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Friday, June 29, 2018                                         For Immediate Release
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ESSENCE and Mayor Cantrell Adopt Central City Neighborhood for 2018 Day of Service
ESSENCE Festival - 2018 Mayor Cantrell

ESSENCE Festival 2018 Day of Service [Adopt-A- Neighborhood: Central City] will kick off with a high-energy Pep Rally and Second Line in the heart of Central City, New Orleans carpet
NEW ORLEANS - This year, the 2018 ESSENCE Festival® presented by Coca-Cola® in partnership with Mayor LaToya Cantrell, will continue its tradition of giving back to the New Orleans community by rehabilitating, beautifying and providing inspiration to New Orleans' Central City neighborhood during the annual 'Day of Service' on Thursday, July 5 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The day will include youth center beautification projects, empowerment and entrepreneurship workshops for women & girls, and the restoration of a historic mural on O.C. Haley Blvd.  For the first time, Essence Day of Service will present the inaugural Excellence Awards honoring "Change Agents" of the community.  ESSENCE, along with volunteers, government partners and corporate sponsors, will work together to give back to a city that gives so much.

ESSENCE Day of Service is a full day of activities, education and celebration. Highlights include:

  • 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Pep Rally and Inaugural Excellence Awards with special guest performance
             Location: Dryades YMCA, 2220 O. C. Haley Blvd.
  • 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Traditional New Orleans Second Line Parade hosted by Mayor LaToya Cantrell
    • Location: O.C. Haley Blvd.



Apply to volunteer for our 'Day of Service' here.


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BlackTech Weekend is Coming to New Orleans with Karen Civil, Damon Batiste and more...
BlackTech Weekend

NEW ORLEANS - BlackTech Weekend - The  Must-Attend Fam Reunion is coming to NOLA to connect with Black innovators and entrepreneurs in tech, media and more on July 5th, kicking off Essence Festival weekend. BlackTech Weekend NOLA, in partnership with Damon Batiste and the Batiste Music Family, aims to launch BlackTech Week's long term commitment to New Orleans' technological and cultural development.

BlackTech Weekend NOLA Essence Weekend Launch Event - July 5th - 5 pm to 10 pm
  • Doors open - welcome from Hostess Tiffanie Stanard - 5 pm to 5:25 pm
  • Netta Jenkins - 5:30 pm to 5:45 pm
  • Ariel Lopez - 5:50 pm to 6:05 pm
  • Jarrett Shorts - 6:10 pm to 6:25 pm
  • Celebrating Black Women in Music with Anastasia Wright, moderated by Lynn Hasberry - 6:30 pm to 7 pm
  • Get Paid To Be Yourself live with Karen Civil, moderated by Julian Mitchell - 7:10 pm to 8 pm
  • Damon Batiste, President, NOSACONN, Inc - 8 pm to 8:25 pm
  • Networking, cocktails & dancing - 8:30 pm until 9:45 pm
  • Event ends - 10 pm
BlackTech Weekend NOLA Speakers

DATE AND TIME

Thu, July 5, 2018
5:00 PM - 10:00 PM CDT

LOCATION

The Building
1427 Oretha Ave
New Orleans, LA 70113
Karen Civil
Get Paid To Be Yourself live with Karen Civil at BlackTech Weekend NOLA After Party with Driven Society


Damon Batiste
Featured Speakers: Damon Batiste, President, NOSACONN, Inc.

Anastasia Wright
Anastasia Wright: Owner & Founder of IMG Way and VP of Digital, Janet Jackson


#BTWNYC Summit Day at Etsy Recap
#BTWNYC Summit Day at Etsy Recap



Click Here to Register_green


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Political Commentator Symone Sanders, Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, Black Girls CODE CEO Kimberly Bryant Among Those to be Honored at 15th Annual McDonald's 365Black Awards in New Orleans July 8
McDonald's 365Black Awards

McDonald's 365Black Awards to kick off with signature, star-studded gold carpet

NEW ORLEANS -  The 15 th  annual McDonald's ®  365Black ®  Awards is set to bring every day heroes and celebrities from across the country to the Ritz Carlton, New Orleans.  The dynamic event will take place during  ESSENCE Festival ®  weekend on Sunday, July 8th at 12:00 noon and recognize exceptional leaders who make positive contributions to the African- American community.  McDonald's presence at the Essence Festival affirms  the  brand's  dedication to celebrating everyday people who are striving to make a positive difference in their communities and move Black culture forward.

2018 Honorees:

Symone Sanders
Symone Sanders 
is a champion for women, communities of color and those in need. Sanders is a go-to political commentator, a Spring 2018 Resident Fellow at Harvard  University's Institute of Politics and the Strategist for  Communications and Political Outreach at Priorities USA. Symone rose to prominence during her tenure as the National Press Secretary for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. At 25, Symone demonstrated an uncanny command of the issues earning her a place in history as the youngest presidential press secretary on record and a spot-on  Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 16 young Americans shaping  the 2016 election.

Sheryl Lee Ralph
Sheryl Lee Ralph 
is an acclaimed veteran of film, television  and the Broadway stage. Her award-winning work includes  creating the role of Deena Jones in the legendary Broadway  musical, "Dreamgirls" and earning Best Actress nods for Tony  and Drama Desk Awards. No stranger to television, Sheryl Lee  Ralph's past TV credits include "It's a Living," "Designing  Women," "The District," and "Moesha." For the last three  years, Sheryl was a lead on the hit Nickelodeon series "Instant  Mom " . Ralph is also the creator of the Jamerican Film and  Music Festival. Ralph has been  one of Hollywood's biggest  voices in the fight on HIV/AIDS for over two decades with her  Divas Simply Singing foundation.

HBCU Forward Scholarship award recipient:

Kimberly Bryant
Kimberly Bryant 
is the founder and CEO of Black Girls CODE, a non- profit organization dedicated to "changing the fac e of  technology" by introducing girls of color (ages 7 -17) to the field of technology and computer science with a concentration on entrepreneurial concepts. Bryant enjoyed a successful career in pharmaceutical and biotech industries for more than 20 years. She has helped Black Girls CODE grow from a local initiative to an international organization serving more than 7,000 students. She was named a White House Champion of Change and received a Social Progress award from the Smithsonian Institute for her national work in increasing opportunities for women and girls in technology.

