May/June 2011 by Neighborhoods Partnership Network

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May/June 2011 • Community Voices Orchestrating Change • Issue 5 Volume 3

NEIGHBOR OOD SPOTLIGH HT

Lakeview

INSIDE

• Community Service & Neighborhood Wellness • Jena Six Activist Faces Decades in Prison • Louisiana in Flurry Over Redistricting • Landrieu Announces New Neighborhood Engagement Office • 20 Thoughts from Local Hip-Hop Rapper • Lakeview Restaurant Serves Eclectic Dishes, Exotic Drinks Photo by: Scott Bicking

Neighborhoods Partnership Network’s (NPN) mission is to improve our quality of life by engaging New Orleanians in neighborhood revitalization and civic process.

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The Journey to a Unified New Orleans Letter From The Executive Director Having stood upon the shoulders of those who came before us, it is now time to strengthen our own for those who are to come.

or a year, I had the pleasure of being selected a fellow of the distinguished Louisiana Effective Leadership Program sponsored by Duke University and Southern University. The program is led by Ambassador James A. Joseph, and his team of leaders who speak of leadership “as a way of being – servant leadership.” For the past three years, this fellowship has recruited, engaged, empowered and transformed the values of rising mid-career professionals from the state of Louisiana. In addition to enhancing the capacities of its fellows, one of the rewarding opportunities afforded is a trip to Cape Town, South Africa. Cape Town, like New Orleans, is a tale of two cities. There were many beautiful, breath-taking sites, but there was also wreckage and disparity. One thing that has stuck with me since my return is the word Ubuntu, a traditional philosophy that recognizes how we are inextricably bound in each other’s humanity. This philosophy has transformed my thinking about human relationships, and the connection that each relationship has beyond color, class, and other boundaries established. Translated as, “I am because you are,” Ubuntu describes a sense of unity between people through which we each can discover our own strengths and virtues. As I sat in my seat on the plane returning back to Louisiana, I began to think of the stories that I heard about during the early days after the “not so long forgotten” natural and man-made disaster called Hurricane Katrina. Through this catastrophe, neighborhoods came together to decide the fate of the city, and each demanded that all residents will have the right to return. It is those principals upon which Neighborhoods Partnership Network, (NPN) was founded, and the vision of “making all New Orleans neighborhoods a great place to live,” that we continue to strive towards. When our governments were reeling from the myriad implications of the devastation, our residents gathered in vacant parking lots surrounded by destruction, and told the world they would bring their neighborhoods back. And bring them back they did, together. This standard of a self-sense of being as a human being, is determined by the relationships you have with other people. And so we continue to amplify as many voices as possible to unite and orchestrate a magnitude of change to be heard, and to bring about an interaction that would favor the presence of a “more human sense” in political, social, economic and cultural actions on a city-wide scale. We continue our quests as a network with the main objective of joining forces, to construct bridges of dialogue and communication between personalities and intellectuals, organizations and institutions, neighborhoods across New Orleans. Unless we recognize that we must come together in communities---in rich and poor neighborhoods---and cut across the range of divides that keep us apart, while recognizing that we are all in this together, we will not be able to address the challenges that we face today or ever. It is my hopes that as you read this issue of The Trumpet Magazine you identify ways that you can become a servant leader. How you are serving your neighborhood and community, and ensuring that your investment is beyond self, and also a reflection of those before you to secure the future of generations to come.

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

Find Out More at NPNnola.com

NPN Board Members Victor Gordon, Board Chair, Pontilly Neighborhood Association Angela Daliet, Treasurer, Parkview Neighborhood Association Benjamin Diggins, Melia Subdivision Katherine Prevost, Upper Ninth Ward Bunny Friend Neighborhood Association Leslie Ellison, Tunisburg Square Civic Homeowners Improvement Association Sylvia McKenzie, Rosedale Subdivision Sylvia Scineaux-Richards, ENONAC Tilman Hardy, Secretary, Leonidas/Pensiontown Neighborhood Association Vaughn Fauria, Downtown Neighborhoods Improvement Association Wendy Laker, Mid-City Neighborhood Organization 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 2011 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.

Sincerely, Timolynn N. Sams

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N E I G H B O R H O O D S

P A R T N E R S H I P

The Trumpet

N E T W O R K

CONTENTS

4 Trumpet Theme Stories 8 News & Culture 14 Community Health 15 Healthy Neighborhoods NOLA 16 Neighborhood Spotlight 18 Neighborhood Spotlight Organizations 20 Public Policy 21 Government & Politics 24 Education Talk 25 City Hall News 26 Arts & Culture

Neighborhood Spotlight – Lakeview

28 Puentes

30 Neighborhood Meetings

Education Talk

Puentes

ON THE COVER: Another Beautiful Day in City Park — Photo by Scott Bicking

The Trumpet Editorial Board

The Trumpet Editorial Staff

Barbara Blackwell Gentilly Sugar-Hill Neighborhood bblackwell@lajao.org

Jeff Kugler American Red Cross Liaison JKugler@arcno.org

Aretha Frison, Editor

Brian Opert Mid-City Neighborhood bopert@sterlingcommercialcapital.com

Jermaine Smith Uptown Neighborhood jermaine.lejuane@gmail.com

John Koeferl Holy Cross Neighborhood judicekoef@cox.net

Ray Nichols Carrollton Neighborhood raynichols@cox.net

Linedda McIver AARP Louisiana lmciver@aarp.org

Jessica Goines Spears Consulting Group jessica@spearsconsultinggroup.com Becki Chall Global Green, USA rchall@globalgreen.org

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Scott Bicking, Art Director Kathleen Burns, Copy Editor Nora McGunnigle, Local History Editor Lakshmi Sridaran, Policy & Advocacy Editor Patricia A. Davis & Tia Vice, Associate Neighborhoods Editors

4902 Canal Street • #301 New Orleans, LA 70119 504.940.2207 • FX 504.940.2208 thetrumpet@npnnola.com www.npnnola.com

Community Service & Neighborhood Wellness

n New Orleans, community service and neighborhood wellness have helped shape the way for residents, non-profit organizations and other supporters to come together to build a better city for all. In this issue of The Trumpet, we wanted to capture some of the organizations that are working to promote volunteerism, community action efforts and other programs to make all neighborhoods safer, stronger and more beautiful. We are truly aware that the following organizations represent just a fraction of the hundreds of organizations that have contributed to thousands of vital neighborhood efforts. But as always, we would love to profile them in future issues — and we want to hear from you! If you would like to write to us to suggest an individual or organization for us to profile, please send your story ideas to thetrumpet@npnnola.com, and we will definitely consider the idea to be published in future issues of The Trumpet!

Dillard Community Development Corporation recognizes Gentilly’s future wellness and vitality

Mahalia Jackson Center focuses on family services, adult education and children under one roof

Here’s a look at the Dillard Community Development Corporation’s (CDC) partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD), and the essential community programs that have been implemented since 2006 throughout the greater New Orleans area. Dillard CDC, located in the Gentilly neighborhood, seeks to provide leadership in the revitalization of Gentilly and New Orleans by using the university’s economic, intellectual, social and cultural capital in partnership with other community stakeholders. Through grants provided by HUD, Dillard has provided training and pathways to economic independence and self-sufficiency for low- to moderate-income individuals in the New Orleans area. Programs such as computer literacy training, job training, life skills and English as a Second Language, (ESL), are helping residents to acquire the skills necessary to obtain good jobs and to become involved in their neighborhoods. More than 200 residents have utilized these programs; and the Gentilly Resource Center, located on the Dillard University campus, affords neighbors the opportunity to access various services and information. The CDC’s grant writing workshops are allowing community residents and non-profit organizations to seek out funding for various projects they would like to execute in the community. About 400 people have participated in these workshops. The CDC’s community safety initiatives, including neighborhood policing, provide a means to maintain a safe environment for residents. Seminars and training sessions are conducted monthly. Some of the topics are stress reduction, conflict resolution, effective neighborhood watch, modern crimes, identity theft, self defense and personal safety management.

It is often said that it takes a village to raise a child.

For more information about Dillard CDC, call the Gentilly Resource Center at 504-816-4205

And while the Mahalia Jackson Center agrees with this ancient African proverb, it is also changing the way it is conducting business in the “village.” The center, located in Central City, provides the services that many families need in order to become self-sufficient, while focusing on the care and education of Central City’s youngest residents from infancy to age 5. All families who reside in Central City can utilize free programs that include adult education, job training and placement, teen parenting, prenatal care, medical, nutrition, fitness and other health services, social services including WIC and nutrition assistance and a public library branch. The Mahalia Jackson Center doesn’t turn anybody away without helping them. If a resident needs a service that is not offered at the center, the staff will provide other resources in order to help. At the center, the Early Childhood & Family Learning Foundation conducts an outreach program to child services in Central City, providing technical assistance and professional development to enhance program performance, academic success for preschool-age children, and children’s readiness for school. The main objective of the outreach is to ensure that children’s reading levels at the entrance to and exit from kindergarten are at grade-level expectations and represent their optimal ability levels. The outreach initiative also aims to ensure that the academic and social needs of children are met through the seamless delivery of services at Mahalia Jackson Center, and as they transition to school, to make sure that there are no gaps in the services for any Central City child.

For more information about the center, call 504-359-6835

Good to the Last Drop: Alpha Coffee Shop pours out service leadership, community service, life skills The Alpha Coffee Shop, which opened last November on Magazine Street, offers its employees a service leadership program for troubled youth. This program is dedicated to the development of future service leaders through barista, community service, life skills, vocational and food service training. Alpha, which serves the Central City, Magnolia, Garden District, Irish Channel and St. Thomas Area/Lower Garden District neighborhoods, trains youth ages 18 to 23 to become baristas. The program assists young people to set and strive to achieve their personal and career goals.

For more information, contact the Alpha Coffee Shop at 504-579-2541 4

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Community Service & Neighborhood Wellness

Shared Values and Principles Engage Neighborhoods in

Concordia-Partnered Projects By Bobbie Provosty Hill, Concordia LLC

oncordia, LLC, along with Community Centered Planning and Design, has been in partnership with the Louisiana Public Health Institute, (LPHI), and Neighborhoods Partnership Network (NPN), for the past two years to develop the Healthy New Orleans Neighborhood Project. It was not an accident that these three institutions came together to support neighborhoods in creating systemic models for healthier communities, as we continue to rebuild following Hurricane Katrina. Concordia and these two organizations share values and principles around holistic thinking for community design, living in harmony with our surroundings and building leadership and capacity amongst all citizens. We have heard loudly and clearly from our fellow New Orleanians that this is what they want, too. We have been privileged to act on a city-wide scale in coordinating the Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP) Recovery Project. We led the team for the School Facilities Master Plan for New Orleans, and are working closely with various neighborhoods as they creatively and passionately

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work to rebuild. Some examples include the Central City and its Central City Renaissance Alliance, the Upper Ninth Ward with Desire Street Ministries, and the Tunisburg/McClendonville neighborhood in Algiers. Our approach is rooted in authentic engagement of our clients. We believe that it is the people who live and work in these communities who know best what is needed to improve their quality of life. They know how to use their strengths to build upon their successes. Concordiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job is to assist with capacity building so people can participate in a meaningful way and have the wherewithal to see their plans come to life. As we provide technical assistance, the community provides local knowledge and their own expertise. Concordiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work in New Orleans continues to be rewarding and offers ongoing learning for our professional staff. We consider it a great honor to work with such valuable partners.

