’t learning. Ultimately the children are our customers. If the customer isn’t happy, then our school loses out. The children will go somewhere else. We are running our school like a business. We aren’t making any

NPN’s The Trumpet

This is the only door that remains open to the ungutted Abramson High School. Photo by Sean David Hobbs.

profit out of the school but we have an incentive to give the best education to our kids.”

Overall, Abramson Charter School seems to be working well for students. Teachers, students and parents were positive when they discussed the school.

In particular, parents are impressed by how determined the school staff is to reach out to the community. Mrs. Debra Battiste, mother of two sons at Abramson, says, “I have seen the will and the dedication these people have because they have come and sat for hours tutoring my children, at my house. These are good people.”

One issue Mrs. Battiste sees is that there are behavior problems arising from a cultural disconnect felt by students for their nonNew Orleanian and non-American teachers. She explains that some of the teachers are from other states in the U.S. and other teachers are from Turkey. However Ms. Battiste feels that the blame for this disconnect lies with the New Orleans African-American community, which is closed to outsiders. “These people (nonNew Orleanian teachers) can teach and they have the information.

So why don’t the students respect teachers more?”

In reponse, Mr. Cuneyt Dokmen – the principal of the school and another native of Turkey – says, “We have about sixty percent of our teachers from Louisiana. forty percent of our teachers are from other parts of the U.S. or from abroad. We do have a minority of teachers from Turkey who have taught the Harmony Model in Oklahoma and Texas. Obviously the issue

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Before Hurricane Katrina, Marion Abramson High School was an important education center in New Orleans East. Now, as seen from Read Boulevard, it is a drowned-out brick rectangle. Photo by Sean David Hobbs.

of cultural connectedness is a big challenge for us and our students.

But we feel that over time the students and parents have really started to accept us. We work to present diversity to our students everyday.”

“In reality,” Dokman

continues, “Abramson Charter School provides a meeting point for the community. With so much destroyed, the return of a school and . . . the return of education is very important to the redevelopment of New Orleans East.”

It is always in a school’s best interest to hire the best teachers and keep them happy.

Students play basketball on the school grounds. Photo by Sean David Hobbs.

Mercy Corps supports the emergence of a healthy deconstruction industry. Mercy Corps has seeded the start up of Mid City Neighborhood Organization’s Old City Building Center, an architectural salvage depot, worker training center, business incubator, and neighborhood meeting hub. To find out more or to make a donation, visit: www.mcno.org/ocbc or email: oldcitybuildingcenter@gmail.com.

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NPN’s The Trumpet

May 2008

St. Claude Avenue

Focuses on People and Places Greta Gladney

The Renaissance Project

I

have lived most of my life in the Lower 9th Ward. I have history there; relationships with people: family, classmates, friends and nemeses; and places: homes, churches, schools, medical clinics, parks, bars, street corners and front porches.

St. Claude Avenue is LA 46 from Elysian Fields to the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.

In 1923, the Industrial Canal sliced the Ninth Ward in half and isolated the area bounded by Florida Avenue, Delery Street and the River. I became involved in community and economic development on the Avenue to mend the divide between the Lower and Upper 9 by increasing commerce in all directions along and across the socioeconomic divide.

St. Claude Avenue is experiencing a renaissance: an approved bicycle lane, a Main Street district, three open-air markets, urban agriculture, community-supported public schools, an arts district, food co-op, assisted living facility, healing center and carnival club.

The programmatic concepts, organizational relationships and cooperative spirit there were developed before Katrina.

Determined individuals have pooled their resources to make it happen. Post-storm, residents and stakeholders have found their voice. They now articulate dreams and implement projects that, much like the first raindrops of a storm spotting the pavement, will spot the landscape only to coalesce to cover the sidewalk, and overflow to flood the street over time. St. Claudians, St. Claudettes and St. Claudites have a place to float their ideas on rafts, pirogues, inner tubes

and sailboats as the river of activity that is now St. Claude Avenue spills into the adjacent communities.