Monique Vann-Brown
Monique Vann-Brown 
is the owner of seven McDonald's  franchises in the Ann Arbor, Michigan area and managing  partner of her parent's two Detroit restaurants. Her career  began at the age of 14 as a crew member at one of her  parent's McDonald's location s. She transitioned into the automotive industry at 17 as an engineering intern. After several years in supply chain management, she pursued her  dreams of entrepreneurship in the McDonald's Corporation  Registered Applicant & Next Generation Programs. She soon became Co-Chair of t he National Black McDonald's Operator's  Association. This committee produced events designed to  serve as a forum for future leaders within the McDonald's  Owner-Operator community.

HBCU Forward Scholarship award recipient:

Tishauna Wilson
Tishauna Wilson 
is a rising junior majoring in computer science at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University. She learned how to code in high school where she graduated at the top of her class. Earlier this year, Wilson revived the computer science research program at her university, where she is working on four Artificial Intelligence projects. The research projects consist of detecting fraud through conversations, identifying credit card fraud, as well as developing a voice-activated, self- driving drone and a basketball referee system. Wilson has hopes of pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, founding an autonomous automotive manufacturing company, developing into a distinguished engineer and researcher and becoming a future CEO of a Fortune 500 technology company.

This  year's McDonald's 365Black A wards will be hosted by acclaimed actress  Essence Atkins . The luncheon will feature an all-star line-up of musical performances by R&B swooner  Dave Hollister  and gospel heavy-hitter  Le ' Andria Johnson .

McDonald's brings together community leaders, television and music entertainers, along with local and national influencers for its annual awards event.  The Gold Carpet runs from 10:30 - 11:45 a.m.

McDonald's 365Black Awards launched in 2003 as an  extension of the  company's 365Black platform, which celebrates the pride, heritage and  achievements of American-Americans year-round. For more information, visit  www.365Black.com . Follow  @365Black  on Twitter and use #365BlackAwards on all social platforms for the latest news on the awards.


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Essence Festival - 2018 header


New Orleans Agenda's Top 25 Places to Eat during Festival Weekend 2018

Our Favorite Restaurants

Each year during Essence Festival Week we publish our much anticipated list of recommended restaurants that we think festival goers should visit during their stay in New Orleans.  Because so many of our visitors asked us to do so, we are coming out with our last a bit earlier to you better plan your schedule.  We hope that you have a safe and enjoyable stay.   Bon Appétit! 


  
Obama at Dooky
President Obama with Chef Leah Chase
1.  You'll Love  Dooky Chase's Fried Seafood Platter!  Opened since 1941 in the heart of Treme at 2301 Orleans Avenue, Dooky Chase remains the meeting place for music and entertainment, civil rights and culture in New Orleans.  
 
Known as the  "Queen of Creole Cuisine," Leah Chase has fed Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, Quincy Jones, Jesse Jackson, Duke Ellington, Thurgood Marshall, James Baldwin, Ernest Gaines, Hank Aaron,  Ray Charles, and countless others as Executive Chef of Dooky Chase's Restaurant - one of the best-known and most culturally significant restaurants in New Orleans.  Leah Chase has more recently served as the inspiration for Princess Tiana in Disney's Princess and the Frog

Dooky and Chef Leah Chase are also a patron of black art and their collection - displayed on the walls of the restaurant - is considered one of New Orleans' best collection of African American art.



 


Munch Factory - Fines Herb Chicken
Fines Herb Chicken
2.   The Munch Factory, 1901 Sophie Wright Place, is owned by Chef Jordan Ruiz who studied at The Culinary Institute of America in New York and his wife, Alexis who runs the front-of-the-house of the Contempo Creole Cuisine restaurant. The Munch Factory takes pride in their freshly made creations. Every sauce and dish -- such as the Blackened Redfish with Crabmeat and Fines Herb Chicken -- are made to order. Familiar comfort food gets refined culinary tweaks and a strong dose of Creole flavor.

The Munch Factory offers full catering services and accepts reservations for groups.

"The fines herb chicken is another house favorite, with two sauteed chicken leg quarters doused in thick, herbal cream sauce that resembles a down-home beurre blanc. Ribs are fork tender and slathered in tangy, burgundy barbecue sauce with satisfying garlicky flavor." - Sarah Baird, food critic



Munch Factory

Alexis and Chef Jordan Ruiz
Owners Alexis and Chef Jordan Ruiz





Willie Mae's - Kerry Seaton
Owner Kerry Seaton (Photo by Cheryl Gerber).
3.   Don't leave New Orleans without a visit to Willie Mae's Scotch House, 2401 Saint Ann Street.  Willie Mae's Scotch House was established in 1957 as a bar in New Orleans' Historic Treme neighborhood. After a year, the bar was moved to it's current location, which consisted of a bar, a barbershop and beauty salon in the front. In the early 1970's, the beauty salon closed, which brought on the demand for a restaurant from Willie Mae's bar customers. The aromas of Mississippi and Louisiana cuisine emanating from the kitchen filled the air and brought on constant demand for delicious food. Their demand was met and the rest is history. 

In 2005, Ms. Willie Mae Seaton was honored with the prestigious James Beard Award for "America's Classic Restaurant for the Southern Region."   Willie Mae's would also receive features by the Food Network, which bestowed the honor of 'America's Best Fried Chicken'.
Today, Kerry Seaton Stewart, Ms. Willie Mae's great-granddaughter uses her family's recipe for fried chicken at Willie Mae's Scotch House. 




Tia Moore-Henry serves Creole cuisine
Owner Tia Moore-Henry (Photo by Cheryl Gerber).
4. Cafe' Dauphine, 5229 Dauphine Street in the Lowe 9th Ward has something for everyone, but our favorite is the Creole Pepper Shrimp; Jumbo head-on shrimp sautéed in a unique blend of seasoning, with a variety of sweet and spicy peppers and butter sauce or their signature dish, the Deep Fried Stuffed Bell Pepper. The menu features Southern cuisine while the atmosphere vibes a casual chic ambiance. 

"The gumbo has a thin, dark, uniquely restorative roux that comes directly from the black Creole gumbo tradition," writes food critic Ian McNulty.