For more information, visit www.concordia.com 5

Community Service & Neighborhood Wellness

Circle of Friends for Education and Early Detection Program By Patricia A. Davis & Nedra Wardsworth

Where are the resources for a woman to obtain information on breast and cervical cancer?

merican Cancer Society’s COFFEE Mate Program brings a personal touch to the education of breast and cervical cancer and to early detection for all women, especially those who are uninsured and underinsured. Every woman is eligible to receive free resources on a chronic disease that could possibly alter their lives. Knowledge of what can occur within one’s body is the breakthrough for a woman to address any abnormalities and to inform her medical team. The COFFEE Mate Program is the intervention between women being educated and their medical providers. Education and early detection are the best practice for the best quality of life. The COFFEE Mate Program was established in 2007 with the intention of educating women on the importance of receiving mammograms and Pap tests. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society with its partner, Louisiana State University School of Public Health Breast and Cervical Program, the COFFEE Mate Program excels to bring information and resources for mammography screening and Pap tests at Louisiana Breast and Cervical Program provider sites, like St. Thomas Community Health Center Breast Center and The University Medical Center, The Breast Center. The following education is provided: • Breast cancer screening by mammography is recommended for women who are over 40 years of age or at higher risk. • Breast cancer affects one of every eight women in their lifetime in the United States. • African-American women have a lower incidence of breast cancer but a higher cancer- specific mortality rate due to late-stage diagnosis. • Cervical cancer screening is recommended for women who are over 18 years of age or sexually active. • A Pap test is the only practical means of early detection of cervical cancer. The COFFEE Mate Program consists of local women in the New Orleans area who are dedicated to providing information and resources to women who are concerned about their quality of life. The COFFEE Mates’ information and education on breast and cervical health and cancer prevention are made known to women in the following ways: • Presentations • Health Fairs • Home Health Parties • Informational Sessions • Community Events • ACS Relay for Life • Annual Brunch Most importantly, no woman who has been diagnosed with either breast or cervical cancer is left to go alone on her cancer journey. COFFEE Mates, who are interested in patient navigation as well as education, are trained to navigate the patient through the healthcare system by providing resources through the American Cancer Society. Continued effort to educate minority women in the Greater New Orleans area proves to reduce the number of cancer diagnoses and to improve survivorship in the lives of many women, especially those who may not be aware of the many resources available.

For more information contact nedra.wardsworth@cancer.org or patricia.ann@npnnola.com. THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

Community Service & Neighborhood Wellness

Historic Green’s Annual Spring Greening By Becki Chall

For two weeks in March, volunteers from all over the country swarmed the Ninth Ward for Historic Green’s annual Spring Greening event, helping homeowners improve their homes and lower their utility bills.

ocal non-profit Global Green USA teamed up with Historic Green and the Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development, (CSED) to lead volunteers in weatherizing homes for New Orleans residents. Global Green’s technical team of Andrew Spaulding, Cody Wero and Al Wilson helped teach proper duct sealing; they also air-sealed leaky floors and performed amazing feats of flexibility to traverse treacherous attics. With the help of volunteers, teams installed radiant barriers and insulation, upgraded lighting to efficient CFLs, sealed windows and doors using weather stripping, and improved HVAC performance by sealing leaky duct work. All of these efforts will improve the energy efficiency of the homes, making them more comfortable for residents and cheaper to heat and cool. Over the course of the two-week event, Global Green led work on the homes of several residents, including Joseph Bernard, Shirley Charlot and Ernest Taylor. Each of the homeowners had no shortage of stories to share with the volunteers and crew leaders. Shirley Charlot’s tales of dealing with contractor fraud and damage done to her home made the work all that more important, while Mr. Taylor’s enthusiasm and willingness to chat about anything kept volunteers entertained as the retired HVAC contractor worked side-by-side with them.

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One of the great things about the Spring Greening event was the diversity of the volunteers. College freshmen from New York University weatherized homes alongside utility workers from Kansas. People came from all over the country to help make this historic community a more sustainable place. In addition to teaching and leading teams, Global Green staff connected Historic Green with local materials from St. Claude Community Hardware, performed quality assurance and diagnostic testing on the homes, and gave tours of the Holy Cross Project to volunteers. Not only did the Spring Greening help homeowners in the Ninth Ward make their homes healthy and energy efficient, but it also sent volunteers home with an awareness of the challenges New Orleans faces and how their own communities can learn from the work done to overcome them. Interested in learning how Global Green can help improve the energy efficiency of your home and help lower your utility bills? For more information, contact Global Green at 504-525-2121 to schedule a free consultation with our technical experts, or stop by their Green Building Resource Center at 841 Carondelet Street.

News & Culture

Jena Six Activist Convicted

Faces Decades in Prison By Jordan Flaherty

Civil rights activist Catrina Wallace, who received national acclaim for her central role in organizing protests around the Jena Six case, was convicted on March 31 of three counts of distribution of a controlled substance. She was taken from the courtroom straight to jail after the verdict was read, and given a $ 1 million bail. Her sentencing is expected to come in May.

allace, who is 30, became an activist after her teenage brother, Robert Bailey, was arrested in December of 2006 and charged with attempted murder after a fight at Jena High School. Bailey and five others later became known as the Jena Six, and their cause became a civil rights rallying cry that was called the first struggle of a 21st-century Civil Rights Movement. Their case eventually brought 50,000 people on a march through the town of Jena and, as a result of the public pressure, the young men were eventually freed. The six are all now in college or, in the case of the youngest, on their way. Wallace and her mother, Caseptla Bailey, stayed in Jena and founded Organizing in the Trenches, a community organization dedicated to working with youth. Catrina Wallace was represented by Krystal Todd of the Lasalle Parish Public Defenders Office. The case was prosecuted by Lasalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters, who also prosecuted the Jena Six case, and who famously told a room full of students, “I can make your lives disappear with a stroke of my pen.” The case was presided over by 28th District Judge J. Christopher Peters, a former Assistant District Attorney under Reed Walters. Peters is the son of Judge Jimmie C. Peters, who held the same seat until 1994. The 12-person jury had one black member. Wallace was arrested as part of “Operation Third Option,” which saw more than 150 officers, including a SWAT team and helicopters, storm into Jena’s black community on July 9, 2009. Although no drugs were seized, a dozen people were arrested, based on testimony and video evidence provided by a police informant, 23-year-old convicted drug dealer Evan Brown. So far, most of those arrested on that day have pled guilty and faced long sentences. Devin Lofton, who pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, received ten years. Adrian Richardson, 34, who pled guilty to two counts of distribution of a controlled substance, received 25 years. Termaine Lee, a 22-year-old,

who had no previous record but faced six counts of distribution of a controlled substance, received 20 years. In response to the verdict, community members expressed sadness and outrage. “We don’t have any help here,” said Marcus Jones, the father of Mychal Bell, another of the Jena Six youths. “Catrina tried to keep in high spirits leading up to the trial, but when a bomb like this is dropped on you, what can you do?” Jones and others are calling for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. Wallace, a single mother, has three small children, aged 3, 5 and 10. The youngest child has frequent seizures.

For more background on this case, see Jena Sheriff Seeks Revenge for Civil Rights Protests at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-flaherty/jenasheriff-seeks-reveng_b_575413.html

Jordan Flaherty is a journalist and staffer with the Louisiana Justice Institute. His award-winning reporting from the Gulf Coast has been featured in a range of outlets including the New York Times, Mother Jones and Argentina’s Clarin newspaper. He has produced news segments for Al-Jazeera, TeleSur, and Democracy Now, and appeared as a guest on CNN Morning, Anderson Cooper 360o and Keep Hope Alive with the Reverend Jesse Jackson. His new book is FLOODLINES: Community and Resistance from Katrina to the Jena Six. He can be reached at neworleans@leftturn.org. More information about FLOODLINES can be found at floodlines.org. For speaking engagements, see communityandresistance.wordpress.com

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“Our community is the place where we... can be most effective.” —Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus 50 years ago, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus founded A ARP because she was inspired to help others in her community. Dr. Andrus couldn’t ignore people’s needs for health and financial security. A ARP has continued her work to help all Americans get the most out of life. Together we work to make livable communities a reality for everyone. AARP is making a difference for families in Louisiana where it is needed most — right here at home.

Discover more of what we do for every generation at aarp.org/LA.

THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

A Chicken Coop

News & Culture

The Unlikely Birthplace of a Fundamental Idea By Denise Bottcher

r. Ethel Percy Andrus was Dr. Andrus founded AARP a high school principal in because she was inspired to help Southern California. After others and change the world. Dr. retiring, she volunteered Andrus couldn’t ignore people’s on behalf of other retired needs for health and financial security. educators. A local grocer thought she She couldn’t ignore the retired might want to check on a woman who teacher living in the chicken coop. frequented his store. The grocer said the AARP has continued her work to woman needed glasses, dentures and help all Americans pursue their best food. He didn’t know her name, but he lives. Right here at home, AARP is knew where the woman lived and that making a difference for families in she had been a teacher. Louisiana where it is needed most, With address in hand on a cold drizzly advocating for public policies and day, Andrus located a sizable and wellprograms that meet the needs of built home. She was told the “lady of the those aged 50-plus and being a house” was on an outing. A bit puzzled, champion for all generations. she went to a neighboring house to As our nation faces growing inquire about the owner of the home next challenges, AARP has launched door. She learned that the woman was Create the Good to help all More than 100 people participate in AARP Walking Clubs to improve their health not elderly or in any need. As she turned and fitness in New Orleans. Learn how to start your own walking club using a Americans make a difference in their to go, now even more puzzled, the neigh- Create The Good toolkit at www.CreateTheGood.org. own time and in their own ways. bor remembered an “old lady who lived Anyone can visit us at out back.” CreateTheGood.org to find or post ways to get involved in activities that “Out back” was the chicken coop. Andrus knocked on the door of the help neighbors and communities. With a new, robust searchable datawindowless shack. The occupant, wearing a ragged coat, slipped through base you can find an activity that suits your schedule and your interests the door and closed it behind her. Upon learning her name, Andrus – whether you have 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5 days. Through Create the recalled the woman’s reputation as a Spanish teacher of some distinction. Good, you can connect to a network of people, tools and ideas to help The woman told her story. you make a difference in your community. While still teaching, she had saved enough money to buy, on installments, some scenic acreage which she had planned to subdivide and sell to supplement her retirement income. But the Depression eliminated all sale opportunities and a flood washed away the approaches to the property. By then, she had already retired with no chance of re-employment. While she still had her $40 monthly pension, she had lost the property and the chicken coop was the only home she could afford. “To serve, not to be served.” Those inspiring words said by Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, the founder of 785 Harrison Avenue, New Orleans, 70124 AARP, more than 50 years ago live in perpetuity. They are still as relevant 504-813-2222 today as they were then, helping to guide AARP’s work and service to those aged 50-plus.

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Public Affairs Research Council

News & Culture

Warns Against Redistricting Abuses

By Naomi Martin

Louisiana politicians could use their control over the upcoming congressional redistricting process to keep themselves — and their parties — in power for the next decade, according to a new report by the Public Affairs Research Council, (PAR), an independent non-profit based in Baton Rouge. The proposed maps were voted on as bills during a special legislative session from March 20 to April 13.

n the study, PAR repeats its 2009 recommendation that lawmakers establish an independent commission charged with redrawing district boundaries, rather than do it themselves. That avoids the “potential for conflicts of interest and political manipulation,” the study says. With the 2010 redistricting process already under way, the report urges citizen vigilance over the ongoing process but acknowledges that genuine reform must wait until the next redistricting, in 2020. “An independent redistricting commission or some form of more objective decision-making would better serve the broader interests of the public and improve the state’s image as a place where serious political reforms have replaced … cronyism and self-dealing,” PAR says in the 21-page study titled “Louisiana Redistricting: A Progress Report.” Using key voter data such as past voting patterns and party affiliations, incumbent politicians can use Louisiana’s geographical variety and spotty community distribution as an excuse to create snaking, awkwardly-shaped districts – gerrymanders, by another name — that maximize one party’s chances of victory. “If politicians choose their voters, instead of the other way around, the public is not well served,” PAR says. The redrawn boundaries will affect the districts electing the U.S. House of Representatives, five courts of appeal, the state Supreme Court, the Public Service Commission, and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Based on 2010 Census data, Louisiana stands to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, trimming the Louisiana delegation to six. While five of Louisiana’s current congressional districts tend to vote Republican, the 2nd and 3rd districts have proved competitive in recent years. This is likely to change if the Republican-controlled House redraws the districts to compress Democratic constituencies into a single district around New Orleans. “They’ll probably sacrifice the New Orleans district as Democrat, but make sure the rest of them are Republican,” says Brian Brox, a political science professor at Tulane University. The federal government may intervene, however, if the remapping appears to suppress African-American representation.

