News and Updates

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

Since 2009. I was able to find a job and re-locate here even-though I spent plenty of time here, especially while attending the University of New Orleans.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

I wanted to feel part of the community and learn how civic engagement and how city government works and engages their citizens. I started volunteering where our neighborhood organization needed most, community engagement and events. I loved our former annual Porch Crawl event and volunteered multiple years after being an attendee for a few years. 

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

The proximity to essential businesses and services. I can find times where I don't need to leave the neighborhood for most all of my essentials. It saves me time and energy better spent either with family and friends or volunteering. It makes me feel like we have a really thriving and healthy community when most of out businesses are serving the residents in that neighborhood more so than our seasonal happenings or large events.

WHAT SUCCESSES HAVE YOU HAD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

We had to re-think our large event that is usually held around Halloween due to distancing requirements and event permitting. We were able to facilitate a Halloween house tour map and decorating competition rewarded with gift certificates to benefit our struggling local bars and restaurants, that saw over 35 homes and businesses participate for the betterment of the community in general and to bring neighbors together. It was a great thing to build community in the neighborhood and attract other more distant neighbors to participate in voting and touring the decorations. I like to think we may have influenced the planners of the wildly popular Krewe of House Floats. 

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW  IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? 

We are trying to figure out how to meet in person again and engage with the community in person. I realize so many residents have lost with mostly our remote meetings and digital information distribution and looking for ways to re-engage and continue to recover as a community. 

ANY WORDS OF ADVICE FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND CHANGE MAKERS?

Communicate with other neighborhoods! We all have a deep identification to our neighborhoods, but we share many if not all of the same struggles and benefits of living in this historic city. We are better together than divided and we are best served when we communicate and share information and strategies for success and change needed.