HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
I moved to Marlyville in 1993, exactly 160 years after its namesake Pierre Marly, a free man of color, acquired this part of town, and 120 years since my great granduncle, Bernard Fellman, began developing it. Our neighborhood has such an interesting history, if you care to read more about it online at bitly.com/hist-marl-font.
HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
Having served as a block captain since the 1980s, I naturally gravitated to all the neighborhood association meetings here. The problem was that every street had its own group, plus three different patrol services! My long-term goal was to unify all of them under one umbrella, so all residents could have an equal voice. That took me over 20 years to accomplish.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
I love that Marlyville is so uniquely self-reliant. New Orleans comprises between 73 and 320 (depending whom you ask) neighborhood entities, often overlapping, each with its own peculiar purpose, personality and charm. But right there in the middle of everything sits Marlyville, quietly minding our own business and getting things done.
WHAT SUCCESSES HAVE YOU HAD IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
After Katrina reset the clock, our residents quickly pulled together to restore normalcy, with an eye toward staying visible on City Hall's radar. Our greatest success, perhaps, was to finally embrace the historic "Marlyville" brand. This has given us a sense of identity, place and purpose which did not exist pre-storm. Everyone knows about Marlyville now, from Realtors and newsies to the mayor herself.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
After many delays, the first of seven major roadway projects is finally underway here in Marlyville-Fontainebleau. The hope – aside from making sure everything goes smoothly for our residents over the next two years – is to coordinate other much-needed improvements: creating park space, restoring buried sidewalks, reopening abandoned passageways, planting new trees, improving signage, expanding bicycle access and so forth.
ANY WORDS OF ADVICE FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS AND CHANGE MAKERS?
My mantra is, "Eliminate gatekeepers!" Those advocating at the neighborhood level should aspire to connect residents directly with city services. Don't tolerate information silos established by the old guard. Seek instead to identify fellow change-makers, empower them with the proper tools – such as NOLA311, the Neighborhood Engagement Office, and free classes like Civic Leadership Academy – so they can help you pave the way for good things to happen.