Audrey Warren and Jennifer Ruley of Steps to a Healthier New Orleans and the Department of Public Works identified the corner of Elysian Fields and St. Claude as one of the most dangerous intersections in the City for pedestrians and cyclists. Their years of work have culminated in an approved bicycle lane for St. Claude all the way down to the parish line.

We hope to see it soon.

The St. Claude Ave. Main Street was made possible by collaboration among the Renaissance Project, Saint Claude Avenue Merchants Association, Faubourg St. Roch and Marigny Improvement Associations, St. Roch Project, the Prevention Research Center and a host of business owners and residents. Consensus among multiple stakeholders was key in securing the Urban Main Street designation. Stakeholder participation, in addition to funding, is critical to direct commercial development along the corridor. The Main Street district spans nine blocks between Elysian Fields and Press.

Upper Ninth Ward Farmers Market - Luis Alvarado and his wife with Kathia Duran of the Latino Farmers Cooperative of Louisiana. Photo by Greta Gladney.

Sundays, at the corner of Caffin and St. Claude, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Scores of volunteers, dedicated vendors, The Office of Recovery and Development Administration, Second Harvest of Louisiana, Steps/Louisiana Public Health Institute, Joe and Dorothy Brown Foundation, Tulane Center for Public Service and the Bywater Neighborhood Association help to keep the markets going.

Urban Agriculture and Community Gardening

Stakeholders from New Markets Orleans Food and Farm Network, St. Claude hosts the historic LongueVue gardens, LSU-Ag St. Roch Market and three open- Center, and the Renaissance air markets.

Project are coordinating a Fridays on the Roch, our local community gardening monthly performance market in effort entitled “Re-Growing the neutral ground behind the New Orleans: People Nurture historic markets of St. Roch Plants Nurture People.” During and St. Claude, takes place on the October 9-12 convening, the fourth Friday each month. volunteers will develop gardens Our Saturday Upper Ninth Ward at the corner of St. Claude farmers market operates from and Spain across from Colton 1-4 p.m. in the Holy Angels School, in the courtyard at St. parking lot, 3500 St. Claude. The Margaret’s, on the grounds at Lower Ninth Farmers Market Holy Angels and on the corner will reopen on May 25. Weekly of St. Claude at France. Off Markets afterward will be the Avenue, the Latino Farmers

Cooperative, Small Axe Farm and the Porch, among others, grow produce to help build a local food source and supplies for our farmers’ markets.

Community Schools

Led by the Frederick Douglass Community Coalition, residents, alumni, organizers, teachers and concerned advocates demanded that the Recovery School District, renovate one of the few public high schools that was not flooded. The RSD recently announced its plan to close the school at the end of the year, transfer remaining students to trailers at another area, the Carver site, and have new ninth graders attend an academy in trailers at the Holy Cross site

Touro physician Swati Shah, center, with staff providing diagnostic screenings at Lower Ninth Ward Farmers Market November 2006.

Photo by Greta Gladney.

NPN’s The Trumpet

Arts District

Lieutenant Governor of New Orleans presents some residents of the Lower 9th ward a plaque stating the St. Claude Ave. is “A Designated New Orleans Urban Main Street Community. Photo by Greta Gladney.

next year. The Coalition includes Students at the Center, the public school-based creative writing and digital media program, and has worked for several years toward renovating the 1500-seat auditorium and establishing a culinary arts program. The group is demanding quality educational programming and community involvement in determining the future of the school.

Assisted Living

St. Margaret’s is housed in the former St. Claude General/ Bywater Hospital building.

Their Holy Cross location was flooded and FEMA assisted with acquisition and redevelopment of this new, temporary site. We applaud St. Margaret for their commitment and determination to bringing seniors home to New Orleans, for providing a safe environment and excellent quality of life and for their commitment to economic development.

St. Margaret’s houses four cooperative businesses: a beauty salon and catering, laundry and

janitorial services.

A second assisted living facility is under construction on the former hospital parking lot across the street and Holy Angels also houses seniors in an apartment complex on their property.

Healing Center

Sallie Ann Glassman and Pres Kabacoff met with Andy Antipas and a slew of others for months after the storm to developing the New Orleans Healing Center. Next year, in the middle of St. Claude Main Street, the NOLA food co-op and Wild Lotus yoga studio will open their doors in the Universal building at St. Claude and St. Roch.

