Thursday, August 10, 2017

To New Orleans, With Love: My Essence Festival/NOLA Love Affair Part III


Well folks, we've made it to the end of my 3-part series about my experience in New Orleans for the 2017 Essence Festival. In this installment, I wanted to share my overall thoughts and opinions of my experiences as a whole while attending Essence and while being in New Orleans.



What Essence Means to Me


As far as Essence goes, I was absolutely ENCHANTED by the Festival! I have never in my lifetime ever seen that many blank people in one place at the same time. And especially, that many black people in peace, love, genuine happiness and easiness. It was a beautiful sight and one that I won't soon forget!

The Essence Festival is truly for black people, what Mecca is for Muslims. I went to Essence proud of my blackness, but weary of the issues I encounter every day on social media and in the news, and in my daily life that affect myself and my fellow black people. It was refreshing and awesome to be in a "safe space" of support and understanding. I have no words to describe that feeling. It's for that reason, that I encourage EVERYONE to go to Essence at least once in their lifetime. You truly won't regret it!

The theme of this year's Festival was "Stay Woke". It was the subject of many of the panel discussions, speeches, and even musical performances throughout the 3-day weekend event. It was encouraging and uplifting to hear the commentary of so many musicians, actors/actresses, personalities, and celebrities speak on the subject of police brutality and excessive force, and other black issues in such a candid and honest manner. It really helped our unity as a people, and inspired many of us to be more open and work toward positive solutions to these issues.



What NOLA Means to Me



Aside from beignets at Cafe Du Monde, sazerac and hurricane cocktails, muffaletta sandwiches, shrimp po'boys, and jambalaya, New Orleans is so much more! This city is truly like no other place in the United States, or the rest of world! The music is beyond comparison! The energy there is like nowhere else. The people there are jewels! They are so authentic, laid back, happy, and real. I love them all!



The nostalgia and history found in the architecture and landmarks there is like nowhere else in the country. You can just walk the streets and can visualize a day in the life in a century past. Don't let the humidity and heat keep you from enjoying this city! And a stroll down Frenchmen Street or Bourbon Street on a clear night never hurt nobody.


This adventure last month marked my second trip to the beautiful city of New Orleans, Louisiana. My visit took place when I was 15 years old during my sophomore year of High School while on an orchestra trip. I loved the city back then, but obviously didn't experience NOLA in all of its forms being underage and under heavy supervision.

Then Katrina happened....


I was 22 when this situation occurred and I spent an entire day watching CNN's coverage of Katrina on three Friday before Labor Day. Seriously. All. Day. I was MORTIFIED by the images i saw of bloated, dead bodies floating in Lake Pontchartrain, people on their roofs waving for help in the heat, and other horrific stories and images that I will never be able to erase from my memory. This wasn't a third world country. This was home, here in the US.

Ever since 2005 when all of this happened, I have been wanting to return to New Orleans to see the aftermath of my beloved New Orleans, in hopes of seeing how well the city has progressed.  I've studied this catastrophe, read about it, watched multiple documentaries, etc. Circumstances have prolonged my return to this fair city, but a primary goal of my time while in New Orleans was to explore and learn the truth about NOLA post-Katrina. And boy did I get it!
While there, my cousin and I took a wonderful bus tour of New Orleans. Our tour guide was a New Orleans native and she played no games about speaking the truth about what has and has NOT happened in rebuilding restructuring New Orleans since Katrina. I came for the truth and she blessed me with it!

Here are some videos from that portion of our tour, regarding the crisis and aftermath of Katrina.




This footage is from the 17th St Canal. After our tour was finished, before exiting the bus i asked her if we were in the 9th Ward? She said "no, we are not allowed to take you there unless we have a permit. They don't want you to see it. "

If that is not a sign of how little has been done there, then i don't know is.





I hope that these posts have entertained and informed you about the Essence Festival. And even if you can't make it to Essence next year, definitely put it on your bucket list for the future! Similarly, whether you go to New Orleans for Essence, Mardi Gras, Halloween (yeah apparently that's a big deal there), or just for the helluvit, GO! 

For more info about the Essence Festival, go to their website at http://www.essence.com/festival-2018. 2018 Dates are already up y'all! See ya in NOLA, baby!

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