  


The Praline Connection
5.  "This is Creole soul distilled to its sweetest essence" says food critic Lisa LeBlanc-Berry about The Praline Connection, 542 Frenchmen Street. A "down-home" Cajun-creole style soul food restaurant with affordable prices, our favorite dish is the Jambalaya and Collard Greens with a side of Candied Yams. For those with an extra sweet tooth, try their Praline Candy which is handmade daily in the old fashioned, spoon dripped method. 

"This friendly, lively restaurant is the hottest spot for cooking in the Southern-Creole mode"
Travel and Leisure Magazine, May 1991

                                      



Owner Wayne Baquet
Owner Wayne Baquet

6.  While renowned for its Creole file' gumbo with ham, chicken, crab and 
house-made sausage;  Lil' Dizzy's Cafe's Trout Baquet  is a New Orleans Jazz Fest favorite and the perfect main course to compliment your starter. However don't forget to save a little room for the best tasting Bread Pudding ever introduced to your pallet.    
 
At Lil' Dizzy's, producing great fried chicken is a matter of historical pride.  Owner Wayne Baquet learned the restaurant trade from his father Eddie, namesake of the legendary 7th Ward restaurant Eddie's, who got into the business in the 1940s working at Paul Gross Chicken Coop with his aunt, Ada Baquet Gross.  
 
Located at 1500 Esplanade Avenue in the 7th Ward, Lil'l Dizzy's Cafe' is a pleasant walk from the edge of the French Quarter for the best "Authentic Creole Soul Food."


 
 
7.  Hyatt Regency New Orleans features vibrant dining outlets serving locally sourced and regionally inspired cuisine. Enjoy creative sushi dishes or a mouthwatering burger at Vitascope Hall, while catching a game on the oversized flat screen TVs. Offering an award-winning buffet of gourmet breakfast and lunch dishes, our cornerstone Downtown New Orleans restaurant, 8 Block Kitchen & Bar, features delicious fusion of farm-to-table cuisine, while immersing yourself in the best of sophisticated New Orleans nightlife with delicious appetizers, masterfully crafted cocktails, and premium spirits, while enjoying complimentary Live Jazz!

Hyatt Regency New Orleans

 

 
 
Cafe Reconcile
8.  Featuring soul-filled local dishes, Café Reconcile is a destination lunch spot for a wide cross-section of New Orleanians as well as visitors from all across the country. Focusing on the kind of "soul food" for which New Orleans is known, the restaurant has earned high praise from local and national critics.

Reconcile New Orleans transforms the lives of young adults (ages 16-24) and the community through the ministry of reconciliation.

We do this by encouraging personal growth, providing workforce development and training, promoting entrepreneurship, working with businesses, nonprofits and people of faith to support this transformation, and building strong communities through community economic development.


   
 
 
Ma Momma's House
9.  
Ma Momma's House of Cornbread, Chicken & Waffles is known as the place where you can enjoy the quintessential food experience that exemplifies New Orleans Creole Cuisine, replicating the same taste and atmosphere found in a traditional, soulful New Orleans Momma's kitchen.  Everyone loves their "Secret Weapon"... their very special cornbread recipe that simply dazzles our customers with its flavor and freshness. Ma Momma's House of Cornbread, Chicken and Waffles also boast the "BEST FRIED CHICKEN TO THE BONE!" Ma Momma's House is the place to be in New Orleans for down home flavor and Southern cuisine!    

 

 
 
J's Seafood - Boiled Crawfish
10.  Located in the French Market and run by a local family, 
J's Seafood Dock has all the charm of New Orleans and family. Winner of the French Market Creole Tomato Festival's 'Best of the Fest' Most Creative Dish: Crawfish beignet with roasted corn & Creole Tomato Sauce, J's Seafood Dock is also known for their Fresh shucked oysters grilled over an open flame with Parmesan Cheese, Creole Seasoning and Garlic Butter Sauce.  They serve fresh and prepared seafood, including oysters, shrimp, crab, and crawfish that can be shipped worldwide upon request. 
 
 
Crab Cake Passion
11.  If you're shopping, sightseeing or just passing through the French Quarter
and want to refuel with a healthy nosh, Meals From The Heart is your Café.  Located at the Historic French Market, Meals From The Heart Café offers full flavored cuisine.  We provide a healthier take-out food option for all consumers including those who suffer from heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and celiac.  "In a town where fried, too much salt, and plenty butter is the norm this place is an an oasis for people who practice vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and raw diets." ---Emily Bryant




Prime Example_Julius Kimbrough
12.  
Germain's Kitchen @ Prime Example Jazz Club is one of New Orleans' best kept secret.  A diverse menu which includes Yakamein, Crab Cakes, Catfish, Spring Rolls, Gumbo, and Fried Wings; all with the best Jazz that New Orleans has to offer.  Chef  Gaines attended culinary school at Delgado Community College in New Orleans. Upon graduating, Germaine's culinary adventure took her to Pat O'Brien's and several other eateries in the French Quarter, to the Hilton Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.  

Ms. Gaines puts all of her energy into producing the very best "creole" food that New Orleans has to offer.  She is a member of the American Culinary Institute; she also caters for entertainers, and cooks for benefits during her off time from Germaine's Kitchen and the Prime Example Jazz club. 

This is the place where Real Crescent City musicians are heard  live throughout the week.  The Prime Example Jazz Club is by far the premiere place to relax and listen to smooth, live authentic New Orleans music.

 

   

Morrow's
13. One of New Orleans' newest and hottest eatery is 
Morrow's; offering Classic New Orleans Cooking and Korean dishes.  A must have is the Cajun Crawfish Pasta, Louisiana Crawfish, & rotini pasta tossed in a Cajun sauce topped with fried Louisiana Catfish or the Chefs' favorite, the Bibim Bop (Rice Bowl), an array of blanched vegetables & marinated beef served in a rice bowl topped with a fried egg and a sweet & spicy sauce.  the Korean influenced dishes serves homage to Chong's Korean heritage.

Sunday  Brunch Menu highlight includes the  Cajun Catfish Benedict ; Louisiana Catfish fried to perfection, served over toasted French Bread, topped with a poached egg with a drizzle of hollandaise sauce.  Also, d on't forget  Lenora's Hawaiian Bread Pudding which is served daily, or her famed bananas Foster French toast .