A market bazaar with vendor booths is planned for the first floor and the larger than 50,000 square foot building will also accommodate reiki and acupuncture practitioners, and community meeting space.

Press in its first parade on Easter Sunday. A strong public school advocate, the group is interested in both ‘social aid and pleasure’ as it hosts gathering at lounges on the Avenue and supports community development and social issues as well. In December we look forward to the group’s Festival of Santa Claude.

Barristers and Farrington Galleries are on the Avenue in the Main Street district. The KK Projects and Sidearm galleries are only a few blocks away. There is a proliferation of galleries in the Bywater, south of St. Claude and the monthly Arts Market in Markey Park. We look forward to exhibits at the Colton building in October and other locations along the Avenue as part of the Biennale.

Community economic development begins with relationships among people with common needs. Post-storm, we have assessed our individual and organizational resources and cooperated for our common good.

We have organized concerns about food access, education, arts and culture and safety and are involved in shaping the community landscape and directing the flow of public and private resources to schools, assisted living facilities and markets.

It is less a question of how economic development on the Avenue affects the surrounding communities and more a statement of how residents and stakeholders identify needs and seize opportunities to affect the economic development of St. Claude. Community and economic development on St. Claude Avenue, involving stakeholders in schools, markets, gardens, galleries and Main Street, holds the promise of bridging differences, mending geography and reclaiming our humanity in New Orleans.

Social Aid and Pleasure

The GoodChildren Carnival club, organized by Kathy Connolly, marched from Elysian Fields to

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Residents shop at the Lower 9th Ward Market. Photo courtesy of Greta Gladney.

IN THE

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May 2008

NPN’s The Trumpet

SPOTLIGHT O.C. Haley

Looks to the Past to Look Ahead Ted Hornick Editor-in-Chief

Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard,

like most of the city, has a history.

Once the commercial core of Central City, with more than 200 businesses operating on it (according to the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center), it has achieved an odd standstill in the recovery process.

The exact details of O.C. Haley’s history can be difficult to sort. Where does O.C. Haley start and Dryades stop (Dryades was renamed O.C. Haley)? Who was Oretha Castle Haley (a civil rights activist and one of the founders of the Congress for Racial Equality)? Today, the area is host to numerous successful art initiatives, such as the Zeitgeist independent theater and the Ashe Cultural Arts Center. Neighborhoods Partnership Network was fortunate enough to have the Trumpet Awards ceremony there. A promotional set decoration from this past year’s Waiting for Godot sits near the middle of the Boulevard.

On April 10, the Oretha Castle Haley Merchants and Business Associates Resource Team met with four special guests to discuss potential renovations and

improvements for the area. The guests included Lauren Atkins from the National Trust and Ray Scribner, the Louisiana Main Street Coordinator.

To optimize improvements for the street, the speakers’ demonstration had a four point approach, discussing organization, promotion, economic restructuring and design for the area.

They agreed that the group should concentrate on fixing pre-existing components of O.C. Haley, such as expanding the Arts Center and the Green Market. They also encouraged the people to not underestimate the value of tourism as part of the economy. Other valuable lessons in branding and promotion included finding one definite name for the community and, as Washington D.C. entrepreneur Karen Alston explained, “sticking with it.” With powerpoint accompaniment, she presented a series of names and logos for the area, including “The Haley” and, as inspired by the Fox TV show, “The OC.” She also encouraged the group to file for 501(c)3 status and emphasized that in several communities, recognizing their historical accomplishments helped them realize that, “Voices of the past have become spirits of the future.”

Tackling another vital part

O.C. Haley’s classic New Orleans architecture adds a lot of charm to the neighborhood.

Photo courtesy of Central City Partnership.

Dryades St. at Thalia in 1951. Photo courtesy of Central City Partnership.

of development, speakers Everett Fly and Michael Wyatt emphasized that “things need to look like they fit.” They spoke of the importance of recognizing the history of the area, encouraging people to “look closely” and find such remnants as streetcar track remnants in the roads. The National Historic Registry currently recognizes one location, Handelman’s department store (at 1824 Oretha Castle Haley) for its historic significance in the area. One of the consensuses of the meeting was that it can and should acknowledge others, such as the Library at the end of the Boulevard, said to be built for Booker T. Washington.