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Louisiana is one of eight states that, under Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, must prove to the U.S. Justice Department that new redistricting plans do not discriminate against racial minorities. “Placing large numbers of African Americans into their own districts could help ensure that an African-American politician could be elected, but it also could reduce the number of minority seats in the Legislature and dilute the impact of African-American voters in majority-white districts,” the PAR report says. “With African Americans accounting for almost a third of Louisiana’s population, an argument could be made that the state should have two minority congressional districts instead of one.” But, as there is no official definition for a “minority district,” the law is subject to interpretation by lawmakers. “The public should watch this trend during the redistricting process to monitor whether the new state maps will create starker political polarization and less competitive elections in Louisiana,” the study says. So far, PAR says, politicians have been discussing and planning their remapping privately. A series of public meetings around the state to hear voters’ opinions on the matter includes one on Thursday at Dillard University. For updated information on state redistricting, visit the PAR website at www.la-par.org.

New Orleans Redistricting The New Orleans City Council held a citywide meeting to inform the community about the process to redraw council district boundaries on April14. The City Council Redistricting Plan is not to be confused with the redistricting effort that is ongoing in the Louisiana State Legislature. That separate redistricting effort impacts seats in the State House of Representatives and State Senate as well as Louisiana’s United States Congressional Districts. For more information regarding the New Orleans City Council Redistricting Plan, visit www.nolacitycouncil.com.

City Council Hops Aboard to

News & Culture

Extend Streetcar Service to Bywater By Ariella Cohen

The city council is throwing its weight behind Bywater residents and businesses, calling on the Regional Transit Authority to expand streetcar service to the neighborhood’s Poland Avenue eastern boundary.

n April 7, the council approved a resolution requesting that the agency extend a planned French Quarter line another mile beyond its current endpoint at the Press Street railroad tracks, which divide Marigny from Bywater. The requested extension, to a point just west of the Industrial Canal, would connect to a new cruise ship terminal planned for the Poland Avenue wharf, will help improve the mobility of neighborhood residents and create new opportunities for economic development in the downtown enclave, said councilwoman Kristen Gisleson Palmer, who represents the area and authored the resolution. “Bywater has been cut off from the rest of the city for far too long. This is an important step to reconnect people to jobs and businesses,” she said. Palmer advocated for the extension long before stepping into office. She also has sisters who operate a non-profit art gallery in the neighborhood. She said she hopes the council support will

BYWATER

pressure the RTA to step up negotiations with Norfolk Southern, the railway operator that controls the tracks. Norfolk Southern has in the past objected to the prospect of granting the right-of-way needed for a streetcar to cross Press Street. “They haven’t come to the table and we need that to change,” Palmer said. The council resolution lacks binding legal force; and, while the RTA has said that it, too, would like to extend the streetcar past Press Street, the board-run Authority has not yet taken significant steps toward realizing the goal. In a recent interview with The Lens and FOX TV-8 News, RTA chief Justin Augustine said that he would ask his board to begin thinking seriously about extending the planned line to Poland Avenue. “We are still in the preliminary design phase, so now is the time to start looking at how to do it,” he said. Mayor Mitch Landrieu has said in the past that he, too, supports an extension, although the city has let the RTA take the lead on the issue. Current plans have the RTA using $79 million in bond money to pay for the French Quarter loop ending at Press Street, with a spur at Elysian Fields Avenue. Each mile of track costs $20 to $25 million, so adding on the extra mile to get to Poland Avenue would mean raising more money before construction begins in the summer of 2012, Augustine said. He did not respond directly to the claim by transit activists that the Elysian Fields spur will cost $18 million while failing to bring streetcar access to many residents. The critics argue that the spur could be eliminated without much public cost andthat the $18 million could be rerouted to the Poland Avenue segment. “I champion and respect their opinion. But, more importantly, we have to get all parties to the table and see what’s really viable,” Augustine said. Getting Norfolk Southern to the table, however, may not be easy, judging from a response the company sent to The Lens this week. When asked if they would consider granting a right-of-way for a streetcar to cross Press Street, Norfolk Southern spokesman Rudy Husband highlighted the same safety concerns that have historically halted conversations. “We are opposed to an at-grade railroad crossing at Press Street because it would create an unsafe situation for both streetcar and freight rail,” he said.

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Success in Birmingham & Atlanta Provides Ideas for

News & Culture

Citizen Participation Project for New Orleans By Keith Twitchell

The most powerful source of information is people with firsthand knowledge of a subject.

o provide the New Orleans community with an up-close look at Citizen Participation Programs, (CPPs), Neighborhoods Partnership Network, (NPN) and Committee for a Better New Orleans, (CBNO) brought community leaders together from neighborhoods, businesses and government in Birmingham and Atlanta to New Orleans for a series of public events during March 16–19. Birmingham’s and Atlanta’s programs were selected because they are successful programs and the cities have similar history, culture and economy to New Orleans. Hattie Dorsey, longtime neighborhood leader, was the guest from Atlanta. The Birmingham guests included Bernard Kincaid, former mayor and neighborhood leader; Valerie Abbott, current City Council member and former neighborhood leader; Charlie Faulkner, former CEO of Princeton Baptist Hospital; Don Lupo, director of the Mayor’s Office of Citizen Assistance and former neighborhood leader; Alison Glascock, president of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association; and Doris Powell, president of the Fountain Heights Neighborhood Association. The kick-off event was a community breakfast in New Orleans East, co-presented by Eastern New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission (ENONAC) and featuring a presentation by Hattie Dorsey. Dorsey spoke about Atlanta’s struggle to prepare for the 1996 Olympics, with a focus on the importance of a comprehensive approach to revitalization that recognizes the needs and assets of all geographic communities. She also acknowledged the significance of business investments in a community. Charlie Faulkner echoed this, emphasizing the benefits of investing for businesses. Following the presentation, neighborhood leaders from New Orleans East and Gentilly engaged the visitors in a robust question-and-answer session. As the breakfast was winding down, Mayor Kincaid, Councilor Abbott and Don Lupo went on to do a presentation for the New Orleans City Council at their March 17 meeting. The other Birmingham guests gave a brief history of their CPP, outlined important aspects of their program, and described its benefits and challenges. That afternoon, all guests met staff members from the Mayor’s Office and City Planning Commission. The guests discussed their programs, how they are funded, how they relate to the Planning Department, and projects that came out of their CPPs. The guests made several key points: neighborhood groups need to be funded; neighborhood boundaries need to be clearly defined; and training must be available to neighborhood leaders. Closing out a busy first day for our guests was a community meeting on the West bank, co-sponsored by the Algiers Council of Neighborhood Presidents and Algiers Economic Development Foundation. Mayor Kincaid and Councilor Abbott spoke about coming up as neighborhood leaders through the Birmingham CPP before taking elective office and how that experience was invaluable to their effectiveness as city officials. Alison Glascock and Doris Powell each spoke about strategies they have used to accomplish neighborhood goals. One key point they both emphasized was identifying the assets of a neighborhood and then leveraging those assets to improve the community. Friday morning began with a breakfast for business leaders hosted by the Downtown Development District. Charlie Faulkner was the principal presenter.

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He spoke about working with neighborhood associations and how the Birmingham CPP is a useful tool for business expansion, neighborhood stabilization, charitable giving, and workforce development. Mayor Kincaid and Councilor Abbott offered the analogy that the business community, neighborhoods and government are a three-legged stool -- if they do not work together, the stool will not stand. On Friday afternoon, the guests went on a tour of New Orleans, then arrived at the Juju Bag Café in Gentilly for a reception sponsored by Beacon of Hope and co-presented with Gentilly Civic Improvement Association (GCIA). The guests engaged in conversations with residents about the practical aspects of citizen participation. This was a wonderful opportunity for neighborhood leaders to have direct dialogue about the many ways a CPP will build equity and opportunity in New Orleans. The CPP Experience culminated on Saturday morning with a Town Hall Meeting at the Zeitgeist Theater in Central City. This event featured a panel discussion summarizing the guests’ perspectives on citizen participation and how the Birmingham CPP works. The guests also emphasized the value of their CPP as a tool for developing future city leadership. They gave their recommendations for achieving a system of strong, formalized citizen participation in New Orleans. Finally, they answered questions from attendees about effective community leadership and citizen engagement. It is a rare thing for relative strangers to sit down together and have a dialogue about the important values of democracy, open governance and community growth. During the visit, our guests engaged with close to 150 New Orleans residents in four Council districts around the city on exactly these topics, and the trip would have been important if only for those conversations. Perhaps the most rewarding outcome, though, was the fresh perspective provided by the visitors. Not only did they speak experientially about citizen participation, they provided an unbiased perspective on the possibilities of a Citizen Participation Program in New Orleans. By anticipating things such as the issue of neighborhood boundaries, the importance of training and capacity building in neighborhoods, and the need to connect the Communities of Interest to the neighborhoods as strongly as possible, the guests prepped us for the somewhat daunting task that lies before our city. The talk of allocating funds to neighborhoods to initiate capital projects in Birmingham put an entirely new option on the table. Ultimately, the many examples of collaborative decision-making in both cities reminded us that an effective, formalized system of citizen participation can and will be realized in our city and showed clearly the promise of a better future that is offered by a CPP. In achieving this, the city of New Orleans must remember the threelegged stool metaphor our guests introduced. The neighborhoods, the business community and city government all play essential roles in the design and implementation of a Citizen Participation Program for New Orleans. We need the strength of all three to build such a program and to support the growth of our city.

For more information, visit the Committee for a Better New Orleans website at www.cbno.org

Community Health

Making Things Happen in Hollygrove

Trinity Christian Community By Patricia A. Davis

“Seek the SHALOM of the city where I have sent you … and pray to the Lord on its behalf.” — Jeremiah 29:7

hen it’s time to make things happen in Hollygrove, one name frequently crops up: Trinity Christian Community, (TCC). This faith-based community development corporation exists to: “educate and equip New Orleans leaders and organizations to effect change through leadership development, capacity building and community transformation.” TCC’s vision is the “premier incubator of leaders and organizations that work to improve the lives and environment of the most marginalized people in New Orleans.” TCC was founded in 1967 by the Rev. William J. “Bill” Brown, father of the present Executive Director, Kevin Brown, who has held the position since 1998. Along with his very supportive staff, Rev. Earl Williams as Chief Financial Officer, Evelyn Turner as Program Director, Sandy Brown as Volunteer Coordinator, Jarvain Bingmon as Executive Assistant and Chantel Dunn as Program Assistant, Kevin Brown works to develop community leaders, build their capacity to take action and assist them in the work of community transformation. And it’s working. From their Joliet Street community center the Carrollton Hollygrove Community Development Corporation was birthed, a comprehensive block captain program was implemented, the AARP Livable Communities Model was developed and the Hollygrove Farm and Market took root. Along the way, many Hurricane Katrina-damaged homes were rebuilt with the help of the citywide AmeriCorps Program and via partners such as Phoenix of New Orleans, Rebuilding Together New Orleans and Project Homecoming. Thousands of returning students were tutored by AmeriCorps members at 11 public schools and several neighborhood after-school programs. Over 10,000 volunteers were deployed, many of them staying in the dormitories of TCC’s Hollygrove Community Center. As a result, the neighborhood is changing. It wasn’t always easy. In the early days after the storm, TCC operated beneath a large circus tent erected in their parking lot adjacent to their damaged facility. From the tent, donated relief supplies were distributed, volunteers ate and took showers and community meetings took place. In 2007, operations resumed in their Hollygrove Community Center, which was donated one year before Katrina. Throughout TCC’s facilities (there are four), a host of weekly activities take place. A citywide AmeriCorps Program provides assistance to multiple rebuilding organizations. Seniors meet several times weekly to stay engaged, learn, eat and play. Youth come for after-school tutoring, various clubs, and dance classes through the New Orleans Ballet Association, Young Life Clubs, Pure Hearts Sexual Abstinence Club and summer camps. A community computer center provides Internet and computer access to neighborhood residents. And various initiatives to jumpstart the Conrad Park Booster Club as well as other neighborhood projects take place there. Young neighborhood men participate in the

Pressing On Basketball Program twice weekly. Kevin Brown, Executive Director, has also served as a Neighborhoods Partnership Network Capacity College Fellow. And the awards have piled up. Two employees were awarded the “Presidential Call to Service” award, Brown was named “Citizen of the Year” by the U.S. Marshal Service and Attorney General Eric Holder awarded Brown the “Meritorious Public Servant of the Year” award. Former First Lady Laura Bush mentioned them in a speech to the nation. Because of the relationship between TCC, their neighborhood partners and AARP, Hollygrove has become a model for the nation and the Livable Communities Program is being replicated in multiple neighborhoods throughout the United States. The partners’ work and dedication to community health led to Hollygrove being selected as a neighborhood partner of the REACH CORE Healthy Neighborhood New Orleans initiative, whose support will help the neighborhood attain new successes. The Hollygrove community is experiencing an amazing resurgence these days, thanks to the work of Trinity Christian Community and their many partners. The goal of developing leaders who transform the community has indeed become a model to be replicated across the country.