Morrow Cajun Crawfish Pasta
Morrow's Cajun Crawfish Pasta


Larry Morrow and Lenora Chong
Larry Morrow and his mother Lenora Chong (Photo credit: Helen Freund)
Owned by event-promoter Larry Morrow's  (All Bets On Me: The Risks and Rewards Of Becoming an Entrepreneur)and his mother, Chef Lenora Chong (formerly of Lenora's Grill in Pontchartrain Park); Morrow's is fast becoming the place to be seen for both local and national entertainers and sport figures.  

With Happy Hour from 4-7 PM offering $5 Cocktail, the long contemporary bar in the center of the restaurant serves as added incentive for diners to hang around a little longer.


 



Victory - Korean BBQ Lettuce Wraps
14.  
Victory Bar & Restaurant; Nestled in the heart of Downtown New Orleans lies the city's most eclectic and unique place for pleasant conversation, an array of delectable morsels and an impeccably prepared cocktail. The spirit of Victory is in its team's pledge to preserve the elegance of a past era when cocktails were fashioned with pride and artistry.   Compliment your drink with a serving of Korean BBQ Lettuce Wraps Marinated Pork & Beef, Coconut Rice, Scallon Salad on Iceberg Lettuce or the Crabmeat Au Gratin Dip.
 

 
 

Boswell's Jamaican Grill
15.  Jerk chicken or pork, curried chicken, oxtail, beef patties, plaintains & other 
hearty Jamaican eats are offered at Boswell's Jamaican Grill; a no-frills eatery near the hospital district.  

Our favorite is the Fish Escabeche served with coconut rice and peas.  It is delicious authentic Jamaican food and an atmosphere to match that offers a weekday lunch buffet at a modest price. Located at 3521 Tulane Avenue, it is a short five minute cab ride from Downtown New Orleans. 
 

 


Neyow's Creole Cafe Shrimp Creole
16.  
Neyow's Creole Cafe is an informal establishment supplying Creole & other Southern-inspired dishes.  The menu includes fried seafood dishes, Creole favorites and po-boys.

Char-grilled oysters are topped with butter and cheese sauce. The seafood platter includes fried shrimp, oysters, fish, a stuffed crab and two sides.  "The red beans or white beans come with enough fried chicken or pork chops "on the side" to constitute a two-course dinner. " - Ian McNulty
 
 
 
Pepperoni Ray's - The Big Easy Pizza
17. 
 Pepperoni Ray's was voted one of New Orleans Top Five Pizza Places by the Times-Picayune readers, well we would have put them at Number One!

The locals rave about Pepperoni Ray's Big Easy Pizza, loaded with pepperoni, canadian bacon, italian sausage, beef, bacon, black olives, mushrooms, onions, & bell peppers.  The menu also boast of a variety of wings; Hot, BBQ, Sweet Inferno, Honey Mustard, Lemon Pepper, and Garlic Parmesan. 

 

 
 
18.  The Half Shell Oyster Bar & Grill; Mid-City's newest oyster bar on Esplanade Avenue in the Faubourg St. John neighborhood. Their specialty and focus is on oyster dishes. They provide a full oyster bar menu for lunch and dinner. The Half Shell also offer lunch dishes such as roast beef poboys, burgers, and shrimp, as well as dinner items including lobster tails, steak, chicken and vegetarian options. Open during the weekdays from 7am - 9pm and the weekends from 7am - 3pm. Stop by for a great Seafood and traditional new Orleans style cuisine.   

Half Shell - Oysters on the grill




 
Italian Pie
19.  
The Original Italian Pie; Gentilly location. For many Italian-Americans, the words pizza and pie have often been interchangeable. At The Original Italian Pie, we've taken this to a new level. In our birthplace of New Orleans, we were so often named "Best Pizza" in various independent surveys, that locals created a nickname for our restaurant and began referring to us as "The Pie."   Offering a full menu of pasta dishes, check out our favorite locations in New Orleans East and Gentilly neighborhoods. 

 

 
 
20.  The legendary 
Charbroiled Oysters @ Drago's Seafood Restaurant, located at 2Poydras Street at the Hilton Hotel has been called the "Best Bite of Food" in New Orleans.  

Offering our community the delicious, original Charbroiled Oyster -- often imitated but never duplicated!   It all started back in 1993, when Tommy Cvitanovich, our second generation restaurant manager, decided to experiment with a sauce of garlic, butter and herbs. He brushed it on a fresh batch of oysters, then dusted them with a blend of Parmesan and Romano cheese and cooked them in their shell on a hot grill. The results were incredibly delicious-and a legend was born!

Grilled on an open flame, each batch is freshly opened by hand and prepared with a special sauce of garlic, butter and herbs dusted with a blend of Parmesan and Romano cheese.  With 900 dozen being served daily, nothing else needs to be said. 


 
 
 
Celestine Dunbar and Chef Frank Jones
Celestine Dunbar and chef Frank Jones have been greeting many of their old regulars at the new Dunbar's Creole Cuisine, the continuation of a longtime New Orleans eatery. (Advocate staff photo by Ian McNulty)
21.   Dunbar's Creole Cuisine, a pre-Katrina NoLa mainstay in the neighborhood of Freret, Dunbar's has found a new home after being closed for more that a decade.  However, this Gert Town iteration maintains its original charm with its down-home Creole cooking (think po'boys, fried seafood platters, BBQ ribs, pork chops, fried chicken and the like) and familiar, relaxed vibe.  

Opening in 1986 with Ms. Dunbar preparing food from her home and serving it to her restaurant customers.  Since then Dunbar's has created a foundation for great food in the city of New Orleans.  Known for its delicious fried chicken, red beans, and famous gumbo from a family recipe passed down by her mother at the young age of six.  Dunbar's is a historical cuisine monument to New Orleans.