After the initial meeting, as part of the ongoing conversation of marketing and development for the neighborhood, each of the four representatives on O.C. Haley’s guest team broke into separate meetings to address possible goals

and tools for improving O.C. Haley. The promotions team discussed recognizing strengths and weaknesses in publicity and other successful marketing strategies for developments throughout the United States.

According to their website, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is also working on main street initiatives for North Rampart, Oak Street and St. Claude Avenue in Orleans Parish. In February of this year, the Minority Business Enterprise Center listed O.C. Haley Boulevard as one of its prospective “RENEW” sites, emphasizing the Market and Neutral Ground there. O.C. Haley was one of seventeen potential sites.

Unfortunately, as of this printing, the business report on renewal plans for the Boulevard is not complete. However, we can hope that as the eventual

Sketches of the O.C. Haley Redevelopment Plan courtesy of Central City Partnership.

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Community economic development begins with relationships among people with common needs. Poststorm we have assessed our individual and organizational resources and cooperated for our common good.

- Sean David Hobbs

development of the area goes underway, it is simply another step in the road to recovery for the entire city. Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard is a unique perch, connecting history, arts and economic potential.

Perhaps the most important lesson exchanged at the meeting

came from Karen Alston, a Washington D.C. entrepreneur.

Speaking to the value of recognizing your roots, she encouraged O.C. Haley community members to “Claim your history.�

These words of encouragement have resonance not just for O.C. Haley, but for all of New Orleans.

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Moving forward on Citizen Participation and contracts from private negotiations to public forums within communities.

Put simply, what a CPP does is provide a way for each he Committee for a Better and every citizen in the city New Orleans/Metropolitan Area to have direct input into city Committee, in collaboration government priority-setting with Neighborhoods Partnership and decision-making. A Network, is convening a strong CPP brings decisions, citizen-driven process to projects and developments create a formal mechanism for that affect neighborhoods to citizen participation in city those neighborhoods, giving policy and budget allocations. people an opportunity to have a The fundamental purpose meaningful say in the decisions of a Citizen Participation that matter most to them, and Process, or CPP, is to promote with a time frame allowing transparency and accountability them to respond directly with in government and to reconnect concerns or questions. people with government.

NPN and CBNO/MAC are CPPs, by decentralizing more now beginning a second series decision making authority of community meetings and to neighborhoods, draw forums to present the idea of government decisions on land formal citizen participation use, budgets, zoning and the to neighborhoods, churches allocations of city services and community leaders Khalil Shahyd Citizen Participation Project Director with CBNO/MAC

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throughout New Orleans. Based on feedback delivered from participants in our first series of meetings in March, we are revamping our outreach efforts by planning to speak directly to neighborhood groups and community-based organizations.

In partnership with numerous agencies and organizations across the city, our goal is to attract some 200-250 diverse representatives of the city to participate in the New Orleans Citizen Participation Summit to be held July 11-12. The location has yet to be determined.

At this summit, we will work toward developing the structure for going forward in creating a formal CPP. Training will be provided to help the participants work with their neighborhoods to create a final proposal for the City Council. In addition to making

decisions on the structure of the CPP, neighborhoods will face tough decisions such as how much authority to give to communities over city projects and budget processes.

Most citizen participation mechanisms around the world range in the level of authority given to communities and neighborhood groups. These range from merely consultative recommendations to empowered decentralized control over city policies and budgets.

For more information on how you can be involved in creating a formal process for citizen participation in New Orleans, please contact Citizen Participation Project assistant Breonne DeDecker at breonne@npnnola.com and project director Khalil Shahyd at khalil05@aol.com

NPN and City Connections In order to create an efficient and useful neighborhood network, NPN is launching a new website this summer. The website will serve as a clearinghouse of neighborhood initiatives and issues and serve as a tool to strengthen your group’s outreach and resource connections.

Create your group’s profile now! Get connected and improve your group’s impact on the city.