Get Connected to New Orleans Neighborhoods! Post News & Events for Your Organization at NPNnola.com 14

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Internet-Based Resource Center for

Healthy NOLA Website Training By Ashley Burg

After18 months of development, the Healthy NOLA Neighborhoods internet-based resource center is ready for your input.

ealthy Nola Neighborhoods is envisioned to inform, empower and support residents and neighborhood leaders in planning and taking action to build healthier neighborhoods. As a first step in the Healthy NOLA Neighborhoods Program, Louisiana Public Health Institute, (LPHI) and its partners have been creating an interactive website and toolkit. The website is now at a point of development to afford the opportunity for you and other community members to provide feedback. Coming up in mid-May, LPHI and its partners will be hosting two training sessions at the Mahalia Jackson Early Childhood and Family Center. The trainings will introduce community members to the tools and resources of the website which include:

• Neighborhood health data and social information with neighborhood mapping • Over 1,300 community leadership stories and community models • Tools and guides for planning and taking action across a host of neighborhood issues • Listings of local and national organizations that will be available to partner with your neighborhood for planning and action For neighborhood groups, the option to set up a personalized healthy neighborhood webpage that can hold selected and newly added neighborhood information, conduct chats, plus a calendar, and a simple project management tool, which includes: • Updated national news stories about healthy topics • The ability for neighborhoods to track changes and progress over time The official dates and times for the training will be posted on the Neighborhoods Partnership Network (NPN) and LPHI websites. If you are interested in being one of the first people to see and drive the Healthy Nola Neighborhoods website, please email to Ashley Burg at aburg@lphi.org or call 504-301-9811.

Advertise in the Trumpet! The Trumpet is New Orleans only community magazine written by neighborhood residents, for neighborhoods, and about New Orleans neighborhoods. The bi-monthly magazine, with a circulation of 11,000 copies throughout greater New Orleans, has over 110 contributors from our network who is fulfilling our vision of “community voices orchestrating change.”

And, We Would Like to Invite YOU to be a Part of this Symphony! As an advertising partner, you will help us shape each issue’s theme, which also contributes to the news and stories that affect our city, neighborhoods and residents. You can choose from either a 1/2, full or 3/4 page, which you will own for the entire year, (six issues). Whether you want to write something “article style,” or use the full space for a single graphic to highlight a service or event, you are welcome to shape your advertising space to best communicate your message. In addition, you will also have access to our other communication outlets, including our website, www.npnnola.com, The Trumpet Blog and our weekly newsletter, Trumpet Tidbits, which currently reaches 7,500 readers.

To Advertise, email info@npnnola.com THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

The

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Recounting the History of Our

Lakeview Neighborhoods By Nora McGunnigle, Photos by Scott Bicking, taken April 2011

Lakeview, as its name suggests, borders Lake Pontchartrain. It is the collection of neighborhoods and communities that sprang up in the mid-20th century.

eople sought to take advantage of the water and resort activities that were concentrated there, such as the yacht clubs, country clubs and access to the bordering City Park facilities. It was a predominantly white, middle-class neighborhood at the start of development, which boomed in the post-World War II era in the 1940s and 1950s; and it still remains one of the mostly predominantly white neighborhoods in the city. Back in the late 18th century, while New Orleans was under Spanish rule, a Spanish notary public named Don Almonester y Roxas purchased the land that was later to be known as Lakeview from an order of Capuchin priests. Not much was done with it at that time, since Almonester y Roxas was more occupied with developing and rebuilding the area around what is now known as Jackson Square in the French Quarter. As a result, this area of land by the lake remained largely untouched marshland until the mid-19th century. Irish immigrants built the New Basin Canal under the direction of the owner of the land at the time, Alexander Milne. The effect of the New Basin Canal on the Lakeview area was significant.

Eventually, it served as the main artery of the neighborhood, providing access between the lakefront and the Uptown area for commercial trade. However, it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the land was finally drained in order to permit residential building. Charles Louque began the efforts of land reclamation, and the process continued under the auspices of the New Orleans Land Company, which drained the land, constructed streets and started selling parcels of land by 1909. Even with schools, churches and homes being built in the early 20th century, the Lakeview area remained a mostly rural one until postWorld War II improvements were made to roads and transportation. The New Basin Canal was closed to traffic, and the Canal Boulevard Railroad Underpass was constructed to take its place just below Lakeview. Industrial uses decreased as commercial uses increased. Homes were built and designed in the cottage, brick ranch, bungalow and Craftsman styles. Lakeview also exists as a specific neighborhood within the overarching Lakeview area that includes Lakewood, West End and Navarre as well as the Lakeshore and Lake Vista neighborhoods. The historic boundaries of the entire

Lakeview area are generally thought to be Lake Pontchartrain to the north, the Orleans Avenue Canal to the east, City Park Avenue to the south and the 17th Street Canal to the west. The destruction of the Lakeview area in the wake of Hurricane Katrina was devastating. Lake Pontchartrain rose, and the levee floodwall near the 17th Street Canal collapsed, inundating the entire area with up to 14 feet of floodwater almost immediately. Houses were knocked off their foundations by the force of the floodwaters, and entire trees were uprooted. Most residents had the means to evacuate in a timely manner, but there were certainly casualties, mostly among the elderly residents of the area. According to the Greater New Orleans, (GNO) Community Data Center analysis by Valassis Residential and Business Database, there have been significant efforts to rebuild. As of June 2010: 93 percent of the Lakeshore and Lake Vista residents have returned; 79 percent of both Lakewood and Navarre residents have returned; and 59 percent of Lakeview residents have returned. Strong civic participation and neighborhood groups, such as NPN member organization Lakeview Civic Improvement Association, have led the way for rebuilding.

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Neighborhood Spotlight Organizations

Lakeview & neighborhood partners working together for a better community.

Beacon of Hope By Tina Marquardt

n February 2006, The Beacon of Hope Resource Center was created to help devastated neighborhoods affected by disaster to repopulate and redevelop. The Beacon of Hope empowers each neighborhood by encouraging its residents to work with their local, city, and state governments to create or enforce ordinances that deal with zoning, blight, infrastructure, and other issues that are relevant to neighborhood recovery. By mid- 2007, the Beacon of Hope established eight Satellite Beacons in the Lakewood South and Lakeview neighborhoods. From the experiences of these eight Beacons, a Neighborhood Recovery MODEL (Mapping, Outreach, Development, Engagement, Leadership) was developed. After five years of using this MODEL, Lakewood South has emerged from having all of their homes destroyed by the flooding after Katrina to now being 98 percent recovered. Beacon of Hope developed the Harrison Avenue Marketplace as one of several beneficial community programs to help the Lakeview area recover. Harrison Avenue Marketplace is a monthly outdoor art and food market that occurs on the second Wednesday of the month. This market was originally created to encourage businesses to return to the Harrison Avenue Corridor. Today, the Harrison Avenue Marketplace is a cornerstone of the Lakeview community drawing over 3,000 attendees and 72 food, arts and crafts vendors. It has developed into an economic engine for the Harrison Avenue Corridor that has a $1.8 million annual direct economic impact and is helping Lakeview-area businesses attain pre-Hurricane Katrina revenue. The market has proven to promote new businesses and boost community morale. Today, there are 25 Satellite Beacons in Carrollton-Riverbend, Gentilly, Hollygrove-Dixon, Lakewood, Lakeview, and in the Lower Ninth Ward. The Beacon of Hope trains neighborhood residents on how to collect parcel level data, identify and eliminate blighted properties, promote repopulation, foster area economic development, and advocate for

Come to the Harrison Avenue Marketplace outdoor art and food event held every Wednesday of the month. It’s at the Lakeview Grocery Store parking lot, by Canal and Harrison Street in Lakeview. Try their pralines their delicious!

their neighborhood’s needs. The Beacon has engaged over 750 resident volunteers to serve on neighborhood teams. Beacon of Hope has hosted more than 20,000 external volunteers from around the world who have assisted 1,700 residents with light rebuilding projects, cleared thousands of vacant and overgrown lots, restored eight playgrounds, and replanted more than 25 miles of public green space to make neighborhoods sustainable and more inviting to residents and businesses.

Lakeview Civic Improvement Association By Todd Wallace

akeview continues to lead the way in neighborhood revitalization. Lakeview and its Lakeview Civic Improvement Association (LCIA) continue their volunteer efforts to move the neighborhood from recovery to restoration to renaissance. As a socially and economically active community, LCIA recently set its sights on the opportunity to showcase Lakeview and the Harrison Avenue corridor with a new event aptly named “Taste at the Lake,” a celebration of food, music, wine and community spirit. On March 26, over 1,000 participants crowded in front of the new Lakeview Grocery to attend this unique event. Modeled after the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, patrons gathered to celebrate and support the resurgence of the neighborhood. A majority of the proceeds will go LCIA for capital improvement projects, including the continuing efforts to beautify Lakeview’s green spaces. LCIA successfully partnered with WGNO TV ABC-26/NOLA38-CW and THIS TV to put on this volunteer event, with Iberia Bank and Banner Chevrolet graciously serving as corporate sponsors.

On this beautiful early spring evening, patrons enjoyed over 30 food items from local favorite restaurants and over 30 wines paired with the dishes from around the world. Eateries from the Lakeview area as well as an assortment of fine restaurants from across the city of New Orleans came together for the event, including Mondo, Harrison Cove, the Steak Knife, Galatoire’s, Andrea’s, Mike’s on the Avenue, Jacque-imo’s, LeForet, Eco Café, Herbsaint, Koz’s, Cochon Butcher, Deanie’s, and many, many more. The event also provided the restaurants with an opportunity to showcase the healthy return of Gulf Coast seafood. Many of the creative dishes focused on local seafood recipes. The DeSoto Street Band provided a great background of smooth New Orleans R&B and island music to provide the perfect sound for “Taste at the Lake.” “We could not be more proud of the success of this event,” commented Todd Wallace, President of LCIA. “This event is the direct result of the hard work, dedication and cooperation of the dozens of volunteers from LCIA and ABC. I am continually amazed at what this neighborhood can accomplish. Of course, we could not have done this without WGNO and our corporate sponsors who continue to have faith in the rebirth of this community,” Wallace added. Given the success of this event, LCIA and WGNO plan to make this an annual celebration. “The sky is the limit for ‘Taste at the Lake’ and Lakeview!” Wallace said.