     
                            

 
 
BARU
22.   In April of 2007 
Baru Bistro & Tapas opened in the heart of the Garden District of New Orleans introducing a taste of the Caribbean on the merchant street Magazine. With the desire to interpret the traditional cuisine of the caribbean coast of Colombia and South America through fresh and local ingredients, Baru opened its doors as a tapas restaurant. Tapas are a tradition originating from Spain in which small portions are served on small plates, ideal for those who enjoy variety in their dining experience. Baru won "Best Latin Restaurant" in the Gambit magazine's "Best of New Orleans" awards, and we are proud to say we have won that title every year since!  "Best New Restaurant" in 2008 in Where Ya't magazine and was theTimes Picayune top 100 restaurants. 


 

Chef Nina Compton
Chef Nina Compton
23.  On May 7, 2018 Chef Nina Compton of Compère Lapin restaurant made history by becoming the first Black women to be designated as the best chef in the South at the 2018 James Beard Awards. The James Beard Foundation awards are considered the Oscars of the culinary world. Only five black chefs have ever been a Best Chef finalist.

Inspiration for the menu comes from the traditional Caribbean folktales featuring a mischievous rabbit named Compère Lapin that Chef Nina Compton read during her childhood in St. Lucia. Drawing on the story's themes of exploration and play, she mixes the indigenous ingredients and rich culinary heritage of New Orleans with those of her Caribbean roots. Tapping into her classical French culinary training and deep experience with Italian cuisine, the result is a playful menu that takes food you know, and makes it food you love.

She was also a contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef: New Orleans." Compère Lapin is a sophisticated eatery serving New Orleans accented flavors in the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery located on 535 Tchoupitoulas Street in the city's Warehouse District.

Special menu items includes Eggplant Ravioli, Curried Goat, or Black Drum complemented with choices such as  Plantain or Sweet Potato Gnocchi. 







Sassafras Restaurant
24.  
Sassafras Restaurant continues to rise above the tide with an appealing recipe
for success---great food, excellent customer service and fantastic atmosphere. Over 10 years ago, they began a tradition of serving authentic New Orleans flavor at a reasonable price in an upscale setting. From their creole favorites, (Seafood Stuffed Peppers, File Gumbo, Catfish Orleans, Chicken Bernard, and Smothered Okra with Shrimp), to their flavorful takes on seafood (fried and grilled), Pastas, SIgnature Salads, Juicy Steaks and Decadent Desserts, Sassafras offers something for everyone. And certainly, enjoy dessert---their own mouthwatering Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce---- is the ultimate decadent delight!





LeRoux's
25.  The New 
Le Roux's - Inside the Wyndam Garden Hotel is now open for private parties, weddings, showers and corporate events in East New Orleans. Located at 10100 I-10 Service Rd, New Orleans LA 70127, if you have a taste for traditional Southern Soul Food, then Le Roux's Lounge & Bar is a must stop.






Please Note: Rankings are not necessarily in order of favorites as listed.


Liberty Bank Canal Street NOW OPEN

Click to view a clip of our renovations!
Click to view a clip of our renovations!


The Defiant Ones
As young girls, they fought the fierce battle to integrate America's schools. They were African-American children, the vast majority girls, who were "firsts" in the years before and after the Supreme Court struck down school segregation.
Millicent Brown
Millicent Brown broke the racial barrier at a Charleston, South Carolina, high school. "This was the challenge of our day," says Brown, a historian and activist. (Lola Flash)
 
By Amy Crawford, Photographs by Lola Flash 

Originally published June 1, 2018 - On the morning of September 3, 1963, Millicent Brown put on the pleated skirt, blouse and new shoes she had picked out for her first day of tenth grade. Her older sister had helped set her hair with Dippity-do the day before, and it emerged as a neat bob after they took out the rollers-one point of anxiety relieved, at least.
Teenagers have always agonized over first impressions, but for Brown there was much more at stake than vanity. As a successful plaintiff in a school desegregation lawsuit, she would be one of two African-American students to attend formerly all-white Rivers High School in Charleston, South Carolina. Their own community was counting on them, but white racists were praying for them to fail. The school received three bomb threats that first day. It never got easier.
"I'd walk down the hallway and the students would part like the Red Sea," Brown remembers. "They would make noises, make monkey sounds, act like I was a leper." Believing she had to "represent the race," she didn't return their taunts.
It was a pressure felt by all of the African-American children who volunteered-or were drafted-to be "firsts" in the years before and after the Supreme Court struck down school segregation with its 1954  Brown v. Board of Education decision. (Millicent Brown, who shares a last name with the plaintiff, was not part of that case.) Not by coincidence, the vast majority of these pioneers were girls and young women, a phenomenon that Rachel Devlin documents in her groundbreaking new work of recovered history,  A Girl Stands at the Door (Basic Books). "The first thing you need to have for a desegregation lawsuit is total commitment," Devlin says. "The second is skill in dealing with white adults. Girls had both." Among other things, Devlin says, parents and lawyers were aware that girls tended to receive more instruction than boys in the unwritten rules of decorum.

Tessie Prevost Williams
Tessie Prevost Williams integrated New Orleans'  McDonogh 19 Elementary School as a first grader. (Lola Flash)

Devlin, a Rutgers University historian, spent ten years tracking down and interviewing dozens of women who endured harassment and abuse to desegregate schools, whether or not their lawsuits prevailed. (Pre-1960s efforts often met unyielding resistance.) She began her search with NAACP legal files stored at the Library of Congress, finding dozens of suits filed on behalf of girls against segregated school districts across the South, beginning in the years after World War II. Devlin was dismayed to realize how many had yet to have their stories acknowledged.
Finding these girls, now women in their 60s, 70s and 80s, required some sleuthing. Because most of the women had gotten married and changed their names, Devlin started her search at marriage bureaus around the country, following wherever the paper trails led. Nearly every woman she eventually reached out to was eager to share her story. "They were puzzled that no one had contacted them before," Devlin says. "They understood... what they had achieved, even if they didn't see themselves as candidates for fame."