On this site you can: * Create Your Own Neighborhood Group or Organization profile. * Upload and Share News, Events, Needs, Photos and Document Resources * Search a Database of Community Organizations, Neighborhood Groups and Universities.

E-mail Elizabeth@npnnola.com or call 504-940-2207 to find out how your neighborhood or organization can create its own profile today.

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New Nike Store

to Make Big Impact in New Orleans William Guillory III New Orleans Writer

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here is currently a buzz going around New Orleans. It’s not because the Hornets are questing for the NBA Championship, and it’s not because the Saints are trying to find their next superstar in the NFL Draft. This buzz is being caused by the renovations at a building on the corner of South Carrollton and Tulane Avenue. Before Hurricane Katrina, this building was the home of a Thai Restaurant, a Latin Grocery and a thrift clothing outlet.

Starting April 24, the building is home to a 9,000-square-foot Nike Factory Store. The store sells shoes, shirts and other Nike apparel. At the store’s official opening, Mayor C. Ray Nagin was joined by sports superstars LeBron James and Lisa Leslie to celebrate this addition to the city. The new store will not only be another revenue builder for New Orleans - the people who are in charge have made it known that they will make every effort to make a massive impact in the community.

The first and most obvious impact that the store will have on New Orleans is how it will open up numerous jobs and training program opportunities.

Nike will try to put a dent in the city’s high unemployment rate by bringing as many people as possible to work in the new store. They will also be hiring people to work in their training program for those who want to be managers. The new store will also help in the community through sponsoring internships for those who are interested in working for the Nike Corporation.

The interns will work at Nike events and participate in outreach at events such as the recent NBA All-Star game.

These internships are aimed towards those who want to work for the Nike Corporation as a whole, rather than those who are interested in the retail part of business. The new store gives those in the New Orleans area great opportunities to begin new careers.

The New Nike Factory Store, at the corner of Tulane and South Carrollton, promises affordable sportswear and exciting opportunities. Photo by Alethia Picciola.

The owners of the Nike store have also noticed the downfall of the youth sports programs in the city since Hurricane Katrina. Before Katrina, the sports programs that the majority of the children participated in around the city were organized park leagues.

These park leagues allied children with the parks closest to their homes to form groups that competed against one other. One of the goals these parks had was, of course, to make sure the kids had fun, by teaching them how to play their favorite sports and allowing them to play against their friends in safe environments. However, these park leagues also made sure children in bad neighborhoods stayed out of trouble.

Unfortunately, the city has not made it a priority to rebuild these parks, so children in these areas are forced to either go elsewhere to play sports or give up on organized sports all together.

Despite this, Nike decided to make an annual grant program for these youth initiatives. This grant will give money to these programs to aid them in the rebuilding of parks, gyms, etc. If Nike were able to bring back all the parks

that were destroyed in Katrina, it would make an unbelievable impact on the communities of New Orleans.

After speaking to a few of the local athletes in the New Orleans area, their excitement about the new store indicated to me a definite potential to improve communities, and this was before the store had even opened. Kris Collins, a former basketball player for Holy Cross High School, said, “I think the new Nike store will be my home for all the sports stuff that I need.

By having the store in Mid-City, it’ll help me a lot with traveling to get . . . equipment. Before, I had to drive at least 30 minutes from my house to get to the nearest sports equipment store.” Rob Haynes, a football player for Brother Martin High School, said, “I love the new store, it has everything you are looking for, not to mention it’s down the street from my house . . . I just put in an application over there.”

Mia Holmes, a volleyball player for Benjamin Franklin High School, said about the store, “I think it will be a nice addition to the city and now I won’t have to go out of my way when I need

to buy athletic apparel. With the Nike Outlet based in New Orleans I’ll be giving money back to our city, which in turn will aid the progression of the city as a whole.”

It is obvious that the Nike Factory Store will generate a large amount of money for the city because of Nike’s brand recognition.

