New Orleans - February 18, 2017

February 18, 2017

First thing in the morning, we grabbed some breakfast, then at 10 am we headed to the UU Church located directly next to our stay. At the Church, we had a talk regarding racism and its origins. The main theme of the discussion was white supremacy and how it relates to how society currently operates because of the ideology of white supremacy. The discussion leaders, Deanna and Derrick, led the conversation beautifully, which allowed everyone to express their thoughts and ideas without being judged. The talk was not only informative, but it made us get out of our comfort zones, which greatly improved our discussion skills and increased our social awareness.

North Shore UU Church, Lacombe, LA

In the afternoon, we participated in a rally that supported the increase of minimum wage to $15 an hour. The march included a collaboration of music from various instruments including the trombone, trumpet, and drums. It was great to see the whole city of New Orleans connected at the parade, while catching beads and celebrating. We also had a rare experience when we saw Jay-Z and Beyoncé. Throughout the march we walked a great distance, but it was worth it because got to view the wonderful city of New Orleans from start to finish.

French Quarter for Krewe of Fight for $15 March

Boy, did that rally wear us out. To replenish our used energy, we made a pit stop at one of the finest New Orleans’ grub spots, Katie’s Restaurant. You can say this was the highlight of the day, as some of us feasted on po-boys and beignets. I cannot list many food items in this world better than a po-boy from New Orleans. However, the food was only a necessity for the rest of the activities that were in store for us throughout the day.

To top off this spectacular day, we ended on yet another parade. Although, Jay-Z or Beyoncé were not present this time around, we still got a great view of the Chewbacchus parade in Marigny. It was one of the most exciting parts of the day and we wished we could have stayed longer, but it was getting late. Lastly, we made our way back to the house where we all are going to bed and getting prepared for church in the morning.

Evan Ohuabunwa and Elijah Miranda