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Spotlight Organizations

Photos of City Park by Scott Bicking, taken April 2011

Friends of City Park In the 1970s, lack of local and state funding sent City Park into a state of disrepair. The Vice President of City Park’s Board of Commissioners, J. Barbee Winston, teamed up with Mrs. Henry J. “Peggy” Read to organize the first fundraising organization for the park. Read recruited volunteers, drafted a charter and bylaws and, at the urging of the Board of Commissioners President Waldemar S. Nelson, Friends of City Park was born in 1979. Nelson selected Mrs. Read as the organization’s first president. Friends of City Park, known as “Friends,” initiated programs and staged events to increase public awareness and support for City Park. In its early years, Friends raised capital to restore the Rose Garden and to erect a fence around what is now the New Orleans Botanical Garden. Friends also instituted two of the park’s largest events, “Celebration in the Oaks” (formerly “Christmas in the Oaks”) and “Lark in the Park.” The success of these events has enabled Friends to donate millions of

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dollars to City Park and has led to the development of additional fundraisers, including “Ghosts in the Oaks” and “Martini Madness.” In addition, the organization created a membership program for donors to enjoy the Park’s many attractions. Today, Friends of City Park’s mission is to raise funds to maintain and refurbish New Orleans City Park as a place of natural beauty, rest and renewal for the community.

Public Policy

Why the Washington Budget Cuts to Service Programs Matter to New Orleans By Lakshmi Sridaran

he U.S. House of Representatives just finalized the 2011 federal budget, which included a hefty $38 billion in cuts to programs across the board, even eliminating many. Although trimming the budget was necessary to manage the nation’s rising debt, the areas in which these cuts were made will have major impacts at the state and local levels. One important area of funding slashed was in community service programs. This includes $942 million from the Community Development Block Grant, (CDBG) program, and at least $20 million from the Community Service Block Grant program, (CSBG). Louisiana will see over $20 million in Community Development Block Grants, (CDBG) cut from the state budget. CDBG dollars were a major source of federal funding for recovery programs after Hurricane Katrina, with a total of $411 million allocated to New Orleans. Additionally, the annual budget for the Corporation for National and Community Service, (CNCS), which manages several volunteer programs, fell by $14 million. The popular AmeriCorps Service Program, started by President Bill Clinton, and modeled after the international Peace Corps program, will see a $23 million reduction in its annual budget. This national volunteer program sent countless volunteers to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to assist neighborhoods and non-profits in rebuilding. Many have stayed on for longer-term recovery efforts as well. According to a survey conducted by Neighborhoods Partnership Network, (NPN), and Louisiana State University, (LSU), volunteers were a critical source of human capital in many neighborhood-based organizations, particularly during the first two years after Hurricane Katrina. Out of 66 neighborhood organizations surveyed, more than 60 percent relied on volunteers. Volunteers helped most with physical labor and construction work, as well as recovery assessment surveys, mapping, and residential interviews. National community service programs were a major source of support for the City of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, especially when federal dollars were slow to come through the coffers. Although New Orleans has shifted to a new phase in its recovery process, volunteers and volunteer organizations are still critical to the

city’s progress. A Times-Picayune article from March 2009 states that “nearly four years after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans remains a prime destination for thousands of out-of-state volunteers willing to take a break from their own lives to help rebuild the city.” The same article reported that rebuilding non-profit groups including the St. Bernard Project, Habitat for Humanity, the Methodist church’s Southeast Louisiana Disaster Recovery Center, the Presbyterian-affiliated Project RHINO, and Catholic Charities’ Operation Helping Hands among others were bursting at the seams with volunteers even in 2009. Many of the people volunteering for these organizations in New Orleans are part of the federal community service programs, which are experiencing budget cuts. And, not all of these volunteers were temporary. Some of these volunteers have become permanent staff at local non-profits, and are paid in full by these federal community service programs. While many national volunteers came to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to support existing non-profits, a great number of local volunteers formed neighborhood organizations, non-profits, and community development corporations. These leaders continue to work tirelessly to not only carry out the missions of their organizations, but constantly work to find funding to keep them going. Today, many of these organizations have grown to become the centerpiece for resources and advocacy in their neighborhoods, providing critical information where the city has failed to do so. And, several foundations and philanthropies that have provided grant support to these neighborhood organizations have begun to wrap up their investments in New Orleans at the five-year mark of Hurricane Katrina closely coinciding with this year’s federal budget cuts. The spirit of volunteerism and community service in New Orleans rings strong, but with such severe budget cuts from all directions, it will become increasingly difficult for all volunteers to continue their important work. This is an opportunity for the city’s new Office of Neighborhood Engagement to help build the capacity of neighborhood organizations, so they can survive and continue to flourish despite the funding challenges.

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Government and Politics

Controversy Surrounding Jailed Black Louisiana Mayor

Attracts National Attention By Jordan Flaherty

A legal dispute in the rural Louisiana town of Waterproof has attracted the attention of national civil rights organizations and activists. Color Of Change, an online activist group that helped garner national attention for the Jena Six case, rallied their members in late March in support of Waterproof Mayor Bobby Higginbotham, who has been held without bail since May 2010.

dvocates say Higginbotham and police chief, Miles Jenkins, both African Americans, were targeted by an entrenched white power structure --- including a parish sheriff and district attorney who were threatened by the newly-empowered black political power in the town ----- are seeking to use the court system to undo an election. While the mayor and police chief were both found guilty last year, their defenders say the trials have not resolved the conflict. Rachel Conner, a lawyer representing Higginbotham in his appeal, says she has never seen a case with so many flaws. “Essentially, every single thing that you can do to violate someone’s constitutional rights from beginning to end, has happened in this case,” Conner said. The charges and counter charges are difficult to untangle. At the center of the case is a state audit of Waterproof that found irregularities in the town’s record keeping. The parish district attorney says the audit shows mayoral corruption. The mayor says the problems pre-date his term, and he had taken steps to correct the issues. The mayor’s opponents claim he stole from the town by illegally increasing his salary. His supporters say he received a raise that was voted on by the town aldermen. The mayor initially faced 44 charges, and all but two were dropped before the trial began. Those charges -- malfeasance in office and felony theft -- were related to the disputed raise and use of the town’s credit card. Miles Jenkins, the police chief, faced charges related to his enforcement of traffic tickets. The mayor was quickly convicted of both charges but lawyers have raised challenges to the convictions, bringing a number of legal complaints. For example, in a town that is 55 percent African American, Mayor Higginbotham had only one black juror. Higginbotham’s counsel was disqualified by the district attorney and the public defender had a conflict of interest, leaving the mayor with no lawyer. Two days before the trial began, the district attorney gave Higginbotham 10 boxes of files related to his case. Higginbotham’s request for an extension to get an attorney and to examine the files was denied. During jury selection, when Higginbotham was forced to act as his own lawyer, he tried to strike one juror who had relationships with several of the witnesses, but the court told him he could not, even though he had challenges remaining. There was also a problem with a sound recorder that the court reporter was using. As a result, there is no transcript at all for at least two witnesses’ testimonies. Finally, during deliberation, the judge gave the jury polling slips that had “guilty” pre-selected and then later hid the slips. When Higginbotham was convicted, the judge refused to set bail in any amount. Although a possible sentence for the crime was probation and despite the former mayor’s obvious ties to the community, Higginbotham has spent the last 11 months in jail while his lawyers have worked on his appeal.

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“People need to see exactly what is going on in these little southern towns around here,” Jenkins said.

“He’s not a flight risk,” Conner said. “He’s tied to Waterproof and he’s got a vested interest in clearing his name.” In January, the mayor of the Louisiana town of Richwood was convicted of malfeasance in office for writing more than $90,000 in checks to himself and others from the town bank account. He received five years probation and never spent a day in jail.

The Next Step

For Conner, the fact that the former mayor remains locked in jail awaiting appeal is the most shocking part of this case. “The vindictiveness, and whatever else is going on under the surface, I think that’s where it shows itself,” she said. Pointing to much more high-profile cases, with much more money involved, Conner asks why Higginbotham is still locked up. “William Jefferson is out on bail, Tom Delay is out,” she also explained. “And then you’ve got a guy with errors in his trial from A to Z. They didn’t even set $3 million as his bond. They set no bond.” The mayor and his allies have filed legal appeals, and are hoping for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate or for national media to come in. More than 50,000 people have signed a petition, initiated by Color Of Change, asking Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to intervene. Chief Jenkins, who still has pending charges, believes that Waterproof Police Chief Miles Jenkins once word gets out, justice will come to Waterproof. “People need to see exactly what is going on in these little southern towns around here,” Jenkins said.

Trumpet readers may wish to see a previous article on the Waterproof case at http://louisianajusticeinstitute. blogspot.com/2010/03/did-racist-coup-in-northern-louisiana.html. The Color Of Change Campaign has posted an article at http://colorofchange.org/campaign/justice-mayor-higginbotham/.

Government and Politics

Reinventing New Orleans?

Landrieu Team Steers Dwindling Recovery Dollars to Humdrum Projects By Ariella Cohen

In August, when Mayor Landrieu announced his plan for spending New Orleans’ hard-won recovery dollars, he warned a famously tradition-bound city that the time had come for change. “It’s especially important that we stop thinking about rebuilding the city we were and start creating the city we want to become,” he said, echoing his inaugural address.

review of how the Landrieu administration is spending the city’s $411 million pot of discretionary recovery dollars, however, reveals a reality that doesn’t quite match the mayor’s rhetoric. According to state records, the lion’s share of the discretionary Disaster Community Block Development Grant, (CDBG) dollars – a total of $226 million of the $319 million that’s been obligated thus far — is going, not toward the invention of a smarter, more forward-looking city, but toward rebuilding streets and buildings and for urban revitalization efforts in downtown areas that did not suffer the worst of Hurricane Katrina’s wrath. In the aftermath of Katrina, the federal government gave New Orleans a $411 million pot of CDBG disaster money. Designed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as “flexible grants to help cities, counties, and states recover from Presidentially-declared disasters, especially in low-income areas,” such money comes with relatively few restrictions beyond guidelines that projects must “principally” benefit areas or groups wherein a majority of people live in households with low to moderate incomes. In New Orleans, with a median income of $37,079, that means funded projects must principally benefit households with an annual income between $18,500 and $42,000. Funneling money through the CDBG program was devised as a way around rigid rules that limit FEMA funding – the other principal source of recovery money. The CDBG money can be used for infrastructure, housing, economic development or safety improvements. Given that broad latitude for spending the federal grants, the Unified New Orleans Plan that came out of months of post-storm public deliberation resolved that while FEMA money, supplemented with city bond funds and tax revenue, would go toward rebuilding public assets, the $411 million in CDBG disaster money should be primarily used for public-private economic development projects that would generate income for the city and create a “multiplier effect.” “In that way, CDBG funds may be recycled,” the UNOP report stated in a section on recovery financing strategies.

Earmarks with a Side of Meat and Potatoes Yet, analysis of the most up-to-date spending plan for the CDBG disaster recovery funds shows that UNOP’s suggestion to leverage the federal investment wasn’t much heeded. While some Landrieu initiatives are in stride with the forward-looking spirit with which the CDBG disaster allocations were received, in some cases grant money is being used more routinely, even to cover recurring expenses such as staffing City Hall. Of the city’s $319 million in CDBG disaster dollars that have been set aside for specific projects, $67 million, or one quarter, is earmarked for routine public works — tree planting, roadwork and construction of public facilities such as libraries, fire stations and police stations. Roughly $1.2 million more will be used to bulk up staffing that coordinates the city’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program and code enforcement operations.

Offsetting that meat-and-potato municipal spending is $161 million, or 39 percent of the total, earmarked for the large-scale economic development projects that were envisioned in post-storm public planning processes, including UNOP, the Bring Back New Orleans Plan and the Lambert Plan. The projects --- creation of a mile-long linear park along the Mississippi River in the Marigny and Bywater, property acquisition in the footprint of a new Veterans Affairs Medical Center, the purchase of an abandoned eastern New Orleans hospital and the revitalization of Canal’s Street historic theater district --- carry the potential to transform neighborhoods and inject new blood into the city’s economy. But with so much money going to refurbish public assets and only a few economic development programs in the works, critics say the spending could set the city up to recreate a pre-Katrina geography of poverty. “The real goal of [the CDBG disaster funds] program is to transform slums and blight by helping poor neighborhoods,” said Paul Lambert, a consultant hired in 2006 by the New Orleans City Council to assist with recovery planning in 49 flooded neighborhoods. “It’s a copout for the city to use this money to do things like street repair or rebuilding what was there before.” Lambert, whose planning firm is based in Florida, contrasts postKatrina New Orleans with Miami, where federal grants in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew paid for a rapid-transit system that has connected low-income communities with jobs across the region. In Missouri, CDBG disaster dollars paid for job training programs in high-tech fields. “You need more than a beautiful street if you want to transform a neighborhood,” Lambert said --- a view shared by planners at the University of New Orleans and advocates in neighborhoods who say the new administration should be funneling more money to programs and facilities in the neediest parts of the city. “The money needs to be going back to neighborhoods that have lost population. If more people returned, the city could pay for all these other things with tax revenue and everyone would be better off,” said Tess Monaghan, the executive director of Build Now, a for-profit homebuilder that focuses efforts in areas hit hard by Katrina such as Gentilly, the Lower Ninth Ward and Lakeview.