The Nike Corporation has shown that they will do anything in their power to help out the people in New Orleans in our efforts to rebuild the city. Whether it’s the large amount of jobs they will be hiring people for, the internships they will be sponsoring, the money they will provide to our youth programs, or just the excitement they are causing among the young people in the city, the Nike store will affect thousands of people. We can hope that, once other people around the country see how much money and excitement Nike is generating in the city, others will be willing to invest their time and money into our communities. Once this happens, we can hope that it will only be a matter of time until the city of New Orleans returns to prominence.

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NPN Forum wrap-up:

Undoing the Silence with Louise Dunlap Ted Hornick Editor -in- Chief

J ournalism and community

building are not jobs that often build egos. However on Tuesday, April 8, community activist and writing professor Louise Dunlap led a workshop on writing in which she emphasized the importance of confidence for successful activism and writing.

After the workshop, in which NPN raffled off copies of Dunlap’s Undoing the Silence, a book on using writing to combat social injustice, I arranged to interview her. I was a bit apprehensive about talking with a woman who had thirty-plus years of activism experience in areas as diverse as Berkeley and South Africa, but Ms. Dunlap opened our interview by telling me what a success she thought the event was, causing me to relax immediately. Enclosed are some specific quotes from our follow-up (the complete transcript will be available on npnnola.com).

Speaking about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Professor Dunlap explained that “I think that, this is my true and honest opinion . . . I think that the people of New Orleans got a wake-up call about what is wrong in the whole world. The rest of the country, the rest of the world, needs to wake up. I think the people of New Orleans were sorely tested . . . they got a huge wake up call and many other people in the world heeded that call, because we saw and we empathized with what the people here were going through, with the levees crumbling, with the hurricane. You know, it seems to me that all the issues that I worry about and that the readers of my book are concerned about, were part of Katrina and the levee phenomenon. We wouldn’t have had a hurricane that big if we were not approaching catastrophic climate change, global

Writing teacher and activist Louise Dunlap guides a workshop on Undoing the Silence. Photo by Alethia Picciola.

warming. Federal levees would not be breaking if the federal government’s priority was not war, but people at home. And we would not have had selective care for the people in New Orleans, where the privileged people had cars and could leave and others couldn’t . . . if we didn’t have a society that was getting more stratified around race and class, really building up the disparity between rich and poor, haves and have-nots. Katrina made all of that visible.”

She followed that up with her thoughts on how she evaluates her workshops, saying, “It’s very subjective on my part. I just look out at the people and try to read the expressions on their faces. I

can tell if they’re bored, if they’re yawning . . . What I do see, what I did see is people expressing their ideas . . . you can tell from the looks on peoples’ faces when they’re getting inspired.”

On America’s responsibilities to the world, Louise Dunlap had these provocative words: “If we are number one, then we had better start acting like number one. Number one takes care of things without messing them up further!”

As we neared the end of our talk, I felt I had to ask Professor Dunlap about the political race.

She responded, with laughter, that “I’m with Rethink. I wasn’t expecting to endorse a candidate in the democratic

primaries, I’ve actually registered as a member of the Green Rainbow party . . . but in this case, my priority is to endorse whatever Democrat is running against McCain. I think it makes a real difference if we have a Democrat or Republican in the White House.

That said, when it came to the democratic primary, I wasn’t really enthusiastic about either of them . . . both of them have positions I don’t agree with, both of them aren’t focused enough on ending the war.”

Louise Dunlap is a unique and brave thinker with valid aims as a writer. Learn more at www.undoingsilence.org.

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KIDS RETHINK N E W

O R L E A N S

A series of monthly segments with Kids Rethinking New Orleans’ Schools, or Rethink.

Barack Obama: Where Does He Stand on Education?

An Interview with Obama Campaign Worker Kelley Caudle Last month, the Rethinkers interviewed Ms. Kelley Caudle, one of Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s campaign workers. Talking with Ms. Caudle helped the Rethinkers develop a picture of the Democratic hopeful’s opinions on education. This month, the Rethinkers talked to Superintendant of Schools Paul Vallas to understand Obama’s visits to the New Orleans schools and Obama himself. enriching subjects like art, music and social students aren’t left behind and I think he’ll push for programs geared specifically toward poor and minority children.

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e heard that you showed Mr. Obama around some of the public schools. Would you mind telling us where you took him and when?