Beverly Plummer Wilson
Beverly Plummer Wilson was among the first African-Americans to attend her Georgia high school. "They threw spitballs," she recalls of white schoolmates. "I just kept moving on to my next class."
(Lola Flash)

Inspired by Devlin's chronicle-which promises to reignite public conversation and debate about racial disparities in public education-Smithsonian interviewed and photographed several of these heroes today. Their stories speak to the psychological strength of black girls and young women, and the extraordinary sacrifices demanded of them.
Beverly Plummer Wilson, who integrated Albany High School in Albany, Georgia, in 1964, remembers the daunting crowd that confronted her on her first day of school. "A group of people were standing outside when we got out of the car," she says. She ignored them as she walked through the front door and maintained that steely composure every morning thereafter.
The experience was different for younger children-Leona Tate, one of three black first graders to integrate McDonogh 19 Elementary School in New Orleans, in 1960, could only think of Mardi Gras when she saw the noisy crowd outside on her first day. Unaware they were yelling at  her, she couldn't understand why she had to go to school when there was going to be a parade. "Then the marshals came, and it got real quiet, and I knew something was about to happen," Tate remembers.
By the end of the day, all of the white students' parents had pulled them out of McDonogh, leaving the three African-American girls to attend school by themselves for the next year-and-a-half. For their safety, they weren't allowed to play outside, and their classroom windows were papered over.


Leona Tate
"The only place we had to play was the stairwells," Leona Tate recalls today. She directs the Leona Tate Foundation for Change. (Lola Flash)


For Marion Greenup, one of a dozen girls and two boys who integrated Baton Rouge High School in 1963, the most unsettling day was the assassination in November of President John F. Kennedy, despised in much of the South for having sent federal troops to enforce desegregation orders. "The school just rejoiced," Greenup says. "That really made me think, I can't go back, I can't do this anymore." In the end, she says, "we decided we had to finish it out."
Greenup had watched students at nearby Southern University, a historically black university, demonstrate against Jim Crow with sit-ins and marches. She was always too young to participate, but integrating the local high school gave her a way to fight for civil rights, too. "I heard people talking about how important it was," she says. "So I talked to my parents, they left it to me.... I don't think I knew exactly what I was getting into. I expected to be harassed, heckled, bothered by students. I was surprised that the teachers did not intervene or show any leadership."

Marion Greenup
Marion Greenup helped desegregate Baton Rouge High School. Greenup became a vice president at the Simons Foundation, a philanthropy focused on mathematics and science. Greenup says that her experience taught her "how important it is to stand up for what you believe." (Lola Flash)

It wasn't the only case in which leadership was left to children. In 1947, Doris Raye Jennings Brewer and her twin sister, Doris Faye Jennings Alton, were plaintiffs in an unsuccessful lawsuit to desegregate schools in Hearne, Texas. "As a child, I knew that things had to change," she recalls. But while racial segregation is no longer the law, it  still exists today , mostly along socioeconomic lines. Majority-black schools  still have fewer resources  than majority-white schools-a form of inequality that has proven stubbornly hard to rectify.

Doris Raye Jennings Brewer
In their 1947 desegregation case in Texas, Doris Raye Jennings Brewer (above) and twin sister Doris Faye Jennings Alton (below) were represented by Thurgood Marshall, the future Supreme Court justice. (Lola Flash)

Doris Faye Jennings Alton
Doris Faye Jennings Alton (Lola Flash)

Defiant_Ones_8_Margurite_Carr_Stokes_and_Margurite_Carr_Stokes
In 1947, Margurite Carr Stokes (left) sued for admission to Washington, D.C.'s Eliot Junior High, and lost. She would later receive a law degree from Howard University. Elaine Chustz Green (right) integrated Baton Rouge High in 1963 and later become the principal of a Detroit public school. (Lola Flash)

Defiant_Ones_9_Shirley_Lawrence_Alexander_and_Velma_Hunter_Jackson
Shirley Lawrence Alexander (left) was among those who integrated Albany High School in Georgia. Velma Hunter Jackson (right) helped desegregate Baton Rouge High School. Alexander became a banking executive, Jackson a dentist. (Lola Flash)


"Things have changed a great deal," says Brewer, who became a school librarian. "But we still have a road to go. There are still battles to be fought."
About The Author: Amy Crawford is a Michigan-based freelance journalist writing about cities, science, the environment, art and education. A longtime  Smithsonian contributor, her work also appears in  CityLab and the  Boston GlobeRead More articles from Amy Crawford and  Follow on Twitter @amymcrawf
About The Author: Lola Flash is a photographer based in New York.  Read More articles from Lola Flash


###



NOCCJ Announces Robert H. Tucker, Jr. as its Presiding Co-Chair
Media Contact:
Stephanie Bridges
New Orleans Council for
Community and Justice:
650 Poydras Street, Suite 2303
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Tel (504)522-3760
NOCCJ

Bob Tucker
Robert "Bob" Tucker
NEW ORLEANS (June 21, 2018) - One of the city's oldest human relations organization, The New Orleans Council for Community and Justice ("NOCCJ") founded as The National Conference of Christian and Jews, announced Robert ("Bob") H. Tucker, Jr., President of Green Pastures Unlimited, LLC, as its Presiding Co-Chair.

Since 1943, NOCCJ has served the Greater New Orleans area through advocacy and educational services. NOCCJ works with students to implement youth-led programs that focus on leadership development, strategic planning, and problem solving. NOCCJ helps students reduce social conflict by building empathy with diverse groups. NOCCJ's sole purpose is to improve relations between groups and to foster a general harmony characterized by respect through advocacy, conflict resolution, and education.

We are very excited to have Mr. Tucker as our presiding co-chair of NOCCJ," said Stephanie Bridges, NOCCJ's President. "An accomplished and experienced leader, Mr. Tucker's diverse-skill set and background will help us to advance NOCCJ's mission and its critical programming.

Mr. Tucker is President of Green Pastures Unlimited, LLC, a professional consultancy providing business development services and solutions to small and medium sized companies and non-profit organizations. Also, strategic political guidance for persons seeking elected office.

Prior to starting his own business in 1978, Mr. Tucker was an Executive Assistant to the Mayor of the City of New Orleans, Moon Landrieu, for eight years.

For over thirty-five years, Mr. Tucker has been active in civic and public affairs. He is a past Member of the Board of Trustees of Clark Atlanta University, a board member of Community Mediation Services, a volunteer with Common Ground Collective, a board member of Sistaworks and a founding member of the Anti-Violence Coordinating Committee. Mr. Tucker is also a Former
Chairman of the Regional Transit Authority, Past Chairman and Commissioner of the Port of New Orleans, Past Member of the Health Education Authority of Louisiana, and Past Chairman of the United Negro College Fund, Inc. Telethon.