Don’t Forget Your Veggies The Landrieu administration appears to be taking initial steps to bridge the gap between the mayor’s record and his rhetoric. Earlier this month, Landrieu announced the launch of an innovative program of the type favored by Lambert and other planners. The Fresh Food Retailer Initiative will award $14 million in forgivable, low-interest loans to stores that commit to selling fresh fruit and vegetables in sections of the city now without supermarkets. The city’s investment of $7 million in CDBG disaster funds will be matched with $7 million from the financing institution that will administer the program, Hope Enterprise Corporation.

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Government and Politics Developed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina through a combination of public input and City Hall brainstorming, the supermarket incentive is one of a number of programs that eyed federal grants to provide opportunities for residents and businesses as communities were revived. Landrieu’s decision to move forward with the supermarket program was widely cheered by residents, community advocates and businesses across the city. “We don’t have one single supermarket in the Lower Ninth Ward, Desire-Florida, and eastern New Orleans has only one supermarket. Hopefully, this program will bring opportunities to the communities that need it the most,” eastern New Orleans City Councilman Jon Johnson said at the news conference.

The Fruits of Our Labor But while the $7 million city investment could bear fruit — literally — by the end of the year, other programs that were once in line for disaster grant funding remain on the drawing board. At least one, an urban gardening initiative, has already been cancelled. This $500,000 effort, known as the Urban Foods Garden Initiative, would have provided grants and loans to organizations willing to maintain productive vegetable and fruit gardens in fallow lots. The cut coincides with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority’s decision to scale back a program that provides incentives to homeowners to buy abandoned lots in their neighborhood and turn them into gardens or green space. NORA relies, in part, on CDBG disaster dollars to pay for Growing Home and other redevelopment efforts. Landrieu officials may also pull the plug on some $25 million that had been allocated to redevelop the 17 “target zones” that were the centerpiece of the blueprint developed by Ed Blakely, the recovery czar under former Mayor Ray Nagin. “We are currently re-evaluating the Neighborhood Commercial Investment Program (NCIP) to ensure that it is aligned with our economic development strategy and our goals to promote job growth and improve [Disadvantaged Business Enterprise] and local business opportunities,” Aimee Quirk, advisor to the Mayor on economic development, wrote in an e-mail.

A Mixed of the Old, A Dash of the New Tulane Avenue in Mid-City was one of the 17 target zones created by former City Hall recovery czar Ed Blakely. The area attracted new investment in the years after the storm but has seen progress stagnate as the economy continues to sag. The news comes as a disappointment to Billy Fields, who directs the Center for Urban and Public Affairs at University of New Orleans and who participated in community planning efforts after Katrina. The commercial investment program in question was the city’s primary tool for attracting the desired development in zones that included Tulane Avenue near the intersection of Carrollton Avenue; Harrison Avenue at the intersection of Canal Boulevard; Paris Avenue at Robert E. Lee Boulevard and South Claiborne Avenue near Louisiana Avenue. “It’s troubling to me that we spent five years working on plans, going to communities and saying this is what we are going to do in your neighborhood, and then there was no follow-though,” he said. In Mid-City, community garden operator Joseph Brock says that, while he understands the tough choices facing the Landrieu administration, he thinks investing grant money into groups like his community garden management organization, Nola Green Roots, would pay off in jobs and healthier food for residents. Currently, his organization receives? a mix of private donations and revenue generated by the sale of produce grown at the company’s gardens in Mid-City and the Ninth Ward. With support from the city, he would be able to build new gardens in low-income parts of the city where it is difficult to draw private support. “We can sustain operations once we start growing, but we need the start-up money to hire people, to build,” Brock, a New Orleans native, said.

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But there are indicators that the city plans to invest unspent CDBG disaster dollars — including the $25 million set aside for the target zones — in a project that might well have a transformative impact on a stretch of parking lots along Loyola Avenue near City Hall. The project, named South Market District, calls for high-rise development of housing, shops and offices. Though never declared a “target zone”, the now-fallow downtown area was highlighted in UNOP and other public planning efforts as ripe for the dense, mixed-use redevelopment now proposed. If the development attracts the significant private investment it needs to get off the ground, it could bring jobs and provide much-needed sales tax revenue, generating the kind of “multiplier effect” envisioned in the Unified New Orleans Plan.

The Work is Plenty, The Laborers are Few But on the streets of the Lower Ninth Ward, where plans have been plentiful and progress elusive for years, activists say they appreciate Landrieu’s approach. A $2.3 million rebuild of the Andrew “Pete” Sanchez Community Center is one in a handful of building, roadwork and infrastructure projects approved for disaster grant money since Landrieu took office. One longtime neighborhood activist, Vanessa Gueringer, says she is pleased to see the investment in the new building, even if it comes at the expense of programming that could be considered more innovative. “I do think those things are going to come in time, but we’re going to have to look to foundations, donations, philanthropy,” she said. The city has already taken steps in that direction. Recently, the mayor announced a $20 million loan program underwritten by the global investment-banking heavyweight Goldman Sachs and managed by Hope Enterprise Corp., the city’s co-partner in the supermarket program. An entirely private initiative, the Goldman Sachs program is not accountable to the public in the way a government program would be, yet it will provide the same kind of financing opportunities as the target-zone investment program established by Nagin and Blakely. A separately approved obligation of $27 million for the Finance Authority of New Orleans’ soft secondmortgage program is on hold while the city reworks its application, Office of Community Development spokeswoman Christina Stephens said in an e-mail. If the application is approved, the funds will be directed to firsttime homebuyers and those rehabbing damaged homes, she said. Separately, the mayor’s advisor on economic development mentioned above, Aimee Quirk, wrote, “We are committed to improving economic opportunities and access to capital for local businesses.” Signs of that commitment have begun to show on the long-neglected blocks that surround the historic St. Roch Market in the Upper Ninth Ward. In July, the mayor signed off on spending $1.8 million in CDBG disaster dollars to transform a privately owned, untended St. Claude Avenue furniture store into a cluster of businesses – including meditation and yoga studios, a food co-op, a juice bar and the like — to be called The New Orleans Healing Center. The $10 million renovation of the mixed-use building, owned by developer Pres Kabacoff, is under way. St. Roch resident Andy Blanco stands in the shade of an abandoned building across the street from New Orleans Healing Center and down the block from the shuttered St. Roch Market. Though unsure of whether he will make use of the juice bar, yoga studio or food co-op going up across St. Claude, he hopes the activity will encourage the city to make faster progress on the St. Roch Market. “That was an important place for this community,” he said. Nearby, the Recovery School District, with city support, is sinking $15.5 million into a high-profile rehab of the Charles J. Colton Middle School on St. Claude Avenue. Architect and urban planner Steven Bingler has worked with officials at City Hall and in the RSD to plan just these sorts of clusters of public and private investment. “Part of the idea of UNOP was for people to vision and then get together and determine which parts of the vision are possible,” said Bingler, the founder and president of the design and planning firm Concordia, which was hired to manage the UNOP process. “At this stage of the game, we are making hard decisions, but it’s on a good track.”

Education

The Recovery School District Has

Cheated New Orleans Students Out of Access to Real School Choice

By Karran Harper-Royal

n March 18, The Times-Picayune published a story that said, “Most charter schools outperform traditional schools.” The traditional public schools cited in the article include the low-performing schools that were taken over by our state and placed in the Recovery School District (RSD). The Recovery School District was supposed to improve the schools and give them back to our local board. However, it seems that the only method that the RSD is utilizing to improve the schools is to maintain the schools’ failure so that the schools will qualify to become charter schools. The RSD has not improved any of its direct-operated schools enough to qualify for return to the local board, and it is imperative to question the validity of the RSD. One has to ask, “Was this by design?” Has the RSD deliberately trapped the lowest-performing students in schools under their jurisdiction so that the charter schools would have more access to the higherperforming students in New Orleans? The unreleased analysis commissioned by New Schools for New Orleans, from the 2009 Stanford University CREDO Study, would have many New Orleanians believe that charter schools are so much better and that they outperform the Recovery School District-operated schools. The scariest part of all of this is that New Orleans is being viewed as a model for educational reform by the rest of the country. In this reform, we tout our “all choice” district as the opportunity for all children—whom our local school board failed prior to the takeover—to choose better schools. We stated that children have their choice of over 70 schools to attend in New Orleans. But this assertion is mere propaganda. In truth, students only have the choice to apply to over 70 schools, and many students end up in lotteries for the higher-performing schools. Students not selected in the lottery do not have a choice. They have to attend schools where there are available seats. Therefore, the remaining schools that many students choose are the lower-performing Recovery School District schools. Thousands of students have found themselves trapped in RSD’s failing schools. Trapping these lowest-performing students in RSD schools ensures that there will be schools to convert to charters because these schools will definitely be identified as persistently failing. Trapping students in failing schools should not be replicated as an academic improvement strategy.

The Louisiana Department of Education has actually trapped students in its RSD direct- operated schools. The Louisiana Department of Education failed to provide proper oversight to ensure that parents were notified by the RSD of the opportunity for low-income, low-performing students to be placed at the front of the line in the school choice movement. I recently discovered that, for at least the last three years and perhaps longer, the RSD has not given its students access to “real choice” as prescribed in the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Top officials within the RSD told U.S. Department of Education officials that the system of open enrollment in New Orleans gives all students “choice.” The government officials told the RSD officials that they still had to offer choice in accordance with No Child Left Behind and they had to make it very clear to parents that the system of open enrollment was not the same as choice under the No Child Left Behind Act. Despite posting information about school choice on their website, many parents whose children attend RSD traditional schools have never seen the letter that was supposed to be sent home to alert them of their right to school choice. The RSD was supposed to notify 4,779 students of their right to choice prior to the start of the current school year, and it claimed to have notified parents of their right to school choice. However, I have found only one parent who actually received a choice letter. In fact, the RSD directed that parent to one of the failing high schools instead of one of their higher-performing charter schools. Additionally, according to a report to the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), of the 4,779 students eligible for real choice in the RSD, only 15 students applied for choice and only six actually transferred to a higher-performing school, utilizing choice under NCLB. Most of those high-performing charter schools in the recent Times-Picayune story were not offered as options for the lowest-performing students in New Orleans eligible for choice under NCLB. There is a cruel hoax being perpetrated upon the most academically needy students in New Orleans. The Louisiana Charter School Law was meant to provide opportunities to at-risk students by creating innovative schools. In New Orleans, the most at-risk students have been shut out of what some are calling a “great education reform miracle.” Recently, Sen. Mary Landrieu called for New Orleans schools to serve as a model for education reform across the country. New Orleans schools are not a model that should be replicated across this country, unless we want to replicate trapping students in failing schools so that charter schools can have the appearance of being successful. Our children deserve real choices and real opportunities for quality education reform.