What do you personally think about a Black man becoming president?

Paul Vallas: Mr. Obama visited Carver Elementary School in the Ninth Ward. He specifically wanted to visit a fourth grade teacher who had attended his rally and who invited him to visit. I knew Mr. Obama in Chicago so I met him at the school and participated in the tour.

What did Mr. Obama say about the schools he saw?

PV: Even though Carver is in a temporary modular campus, he actually thought that it was in better condition than he assumed it would be. They’re not trailers; they’re very nicely equipped temporary buildings. He did ask how long we expected we’d have to use the modular campuses, and we told him that we would only be using them about five years as we repair and rebuild permanent school buildings.

What problems did he see? Did he have solutions?

PV: It was a fairly quick tour and there were a lot of people to talk to and meet, so we didn’t get a chance to talk in detail about problems. He is very concerned about schools getting adequate funding. He also was interested in how we’ve been able to work with FEMA.

The Rethinkers accept their award for Most Outstanding Youth Group at the NPN Trumpet Awards. Photo courtesy of Rethink.

Did he talk about sending money for our schools?

PV: One of the things I talked to him about is how the federal government needs to be more in the business of investing in school construction. At the very least, the federal government needs to prioritize classroom modernization to make sure that all of our schools have the material and technology they need to be successful.

What do you think that Obama will do for the New Orleans Schools, if he is elected? Do you think he can make changes?

PV: I think he would be very supportive of a larger federal role in supporting school construction, which as you know, will be very important

for us in New Orleans. We have great needs for more funding not only to renovate our schools but to build new schools here. I think Mr. Obama also will push for a modification of No Child Left Behind, to make sure that

PV: I think anyone who has the requisite skills and background should have the opportunity to become president. I’ve never looked at politics through the prism of race. Mr. Obama, I think, offers the potential for greatness and that is very important attribute for a presidential candidate. I should note that I’m also a fan of Hillary Clinton, who I’ve had an opportunity to meet many times.

Thank you very much!

PV: My pleasure!

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Ask City Hall Question:

: I recently received formal notification from the HDLC that the TV satellite dish atop my house needed to be removed because it was not allowed in my historic neighborhood (Bywater). The dish has been up there for six or seven years. I phoned the HDLC and spoke with an extremely officious woman, who spoke to me over a speakerphone as if I was a student who was being summoned to the principal’s office. She said it didn’t make a difference how long the dish had been on my roof and that it needed to come down within two months. I think the HDLC is asking for trouble if it won’t even provide citizens the approved language that makes up the organization’s rules and regulations that we’re supposed to follow. “Because I said so” doesn’t work well with small children, much less friends and neighbors.

Can NPN provide any clarification? Thank you in advance for your response.

Answer:

According to the HDLC, satellite dishes are supposed to be ten feet from the front face of a building (in most instances, the side that faces the street). And in cases of corner lots, satellite dishes need to be affixed to areas where they cannot be seen, which is usually on the house side farthest from the street. The HDLC office said the regulations/codes do exist, but have yet to be updated on the city’s website. For this they do apologize, but are happy to answer questions, concerns or issues over the phone or via e-mail.

Question:

I would like to know specifically what the fencing requirements are for Orleans parish - height, material (is wood or chain link fine?) and different rules for front and back of the property?

Answer: According to City Planning Commission section 15.6.1., which deals with

“Fences, Walls, and Hedges (In All Districts Except the Vieux Carré Districts), “A fence, wall or hedge not more than seven (7) feet in height may project into or enclose any required front or side yard, provided however that no fence, shrubbery, or obstruction of any type shall be permitted around or into required front yards within twenty (20) feet of any street intersection. Fences, walls or hedges may project into or enclose other required yards provided such fences, walls or hedges do not exceed a height of seven (7) feet and may be erected along a boundary between a residential district and a commercial or industrial district to a height not exceeding ten (10) feet.