Other civic activities for Tucker include past service on the board of directors of the World Trade Center, the Chamber/New Orleans, and the Southern Baptist Hospital Foundation. Tucker is also a former Commissioner with the Audubon Park Commission and the Louisiana Dome Stadium Commission. He is a past member of the College of Business Visiting Committee, Loyola University,
a distinguished lecturer, Loyola University College of Business Administration and a member of Blue Key Honor Society. In September of last year, Tucker was appointed by Mayor Landrieu to serve as a board member of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority.

Additionally, Tucker served as Chairman of the successful, Latoya Cantrell campaign for Mayor of New Orleans.

Tucker holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Clark Atlanta University (Formerly Clark College) and an MBA from Tulane University.
Mr. Tucker is married to Fatma Aydin and the father of Iam, David and Jeffrey.

______________________

Biography
of
Robert H. Tucker Jr.

Robert H. Tucker Jr. was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the second of three children born to the union of Robert H. Tucker Sr. and his wife, Mattie
Amacker. Both his parents grew up on large self-sufficient farms (in Franklinton
and Greensburg, Louisiana) before finding their way to New Orleans where
Tucker's father became a mortician and successful owner of three funeral
homes. In later years, Robert H. Tucker, Sr. would become an African Methodist Episcopal minister serving congregations throughout the states of Louisiana and Mississippi.

This aspect of family life was developmentally significant in young Robert's
growth as he acquired an understanding of business, strong spiritual values, and a deepened understanding of life as an African American male growing up in the segregated South.

Excellent performances as a student, athlete, and leader, resulted in Tucker
receiving upon graduation -in the top 5% of his Walter L. Cohen high school
class - an academic scholarship to Clark Atlanta University (formerly Clark
College). In the process of earning a degree, Tucker built a record as an
academic leader, a mature decision maker in campus affairs, and a strong civil
and student rights' activist. It was during this period, on March 15, 1960, that he along with scores of similarly inclined young men and women, made history by participating in the first ever lunch counter sit-in at Atlanta's commercial business district. 

Bob Tucker - Atlanta sit-in


Tucker's group of approximately 11 students was transported (by local funeral
directors) to Sprayberry's Federal Cafeteria where they attempted to eat, were
refused service, then arrested by Atlanta police officers. The coordinated Atlanta sit-ins resulted in the arrest of a total of 83 students charged with, "Breaching the Peace", "Refusing to Leave Premises", "Intimidating" the restaurant owners, and "Conspiracy". All charges were subsequently dismissed as the City of Atlanta achieved peaceful integration.

For many years Tucker's father carried in his wallet, the yellowing onion skin
letter that his son had typed out and mailed to his parents the night before this
tightly orchestrated event would take place. (See copy below)

Bob Tucker - Letter to parents_page_1
Bob Tucker - Letter to parents_page_2
In follow-up to the sit-in and furtherance of the cause, Tucker and his fellow
student activists braved the taunts and threats of old line Southerners to perform weekend picketing duties in front of Atlanta's many segregated public facilities.

While demonstrating excellent academic skills, Tucker also captained Clark
College's first debate team which won tournaments over Harvard, Columbia, and Boston College. He was a consistent 'Best Speaker' and was a major factor in popularizing collegiate debating at Clark College.

Tucker added to his undergraduate achievements by winning election to national officer status as the Second Vice Grand Basilus of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

In May of 1963, Tucker graduated from Clark College with a B.A. (Honors) in
Political Science and Economics, with a minor in Psychology.

Two months prior to the May graduation, Tucker was interviewed and selected to be one of a small group of African Americans to undergo Ranger training and integrate the National Park Service. Tucker was assigned to Yosemite National Park in California and, following graduation, began work there. (This initiative was brought about by then Pres. John Kennedy's effort to advance opportunities for African Americans in non-traditional sectors of the government.)

Subsequent to the conclusion of this historic short term position in the early
autumn of 1963, Tucker took up residence in Los Angeles.

Shortly after the devastatingly tragic assassination of Pres. Kennedy in
November of that year, Tucker decided to join the military as he pondered the
link between why he was in California and what he could do for his country.

After receiving six months basic US Army combat training at Fort Ord, CA (US
Army) followed by six months of advanced training at Fort Sumter, SC, Tucker
was assigned first to Orleans, France and, a year later, to Korat, Thailand in
Southeast Asia.

Returning to his hometown of New Orleans, LA in 1967, Tucker found nothing
much had changed insofar as race relations were concerned. The local situation became even more exasperated with the brutal assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1968 in Memphis, TN.

In concert with other concerned African Americans in the community, Tucker led an organized effort to launch an ecumenical march to commemorate Dr. King's death, culminating in the delivery of a set of empowerment demands to City Hall,  the seat of a totally segregated governmental structure led by all white, male elected officials.

While none of the elected officials responded to the marcher's request(s), one
city councilman by the name of Moon Landrieu quietly observed the protesters
visit to City Hall.

A few months later, Moon began speaking with various members of the Black
community expressing his intent to seek the office of Mayor in the upcoming
municipal elections.

Not only did then Councilman Landrieu enter the very crowded field of
candidates seeking the mayor's chair, he won the primary and, ultimately the runoff after committing to hire African Americans to meaningful positions, if elected.

Tucker was the first African American assistant hired by Mayor Landrieu in 1970, when he became one of 3 Executive Assistants to the Mayor.

Over the ensuing 8 years (1970-1978) of the Landrieu administration, Tucker
played a pivotal role in assisting the Mayor to manage and resolve a variety of
municipal challenges.

Showdown in Desire
Never one to shrink from confrontation, Tucker was the critical force in achieving a peaceful solution to an 8 hour standoff between heavily armed members of the New Orleans Police Department and the local Black Panther Party. Tucker's role in the historic 1970 event was captured in great depth in a book by Orissa Arend entitled, "Showdown in Desire - The Black Panthers Take a Stand in New Orleans (2009)." 