HELP! I am trapped in a RSD failing school

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College Readiness

Education

A Way of Life at Miller McCoy Academy By J. Samuel Cook

oncerned students, faculty, supporters and other well-wishers packed hearings last month to protest a proposed merger of New Orleans’ two public, four-year universities, the University of New Orleans and Southern University at New Orleans. As defenders of the institutions registered their opposition to the proposal, its proponents pointed to the schools’ low graduation rates — 28 percent and 10 percent, respectively — as evidence that the institutions were failing New Orleans students and warranted significant reforms. But the root cause of SUNO and UNO’s graduation rates is much deeper, and begs the question: What type of future do we want for the future graduates of New Orleans Public Schools? Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting for an 11th-grade social studies class at Miller McCoy Academy, a public, college-preparatory, all-male charter school located in New Orleans East. Immediately, I was impressed by the students’ immense knowledge of the Federal Reserve System, fractional reserve banking and inflation ---- concepts that might stump even some of the brightest adults. Clearly, the administrators, teachers and staff at Miller McCoy had done an exemplary job in preparing their young men for the upcoming GEE and LEAP tests. But what was most impressive was the school’s decided emphasis on college and university readiness. Miller McCoy’s focus on making college attendance the norm was evident in the 11th-grade “acceptance board,” filled with college acceptance letters from institutions such as Auburn and New York University as well as the Louisiana State University. Ohio State, Virginia Tech University and other pennants could be seen hanging throughout the campus. It is clear that Miller McCoy is at the forefront of a dramatic shift in New Orleans education, charting a better course for New Orleans students by creating a “college culture” whereby all students are prepared for and expected to engage in a wide range of post-secondary options. There are myriad reasons for optimism among educators and parents alike in New Orleans. Graduation rates are on the rise and fewer of our

kids are languishing in failing schools. The number of students dropping out of the school system has drastically declined; a sense of hope and collective purpose has swept educators, replacing decades of despair and turmoil. These facts prompted Orleans Parish School Board member Brett Bonin to remark recently that New Orleans “finally knows what a good school system is.” And, while New Orleans parents and community members alike welcome any progress, however incremental, such welcome news obscures several inconvenient truths — facts which must, and can, be remedied as we work to enact meaningful educational reforms and create a college culture in New Orleans. By 2016, the number of New Orleans public school graduates attending college should be no less than 60 percent. And the number requiring remediation in English and math should be no greater than half. It’s ambitious, but it’s going to require unprecedented levels of commitment from education leaders, teachers and community members. Creating a college culture is the absolute most important undertaking Orleans Parish Public Schools can engage in. While GEE and LEAP scores are essential tools in assessing grade-level expectations, the real litmus test of academic excellence is whether or not a student is prepared for the world outside of the classroom. Gone are the days when a high school diploma was a ticket to the middle class. The jobs of the future will require more training, more expertise and more education. Preparing New Orleans students to compete in the global economy is one of the most urgent challenges we face. Miller McCoy Academy is a shining example of what can be done when leadership is committed, teachers provide a consistent message that supports college attendance, and counselors, administrators and families act as partners in preparing students for college. They’re at the forefront of meaningful, bottom-up reforms that are changing the landscape for New Orleans students and charting a new and better course for the future of the city.

City Hall News

Office of Neighborhood Engagement Gains Director, Deputy Director

In March, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced Lucas Diaz as the director of the Office of Neighborhood Engagement (ONE), and Westley Bayas III as its deputy director.

NE will serve as a means for connecting city government with community dialogue and information sharing among neighborhoods, as well as for facilitating more meaningful partnerships with neighborhood residents, leaders and organizations. The goal of the office is to improve the quality of life of every resident by creating stronger engagement and interaction mechanisms that enable city government and residents to act proactively on shared concerns and issues. In 2007, Diaz co-founded Puentes New Orleans, Inc., an organization that serves the Latino community throughout the greater New Orleans area by facilitating civic engagement programs, volunteerism, community action programs, policy development and advocacy. He has over nine years experience working in the non-profit community. A native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Diaz relocated to Louisiana as a child with his parents in 1977. He received his B.A. from Loyola University New Orleans and a Master’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of New Orleans.

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Bayas, the former assistant to the mayor for constituent services at City of New Orleans, has worked in constituent services and community outreach at Transition New Orleans. He also was the former director of community outreach and development with The Phoenix of New Orleans (PNOLA), a rebuilding non-profit in MidCity. A New Orleans native, Bayas attended Louisiana State University and Delta State University. The ONE staff will consist of neighborhood liaison persons and VISTA workers. They plan to advance community informational sessions through citywide initiatives with the support of residents. In turn, they also expect to learn from residents about new issues and concerns that arise and to seek timely responses. ONE will also strive to connect community resources to neighborhoods to eventually bridge the gap between government and its residents. By facilitating dialogue and linking residents to solve problems at the community level, ONE will strive to ensure that neighborhood issues are addressed with community input. Its strategy to accomplish this will be to create and implement a framework that connects neighborhoods, community organizations and city government in a more meaningful, proactive and structured manner.

CeCe Gets

Arts & Features

y z iz D t s ti r A p o -H from Hip By Christy “CeCe” Chapman 1. CeCe: Where did the name Dizzy come from? Dizzy: My mother gave me the nickname “Dizzy.” 2. CeCe: Where did you grow up? Dizzy: I grew up in the downtown Ninth Ward, New Orleans. 3. CeCe: Other than being a hip-hop artist, what titles does Dizzy have? Dizzy: I am a Father of one, CEO of P.C.O. Entertainment/Films, Studio Engineer and Songwriter. 4.

CeCe: How does it feel being a CEO? Dizzy: It is hard to be a CEO and an Artist because I get confused which to be at certain times.

5. CeCe: When did you realize that you had a talent? Dizzy: At the age of 10, I realized I had talent because I freestyled a lot and people took interest. 6. CeCe: What is the name of your latest project? Dizzy: My latest project is called The Raw Report. 7. CeCe: What is this project about? Dizzy: It is basically an update of my life for my fans, which includes a lot of struggle, stress, progress and motivation.

CeCe: How long have you been doing hip-hop? Dizzy: I have been doing hip-hop since 1996.

9. CeCe: What do you feel is the best song you ever wrote and why? Dizzy: The best song I feel I ever wrote is called “Change” because it shows how life has changed for me over the years and a different side of me as an artist. 10. CeCe: Who have you collaborated with? Dizzy: Over the years I have done several songs with Lil’ Wayne, Mannie Fresh, Cupid and numerous New Orleans artists and producers. 11. CeCe: What keeps you focused? Dizzy: Honestly, I do not believe I am focused at this point, but I am working every day and constantly brainstorming ideas 24/7. 12. CeCe: What are your favorite basketball team and player? Dizzy: I don’t have a particular favorite basketball team, but something positive making money – it’s entertaining to me. Chris Paul is my favorite player because I know him personally. It seems like we are family when he is in my presence and he goes bananas on the court.

13. CeCe: What car describes Dizzy? Dizzy: Chevrolet Camaro SS best describes me -- only because I have two. All my partners have them. We’ve had them for years, and our pops use to race them together. 14. CeCe: What music is in your disc player now? Who are you listening to? Dizzy: In my car I have been listening to The Isley Brothers all week. 15. CeCe: When you aren’t in the studio, what are you doing? Dizzy: When I am not in the studio, I am spending time with my whole family or putting together concerts for myself, promoting parties. 16.

CeCe: How do you feel about the crime in our city? Dizzy: I think the crime in our city is senseless. I think the murders will never stop, nor the drugs. As a result, I think we need to move on towards positive directions because we may be able to save ourselves that way.

17.

CeCe: How is it being a father? Dizzy: It is hard being a father for me because I have to be a father from a distance. On top of that, it’s having to adjust when we reunite.

18. CeCe: What drives you? Dizzy: Waking up, knowing I am not where I want to be, keeps me going and hoping to get there soon. 19. CeCe: What is the next project that we can expect from you? Dizzy: You can download my mixtape The Raw Report on datpifff.com or purchase it at nuthinbutfirerecords and Allstar Outfitters, and more music from P.C.O. Entertainment. 20.

CeCe: Where do you see yourself in the next years? Dizzy: Ten years from now, I see myself wealthy, married, owning properties/businesses, helping individuals follow their own dreams and far away from negativity. Basically living, loving, laughing and leading.

Christy “CeCe” Chapman, the author of the book, 20 Thoughts Every Woman Should Have. She is a New Orleans native who is “twenty something years of age.” Follow her on Twitter at @CeCetheAuthor.

THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

Culinary Corner with Simone Victoria at Mondo

Arts & Features

Mondo, 900 Harrison Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70124 Mondo has the Midas touch with its steaks, chicken livers and exotic drinks.It seems as though Susan Spicer, a New Orleans chef who owns several restaurants in that city, has the golden touch these days. This New Orleans culinary giant is on a roll as of late with a TV show in the works, and one of her new babies, MONDO. This restaurant, nestled in the heart of Lakeview, has been open for a year now and stays booked with reservations daily. The waiting time, 30 to 40 minutes, on a Friday night is the norm, but let me tell you, “It’s worth the wait.” With Spicer running the show, everyone expected great things from MONDO; so far, the establishment has not disappointed. The eclectic style of Chef Spicer gets you great starters like Chicken Liver Paté, Thai Shrimp and Pork Meatballs, or Baked Oysters over Artichoke Bread Pudding … delicious! For the main entrée, the Kobe Flank Steak is literally to die for! There is an extensive kids menu that comes with green vegetables to satisfy the healthy parents, plus a friendly bar for those who would like an exotic drink before their meal. This neighborhood- friendly restaurant makes for an exquisite New Orleans casual dining experience.

The Real Life. Real Talk. Workshops in New Orleans Encourages Parents to Have ®

Talk with Their Kids about Sex By Lila Arnaud

eens and sexuality: If there were a Top-10 list of topics that make parents squirm, this would likely be at the top. Many parents dread the time when their adolescent children begin to form their own thoughts about their sexuality, sex and relationships. Despite all the discomfort, parents are the most influential voices in a teen’s life when it comes to making healthy decisions about sex. This is why Planned Parenthood is partnering with local community groups on the Real Life. Real Talk.® program, which gives parents tools and encouragement they need to have “the talk” with their kids and to foster an environment of healthy dialogue and communication with their children about sex, love and relationships. Many parents desperately want to do something, but struggle with determining when it’s the “right time” to have “the talk.” The answer is now. It’s time to start talking and keep talking. This isn’t just one conversation. Just look at statistics. Louisiana ranks 1st in the nation in primary and secondary syphilis rates (16.5 per 100,000), 2nd in gonorrhea rates (220 per 100,000) and fifth in chlamydia rates (528 per 100,000) according to the Center for Disease Control ‘s (CDC) 2008 Sexually-Transmitted Disease (STD) Surveillance Report. Louisiana ranks 18th among states in teen pregnancy rates and ninth for teen births. In 2007, 9,103 births were reported to young women under 20 years old. Teens need their parents or caregivers to open up and start honest conversations about relationships, peer pressure, sex, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Yes, conversations. Not just one talk, but an ongoing dialogue. The best solution to raising healthy and happy teens is to work on preventive measures and to educate both the parents and their children. In New Orleans, Planned Parenthood is working in partnership with local schools and community organizations to launch the Real Life. Real Talk.® Coalition. The coalition is committed to helping teens become healthy

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adults by educating parents on how to talk to their teens about healthy sexuality. Involved organizations are currently offering a free workshop series to interested parents. Through a series of workshops and activities, Real Life. Real Talk.® provides parents with the tools they need to start talking. By educating parents on what it’s like to be a teen today, and making them more comfortable with talking about healthy sexuality, the Real Life. Real Talk.® program opens the lines of communication between parents and teens. In doing this, teens will have the support from their parents to be able to make informed, healthy decisions about their sexuality. Partner organizations include schools such as Warren Easton Charter High School, New Orleans College Prep and Sojourner Truth Academy. Parents can also attend the Real Life. Real Talk.® workshop series provided by partner organizations, including the New Orleans Public Library’s Yes Program and the Housing Authority of New Orleans. Workshops in Spanish will also be offered through Puentes New Orleans. Through this successful new program, and the willingness of community partners to reach out, many parents will now have the tools and insight they need to successfully navigate discussing sexuality with their children. Whether it’s just talking about your morals and ideals, having the knowledge to properly answer the questions your kids might have or simply understanding how Facebook fits into the picture, the workshops will have something useful for all parents. For more information about Real Life. Real Talk.®, and a schedule of workshops in the New Orleans area, please call the program’s manager at 504-899-1447 ext. 2, or you may email laeducation@ ppgulfcoast.org, or visit the website, www.RealLifeRealTalk.org.