District A

Shelley Midura City Hall, Room 2W80 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1010 Fax: (504) 658-1016 Email:smidura@cityofno.com

District B

Stacy Head City Hall, Room 2W10 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658 -1020 Fax: (504) 658-1025 Email:shead@cityofno.com

District C

James Carter City Hall, Room 2W70 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1030 Fax: (504) 658-1037 Email: jcarter@cityofno.com

District D

Cynthia Hedge-Morrell City Hall, Room 2W20 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1040 Fax: (504) 658-1048 E-mail: chmorrell@cityofno.com

District E

Cynthia Willard-Lewis City Hall, Room 2W60 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1050 Fax: (504) 658-1058 E-mail: cwlewis@cityofno.com

Council Member-At-Large

Have a Question for City Hall or need a particular concern addressed?

E-mail it to shawn@npnnola.com and the Trumpet will do its best to get an answer.

Arnie Fielkow City Hall, Room 2W40 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1060 Fax: (504) 658-1068 Email: afielkow@cityofno.com

Council Member-At-Large Jacquelyn Clarkson City Hall, Room 2W50 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1070 Fax: (504) 658-1077 E-mail: jbclarkson@cityofno.com

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Community Events Neighborhood Meetings Broadmoor Improvement Association May 19, 7 p.m.

St. Matthias Church, 4230 South Broad Street http://www.broadmoorimprovement.com/ Burbank Gardens Neighborhood Association May 21 and June 18, 6:30 p.m.

6025 Wildair Drive Bywater Neighborhood Association June 10, 7:00 p.m.

Holy Angels Concert Hall, 3500 St. Claude Ave. Bunny Friends May 10, noon Greater Mt. Carmel 3721 N. Claiborne Ave Carrollton United Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.

Greater St. John Missionary Baptist Church 8616 Hickory Street (504)-957-0585 Central City Renaissance Alliance May 17, 2008 Ashe Cultural Arts Center 1712 O.C. Haley Blvd.

Claiborne University Neighborhood Association May 29, 7 p.m.

Jewish Community Center, 5342 St. Charles Avenue http://www.cuna-nola.org/ District 6 Community Council Every other Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

University of New Orleans, Old Business Administrator Building, Room 211 Edgewood Park Neighborhood Association June 7, 11 a.m.

Gentilly Presbyterian

Faubourg Marengo Neighborhood Association Neighborhood Watch meeting (4 of 4) June 19, 6:30 p.m.

Austerlitz Baptist Church 819 Austerlitz St Filmore Gardens May 22 and June 26, 6:30 p.m.

Rouses Lakefront Gentilly Fest Planning meetings: Every other Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.

Pontilly Disaster Collaborative Office 3869 Gentilly Blvd Gentilly Heights East Neighborhood Association Monday, May 19 and Monday, June 16, 6 p.m.

Dillard University Contact Donna Brown at ghena2b@yahoo.com to learn more Gentilly Heighs/Vascoville Second Monday June 9, 6:00 p.m.

St. Leo the Great Hollygrove Saturdays, 12 p.m.

St. Peter AME Church 3424 Eagle Street Lake Bullard Homeowners Association Saturdays, 3 p.m.

Cornerstone United Methodist Church 5276 Bullard Ave. Marigny Neighborhood Association May 19 and June 16, 6:30 p.m.

2624 Burgundy Holy Cross Every Thursday, 5:30pm.

Center for Sustainability, Greater Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 5130 Chartres, Lizardi and Chartres

St. Roch May 8, 6pm True Vine Baptist Church, 2008 Marigny Street

Historic Faubourg Treme Neighborhood June 5, 6p.m.

Inseparable Friends Hall & Flower Shop (Charbonnet Funeral Home) 1607 St. Philip St. Tulane/Canal Neighborhood Development Corporation June 10, 6 p.m.

St. Joseph Church 1802 Tulane Ave. New Orleans Village d’Lest Neighborhood Association May 5 at 7:00 Einstein School

Citizen Participation Process Meetings Broadmoor Monday, May 19, 7:00 p.m.

4230 S. Broad and St. Matthias Central City Partnership Meeting Friday, May 23, 1 p.m.

2020 Jackson Avenue Upper 9th Monday, May 19, 6:00 p.m.

2243 Clouet Street, Evergreen Baptist Church Mid City May 18, Noon to 5 p.m.

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