The Landrieu administration blazed an exciting trail of innovation and creative initiatives for an old American city badly in need of diversity, capital
improvements, new ideas, vision, and imaginative thinking. Thanks to Mayor Landrieu and the able support provided by stalwarts like Bob Tucker, New Orleans successfully negotiated a major course correction at a critical point in its then 250 year old history.

In 1978 after completing another record of high achievement, Tucker left
government and entered the world of business, first as a consultant and, 2 years later, as the CEO of his own firm.

Over the next 14 years, Tucker would build a small business that specialized in
providing support services primarily to Department of Defense agencies, into a
major employer of over 300 individuals.

Along the way, Tucker reciprocated in service back to the community through his charitable participation on a plethora of boards and commissions that included, CAU Board of Trustees, Tulane University President's Council, Distinguished Lecturer Loyola University College of Business, College of Business Visiting Committee, Loyola University, Board of Commissioners, Accrediting Commission of Education for Health Services Administration, Health Education Authority of Louisiana, Executive Education Center, Tulane University School of Business, University of New Orleans Metropolitan Learning Center, New Orleans Super Dome Commission, USF&G Sugar Bowl Association, Boy Scouts of America, Junior League, Ochsner Medical Foundation, Metropolitan Young Men's Christian Association, Children's Hospital, Commission on the Future of the City of New Orleans, to name a few.
Tucker served as Chairman of, the New Orleans Port Authority, the Regional
Transit Authority, the United Negro College Fund, Inc. Telethon, and the
Louisiana Special Olympics.




Bob Tucker - Desire_Housing_Black_Panther article

Bob Tucker - Recalling Strife in 70s article
Pictured from Left, Sherman Copelin, Jr., Robert Tucker, Don Hubbard, Charles Elloie,
and Henry Faggen



###




Essence Festival - 2018 header


Floyd Mayweather joins knockout line-up put on by Larry Morrow during Essence Fest Weekend 
Larry Morrow welcomes Essence
Larry Morrow to host the biggest events during Essence Fest Weekend
NEW ORLEANS - Larry Morrow welcomes Essence Music Fest goers with some of the biggest names in the industry and one of the hottest restaurants in the city. Morrow is an entertainment socialite, real estate developer, event producer, author of his latest project "All Bets on Me", and restaurant owner as he opened "Morrow's" in the spring. The celebrity event curator is known for producing lavish high profile events and for Essence Fest Weekend 2018 the approach remains the same. The 27 year old business mogul has worked with likes of mega celebrities like P.Diddy, Drake, Mary J Blige, and Master P to name a few. This year's post-concert party line-up series includes Floyd Mayweather, Alvin Kamara, "The Breakfast Club", Lance Gross and more.


The star studded weekend includes a diversified cultural, and musical experience produced by "Essence" featuring artists like Snoop Dogg, Miguel, Erykah Badu, Janet Jackson, and Queen Latifah. Morrow's goal for the weekend is to drive traffic to the city like never before and continue to platform "The Big Easy" as a destination for tourists, and to continue to attract major events to New Orleans. Larry Morrow Events will be hosting events at Harrah's Masquerade Friday through Sunday, along with a major charitable initiative soon to be announced. As a custom you can also expect a fair share of celebrity's to pop up at "Morrow's" for some the best food Nola has to offer according to GQ Magazine.



To purchase tickets and learn more information visit: http://larrymorrowevents.com


###


New Orleans' Nina Compton wins South's top chef at James Beard Awards
Chef Nina Compton
Chef Nina Compton
By Taylor Sylvain, 
The New Orleans Agenda

NEW ORLEANS - This past Monday (May 7), New Orleans' Chef Nina Compton of Compère Lapin restaurant made history by becoming the first Black women to be designated as the best chef in the South at the 2018 James Beard Awards. The James Beard Foundation awards are considered the Oscars of the culinary world.
 
Only five black chefs have ever been a Best Chef finalist; this year's ceremony was the first to recognize black women-Mashama Bailey, of the Savannah restaurant The Grey, and Nina Compton, of Compère Lapin, in New Orleans-as finalists.
 
Boston-based food writer, Korsha Wilson reports, "Compton's speech placed her immigration story front and center: "I never dreamed, coming from a very small island of St. Lucia, of winning this award," she said at the podium. Her New Orleans restaurant, Compère Lapin, is named for a character in Creole and Caribbean folk tales; on the menu, she  blends Caribbean and Southern food with French technique."
 
Compere Lapin - Shrimp
Compton is a native of St. Lucia that moved from Miami to New Orleans in 2015 to open Compère Lapin, which draws from her Caribbean heritage along with her French and Italian experiences. She was a contestant on Bravo's "Top Chef: New Orleans." Compère Lapin is a sophisticated eatery serving New Orleans accented flavors in the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery located on 535 Tchoupitoulas Street in the city's Warehouse District.
 
In regards to other Blacks taking top honors that night, Wilson adds "what makes these wins particularly poignant is that chefs Rodney Scott, Nina Compton, Edouardo Jordan, and Dolester Miles are  cooking interpretations of their unique history, from the present moment in the part of America where they live. Their complicated and beautiful act of reclaiming Black foodways and serving it to the public is too powerful to understate. They're chefs who are making food that represents them - people who are connected to and inspired by the African diaspora."
 
Compton and her husband Larry Miller have opened a second restaurant in New Orleans; Bywater American Bistro, a more casual establishment located at 2900 Charters Street providing American food.
 
 
The outstanding bar program went to cocktail bar Cure, another establishment from New Orleans. Compton and Cure were among the nine nominees from New Orleans this year.
 
The James Beard Foundation's mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor chefs and other leaders making America's food culture more delicious, diverse, and sustainable for everyone.

-----
 
Taylor Sylvain
Taylor Sylvain is a senior journalism student attending Clark Atlanta University's Division of Communication Arts in the department of Mass Media Arts and serves as an intern for The New Orleans Agenda. A native of New Orleans, she especially enjoys assignments dealing with the city's art, culture, fashion and the music industry. Taylor may be reached via email through SylvainSolutions@msn.com.



###


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Marc Morial - President & CEO, National Urban League
Marc H. Morial, President & CEO, Nat'l Urban League 
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Leslie Jacobs, Vice Chair of the New Orleans Business Alliance
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