Young Latin Leader Program

Puentes

Working Toward a Better New Orleans in Public Schools By Rocio Mora

The LatiNola Youth Leadership Council, (LYLC), has grown exponentially over the past few months, and has been empowering students to become leaders in their communities by engaging them in leadership, service, scholarship and culture both in schools, through its support of student clubs, and in the larger community, through bi-weekly meetings. LatiNola is proud to announce the formation of a new LYLC chapter at Alfred Bonnabel Magnet Academy High School in Kenner. The LYLC began as Culture Clubs at L.W. Higgins and West Jefferson high schools, and as the Spanish Club at John Ehret High School. Members embrace the cultural diversity in their clubs and strive to promote what they feel is the best race of all: the human race. Recently, students in all schools participated in the No Place for Hate campaign, where they worked as a team to fight prejudice and create a culture of respect. By reading and signing the Resolution for Respect in schools, students agree to “stop those who, because of hate or ignorance, would hurt anyone or violate their civil rights,” in order to create a community that is truly no place for hate. As a result, West Jefferson Senior Kendry Lopez was nominated by her classmates, and awarded a 2011Crimestoppers Peace Maker Award for promoting peace in her school. The LYLC kicked off their community meetings in late March, and members have agreed to meet every other week. These meetings are open to anyone ages 14 to 20 who are interested in learning leadership skills, embracing civic engagement, and celebrating the cultural diversity of New Orleans. Members have already arranged to volunteer with the Second Harvest Food Bank this month, and have expressed interest in

telling their story as Latino youth in their community. For this, LatiNola is presenting a spoken-word workshop featuring legendary Nuyorican poet Tato Laviera. Students will learn about New York’s Loisaida movement, and Latino spoken-word artists, as well as how to become spoken-word artists. There will also be a performance by Laviera before the students start the workshop. In May, Laviera will return for a poetry slam that will be open to the community. Upcoming summer LYLC activities include a retreat, a visit to the Civil Rights Museum in Tennessee, and a camping trip in Mississippi. LatiNola is proud of how far the LYLC has come and looks forward to continuing to help the youth raise their voices and share their languages, cultures and enthusiasm with the rest of New Orleans. LatiNola extends a warm invitation to youth in the greater New Orleans community to join the LYLC. For more information, call 504-821-7228 or contact the Puentes Education Outreach Coordinator, Laura Williamson, at laurawilliamson@puentesno.org.

THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

Puentes

El Consilio de Lideres Jóvenes de LatiNola (LYLC) ha crecido exponencialmente durante los últimos meses y ha estado empoderando a los estudiantes a convertirse a lideres en sus comunidades por participar en liderazgo, servicio, educación, y cultura en las escuelas y la comunidad entera por reuniones cada quincenal. LatiNola esta orgulloso de anunciar el formación del nuevo capitulo de LYLC en Alfred Bonnabel High School en la ciudad de Kenner. El LYLC comenzó como clubs de cultura en LW Higgins y West Jefferson High Schools y club de Español en John Ehret High School. Miembros aceptan la diversidad cultural en sus clubs y esforzan a promover lo que ellos piensan es la mejor raza de todos: la raza humana. Recientemente, estudiantes de todas escuelas participaron en la campaña No Place for Hate, donde trabajaron juntos a luchar contra los prejuicios y crear cultura de respeto. Por leer y filmar el Resolución de Respeto, estudiantes se ponen de acuerdo a “parar aquellos que, por el odio o la ignorancia, dañan a la gente o violan sus derechos civiles” para crear una comunidad que sinceramente es un lugar sin odio. Como resultado de esta campaña, estudiante de West Jefferson High School Kendry Lopez fue nominada y recibió el premio de 2011 Crimestoppers Peace Maker Award por promover la paz en su escuela. El LYLC comenzaron sus reuniones de la comunidad el fin de Marzo, y miembros se pusieron de acuerdo a reunirse cada quincena. Estos reunions están abiertas a cualquier persona de 14-20 años interesados en aprender sobre las habilidades de liderazgo, entendimiento de el compromiso cívico, y en celebrar la diversidad cultural de Nueva Orleáns. Miembros ya están dispuestos a voluntar con el Second Harvest Food

THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

Bank este mes y también han expresado interés en contar sus historias como jóvenes Latinos en sus comunidades. Por esto, LatiNola esta presentando un taller de poesías con el legendario poeta Nuyoricano, Tato Laviera. Estudiantes podrán aprender sobre el movimiento Loisaida de Nueva York y de los artistas de palabras habladas y también pueden aprender como ser artistas de palabras habladas ellos mismos. En Mayo, Laviera regresara para el competición de poesías, que estará abierto al publico. Actividades próximas del verano para el LYLC incluyen un retiro y visita al Museo de Derechos Civiles en Tennessee y un acampamiento a Mississippi. LatiNola esta orgulloso de lo lejos que el LYLC han llegado y esperan a continuar a ayudar a levantar la voz de los jóvenes y compartir sus lenguajes, culturas, y entusiasmos con el resto de Nueva Orleáns. LatiNola les invita a los jóvenes de la comunidad en Nueva Orleáns a hacer parte del LYLC. Para mas información, llame al 504-821-7228 o ponte en contacto con la coordinadora de educación de Puentes, Laura Williamson, laurawilliamson@puentesno.org.

Neighborhood Meetings

Algiers Point Association Every 1st Thursday of the month @ 7pm Holy Name of Mary School Cafeteria Broadmoor Improvement Association 3rd Monday of every other month @ 7pm Andrew H. Wilson Charter School Cafeteria 3617 General Pershing St. New Orleans, LA 70125 http://www. broadmoorimprovement.com Bunny Friends Neighborhood Association Every second Saturday of the month Mt. Carmel Baptist Church 3721 N Claiborne Ave Bywater Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7p.m. Holy Angels Cafeteria 3500 St. Claude Ave. Carrollton Riverbend Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Thursday of the month Parish Hall of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church Corner of Carrollton and Zimple Carrollton United Every second Monday at 5:00p.m. every other month St. John Missionary Baptist Church, corner of Leonidas and Hickory Central City Partnership Every last Friday of the month @ 1p.m. Allie Mae Williams Center 2020 Jackson Ave.

http://www.centralcitypartnership.org Central City Renaissance Alliance (CCRA) Saturday, September 19 @ 2p.m. 1809 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. http://www.myccra.org Claiborne-University Neighborhood Association Quarterly Meetings, time and date TBA Jewish Community Center 5342 St. Charles Ave Downtown Neighborhood Improvement Association (DNIA) Every 3rd Monday of the month @ 7p.m. Musicians’ Union Hall 2401 Esplanade Ave (entrance through parking lot on Bayou Road and Rocheblave Street) DeSaix Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Saturday of the month @10a.m. Langhston Hughes Academy 3519 Trafalgar Street http://danadesaix.org East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Committee (ENONAC) Every 2rd Tuesday of each month @ 6 p.m. St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church http://www.enonac.org Faubourg Delachaise Neighborhood Association Quarterly meetings, time/date/ location TBA http://fdna-nola.org

Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association Board Meeting: Every 2nd Monday 7p.m. Holy Rosary Cafeteria 1638 Moss Street General Membership: 3rd Wednesday, every other month 6:30pm Black Gold Room at the Fairgrounds http://www.fsjna.org Faubourg St. Roch Improvement Association Every 2nd Thursday of the month @ 6:00p.m. True Vine Baptist Church 2008 Marigny St. Filmore Gardens Neighborhood Association (meet the 4th Thursday of each month) Rouse’s Food Market (Leon C. Simon & Franklin Avenue) 6:30p.m. to 8:00p.m. (No meetings in Nov. and Dec.) Garden District Association 1 annual meeting per year, time/ date/location TBA Gentilly Civic Improvement Association (GCIA) General Membership- Every 3rd Saturday of the month 10am Board Meeting - Every 3rd Wednesday of the month 6:30p.m. Edgewater Baptist Church 5900 Paris Ave. Gentilly Heights East Neighborhood Association Every 3rd Monday of the month @ 6p.m. Dillard University Dent Hall – Room 104

Gentilly Sugar Hill Neighborhood Association Every 3rd Monday of the month @ 6:30p.m . VOA – 2929 St. Anthony Ave. (meetings on hold until further notice) Gentilly Terrace and Gardens Improvement Association Every 2nd Wednesday of the month @ 7pm Gentilly Terrace School 4720 Painters St. http://www.gentillyterrace.org Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association Every 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 5:30p.m. Pleasant Zion Missionary Baptist Church 3327 Toledano Street Hollygrove Neighbors Association Quarterly- Saturdays at noon January 9 April 10 July 10 October 16 St. Peters Church 3424 Eagle St. Eage St. and Edinburgh St. Holy Cross Neighborhood Association Every 2nd and 4th Thursday @ 5:30 Center for Sustainability, Greater Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church 5130 Chartres, Lizardi and Chartres http://www.helpholycross.org Irish Channel Neighborhood Association 2nd Thursday of the month at 7p.m. Irish Channel Christian Fellowship 819 First St. http://www.irishchannel.org

Get Connected to the New Orleans Neighborhood Network. Post News & Events for Your Organization at NPNnola.com 30

THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

Neighborhood Meetings

Lake Bullard Homeowners Association See website for meeting schedule Cornerstone United Methodist Church 5276 Bullard Ave. http://www.lakebullard.org Lake Catherine Civic Association Every 2nd Tuesday of the month @ 7p.m.

Oak Park Civic Association Every 3rd or last Tuesday of the month

Lake Willow Neighborhood Every 2nd Saturday of the month @ 10a.m. St. Maria Goretti Church

Pensiontown of Carrollton Neighborhood Association Every 1st Saturday of the month @ 2p.m. Leonidas House Community Center (under renovation) 1407 Leonidas St. Temporarily housed at St. Paul AME Church 8540 Cohn St. (corner of Leonidas and Cohn)

Lower Ninth Ward Neighborhood Empowerment Network Association (NENA) Every 2nd Saturday @ 12 noon NENA – 1120 Lamanche St. http://www.9thwardnena.org Melia Subdivision Every 2rd Saturday of the month @ 5p.m. Anchoren in Christ Church 4334 Stemway Drive Mid-City Neighborhood Organization General Meeting – Second Monday of every month@ 6:30p.m. Grace Episcopal Church 3700 Canal Street http://www.mcno.org

Paris Oaks/Bayou Vista Neighborhood Association Last Saturday of every month @ 4p.m. Third District Police Station 4650 Paris Avenue

Pontilly Association Pontilly Disaster Collaborative – Every 3rd Wednesday of the month General Meeting – every 2nd Saturday of the month http://www.pontilly.com Rosedale Subdivision Last Friday of every month @5:30 Greater Bright Morning Star Baptist Church 4253 Dale Street

Neighborhood Partnership Network 4902 Canal Street • #301 New Orleans, LA 70119 504.940.2207 • FX 504.940.2208 TheTrumpet@npnnola.com

THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011

Ask City Hall

Tall Timbers Owners Association Semi-annual meetings: 2nd Wednesday of October & April 7p.m. Board meetings: 2nd Wednesday of every other month 7p.m Tunisburg Square Homeowners Civic Association, Inc. Every 2nd Monday of the month @ 6:30p.m. http://tunisburg.org West Barrington Association 1st Tuesday of every month @ 6p.m. Holiday Inn Express 70219 Bullard Avenue

Send your neighborhood meeting details to: web@npnnola.com

District A Susan G. Guidry City Hall, Room 2W80 1300 Perdido Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 658-1010 Fax: (504) 658-1016 Email: sgguidry@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 Kristin Gisleson Palmer City Hall, Room 2W70 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1030 Fax: (504) 658-1037 Email: kgpalmer@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 Jon D. Johnson City Hall, Room 2W60 1300 Perdido Street Phone: (504) 658-1050 Fax: (504) 658-1058 E-mail: jdjohnson@cityofno.com Council Member-At-Large 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

NEIGHBOR OOD SPOTLIGH HT

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Photo by: Scott Bicking THE TRUMPET | MAY/JUNE | 2011