If the afternoon monsoons and the ringing cicadas aren’t a dead giveaway, it’s summertime in Louisiana once again. Summer marks the start of hurricane season, and this year NOAA predicts that above average temperatures in the Gulf will create an ‘above normal’ season. At a time when the president is threatening to cut FEMA and the governor of Louisiana is boasting that hurricane preparedness starts with the individual, it’s imperative we remember the collective strength in community action and preparation. Who is checking on your neighbor before the storm? 

Together New Orleans has kicked off an exciting initiative that supports communities broadly in the aftermath of a storm. The Community Lighthouse Project aims to create a network of locations that have solar panels and backup batteries equipped to provide power off the main grid in the event of power outages. Since 2013, Louisiana residents have experienced more hours of power interruptions than any other state in the country. Power interruptions have the potential to cause loss of life for elderly and disabled folks, and the misuse of single-residency generators poses further risks due to harmful gas emissions. The individual protections approach would suggest that everyone go out and buy generators, but the Community Lighthouse Project is an example of how we can bolster our collective preparedness and response to devastating storm impacts that in turn serve more people and communities.  

My name is Emma, and I’m the Sr. Campaign Coordinator for Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a coalition of nonprofits aiming to advance an equitable, safer, and flourishing coast for Louisiana’s communities, ecosystems, and economy. Our coalition was structured under the tenet that combined efforts expand positive outcomes, and strategic collective action is the best path forward to achieving communal preparedness and safety. We recognize that Multiple Lines of Defense offer both natural and man-made features to protect us from storm surge, and I wonder what it would look like if our communities were seen as a potential line of defense to storm impacts? We’re only as strong as our neighbors, so I’d encourage you to think beyond your household when drafting your hurricane plan. Check out below to learn about other community preparedness initiatives this storm season and think of how we can plan collectively for disasters in the future.  

Hurricane Prep Spotlight

• GOHSEP Hurricane Preparedness Guide for LA 
• Dept. Of Homeland Security’s Make a Plan Homepage 
• NOLA Ready Guide to Hurricanes 

LGBT+ Pride & Juneteenth 

This month we celebrated not only Pride Month but also Juneteenth, both which are historically important to New Orleans and Louisiana as a whole. The United States was built on involuntary chattel slavery, and Juneteenth is a time to recognize when the remainder of enslaved people in the Texas were freed, almost three years following the emancipation proclamation. Louisiana did not pass legislation outlawing slavery until 1864, and The Descendants Project at Woodland Plantation is hosting a weekend around ‘July-teenth’ to mark when enslaved people specifically in Louisiana were freed.

New Orleans has been a historical haven for queer people in Louisiana for decades. New Orleans is a progressive leader in the state, and the influence of queer activism on progressive movements should not be lost. When the federal government is currently removing DEI initiatives, protections and education across corporations and K-12 curriculums, our responsibility to engage and learn from historically marginalized groups is imperative. Check out the links below to see learning opportunities and events centered around Juneteenth and LGBT+ Pride this month.  

• NOLA Public Library Juneteenth reading list 
• The Descendants Project July-teenth events 
• NOLA Public Library Pride reading list & events 
• LGBT+ Archives Project of LA Timeline of Queer History

Save the Date: Conservation on Tap 

Recipe Spotlight: Coconut Milk & Fresh Herbs Yellowfin Salad