The majority-Black districts that became Cancer Alley
Lifelong residents of St. James Parish will speak in federal court on Monday about how parish officials and ordinances have, for generations, explicitly directed industrial plants into predominantly Black neighborhoods.
Recent Posts
Licensing a troubled juvenile jail
A year ago, when Jackson Parish opened its new, unlicensed juvenile jail, kids complained of extended stints of solitary confinement, along with extensive abuse and violations. A DCFS inspection supported those claims, but the agency gave the jail a license anyway.
Pregnant and hemorrhaging, without a key solution within reach
Lawmakers passed a law designed to limit reproductive rights in Louisiana. But it may also limit patients’ chances of surviving common life events like miscarriages and births.
Unlikely alliance forms to boost community air monitoring in Louisiana
A bulk storage facility plans to join with activists from the Louisiana Environmental Action Network to monitor air quality in St. Rose, a ‘Cancer Alley’ community.
Mississippi River mayors agree to unify ports from Louisiana up to Minnesota
The cooperative agreement is the first between the inland ports in the heart of the Corn Belt and the coastal ports of Louisiana, which together export 60% of the nation’s agricultural products.
Humorous, Yet Dead Serious
Prankster activists target Venture Global LNG, to bring attention to the lives affected – and lost – around liquified natural gas plants.
Louisiana sanctions use of pepper spray and mace on detained juveniles
In July, a new state law put all Louisiana pretrial juvenile detention centers under the umbrella of the state Office of Juvenile Justice. Soon after, the agency filed an ‘emergency order’ approving the use of ‘chemical agents’ in those facilities.
opinion
Turning schools into ‘miniature fiefdoms’ where leaders feel free to make and break rules
It’s become an all-too-familiar lament in New Orleans that the charter school system lacks accountability and transparency.
The heartbreaking but necessary work of covering school closures
Elevating family voices in a decentralized system. Republished with permission from The Grade.
Protecting Louisiana Workers is a Hot Topic
As heat sets new records across the nation, the risks that people face on-the-job are on the rise, especially in summer months.
Our Lives or LNGs?
The right evacuation plan can save lives. Another LNG plant in Plaquemines Parish makes that impossible.
PODCAST
Behind the Lens episode 252: ‘Bleeding out’
Marta Jewson and Katy Reckdahl on a new Louisiana law that requires doctors to keep common maternal health care medications under lock and key. Delaney Dryfoos on a Mississippi River mayors agreement.
About the Lens
The Lens aims to engage and empower the residents of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. We provide the information and analysis necessary to advocate for more accountable and just governance.