The Cry That Wasn’t Heard Could Be the Cry That Lights the Awakening
That day, I could hear the baby crying. I could hear Nicholas unraveling. Then the phone went dead. Looking back, I see the baby’s death as an indictment.
Category: Opinion
Perspectives and reflections that challenge, question, and inspire. This category features thought-provoking essays and commentary from writers, community members, and photographers offering insight into the issues, ideas, and experiences that shape New Orleans and beyond.
No Papers! No Fear!
Artist and poet José Torres-Tama created his new Katrina @ 20 exhibition: No Papers! No Fear!, which opens on Friday, to commemorate the immigrants who contributed to an epic New Orleans rebirth — despite the city’s extreme cruelties.
Red flags at the levee board
It seems that the governor-appointed board chair was overly involved in day-to-day operations. Because of the Flood Authority’s crucial purpose, the public cannot afford to have it run by a board chair who acts recklessly.
Entergy wants to use power it creates. That led to the May blackout.
Entergy is a part of MISO, a regional grid operator. But – unless it is ordered by regulators – Entergy leaders are not interested in fully participating in a competitive, cooperative grid that transmits power on a regional level. To do that, Entergy might have to rely on other utilities’ power supplies – and charge less to Entergy customers.
Louisiana’s ban on community air monitoring is an attack on science and free speech
Last year, Louisiana legislators passed a “million-dollar muzzle,” which barred the use of community-gathered air-quality data to advocate for pollution control and enforcement, with fines as high as $1 million per violation.
Weather watchdog silenced
This administration is placing vulnerable communities at greater risk when severe weather strikes, says the writer, who helped to craft key forecasting legislation that’s now been undone. She points to the harms done through lapsed weather-data contracts, draconian proposed cuts to the Weather Service, and undermined public confidence in severe weather alerts.
Letter to Louisiana: ‘They Want to Take It All’
In Louisiana, more than 200,000 people could lose coverage under Healthy Louisiana. Many don’t even realize that Medicaid is the coverage they rely on: for themselves, their kids, their aging parents, or their disabled loved ones.
Essence isn’t just facing organizational problems—it’s having an identity crisis
‘I saw this coming.’
“The escapees didn’t run because the sheriff opened the door for holistic healing,” writes Henderson-Uloho, who taught decarceration classes in the jail. “They escaped because the people hired to provide custody, care, and control neglected their care and weaponized the control.”
NOPD is using images of you from more than 5,000 cameras across the city
“After years of FOIA requests and research, I know that NOPD is lying about their unlawful use of Project NOLA and facial-recognition software,” says the writer. The surveillance-camera issue is slated to be discussed at 10 a.m. today (Monday) at the City Council’s criminal-justice committee meeting.
