Prior to her election in the 2025 primary, Helena served as your City Council President, waging courageous fights on behalf of the people of New Orleans to win a better future for everyone. She's always been a solutions-oriented public servant who is dedicated to accountability and demanding a city that is responsive and works for everyone.
Since her first Council election in 2017, Helena has built a reputation as a tireless advocate on behalf of the people of New Orleans. She’s led the fight for a safer, more affordable and increasingly equitable city. In 2021, the people of New Orleans overwhelmingly endorsed her re-election: Helena won 85% of the vote and won every voting precinct in New Orleans.
Helena presses the government to think outside the box for solutions. Going about things the same will never lead to different results. As Council President and as a former State Legislator, she’s won victories to broaden economic opportunity and knock down barriers for small businesses, increase safety and reform our criminal justice system, promote gender equality, lead on climate action and a cleaner environment, and protect and uplift the most vulnerable in our society.
Among her victories for working people include restoring millions in violence interruption funding, massively expanding summer job opportunities, requiring equity and set-asides in City contracting, raising wages and instituting paid leave for all City employees, promoting fair drug policy by decriminalizing cannabis, authoring laws to shield victims of sexual assault, reducing incarceration by preventing unnecessary arrests, restricting weapons from domestic abusers, transforming New Orleans into a renewable energy trailblazer, and pushing to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure both above and below our streets.
Helena began her career in New Orleans as an award-winning investigative reporter for NBC affiliate, WDSU-TV. She was part of a team awarded an Emmy for outstanding coverage during Hurricane Katrina. Too often, however, her reports turned up problems in the political system. In 2008, she decided to not just report, but do something about it. Setting aside her promising broadcast career, she entered public service.
In May of 2010, she was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. As the voice of District 93, she served as an advocate for a richly diverse area that includes neighborhoods such as Treme, the Garden District, Central City, St. Roch, the French Quarter, Mid City and the Central Business District.
As a Legislator, Helena was honored as a champion for women by numerous organizations. Her work to fight domestic violence in Louisiana is even featured in the award-winning documentary film called Five Awake.
Helena has also been recognized for her past work in criminal justice reform, public safety, drug policy, health care, early childhood education and care for the elderly.
Helena Moreno was born in Xalapa, Mexico and lived there until she was eight years old when her father Felix moved the family to the United States in search of better opportunities. Spanish was Helena’s first language which made school in the U.S. challenging for her early on due to language barriers. Her mother Nancy pushed Helena to do extra reading and writing in English after school - of which Helena was no fan - but this caught her up to speed quickly in her studies. Helena remains fluent in Spanish and has family living throughout Mexico.
Upon her election to the New Orleans City Council, she has worked to support and uplift the Latino population in New Orleans, which has historically been ignored and underrepresented.
Helena holds a degree in Journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She lives uptown with her husband Chris Meeks.