Lighting The Road To The Future Data Sudan Celebrates Zone 34th Annual Parade Page 6 “The People’s Paper” November 18 - November 24, 2017 52nd Year Volume 29 www.ladatanews.com A Data News Weekly Exclusive Who Will Be Mayor? Desiree Charbonnet LaToya Cantrell New Orleans Has an Historic Choice to Make Page 2 42 Tribes Commentary Alphonse Is There “Dowee” a New Robair COINTELPRO? Page 5 Page 8 Page 2 November 18 - November 24, 2017 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com On Election Day 2017 Who Will Be New Orleans First Woman Mayor? Desiree Charbonnet LaToya Cantrell Data News Staff Report Charbonnet At Data News Weekly we are encourag- Desiree Charbonnet ing everyone to get out and vote and be part of history Charbonnet has been an elected official for two de- New Orleans Will Elect First Woman Mayor In the spirit of being “The People’s Paper” we are pre- cades; making history as being the first woman elect- The day has finally come where we will decide who senting both candidates and a brief look at their plat- ed to both posts She was the first woman elected to will become the First Woman Mayor of New Orleans forms, so you can make an informed decision when serve as Recorder of Mortgages for the Parish of Or- It is a contest between LaToya Cantrell and Desiree going to the polls leans, where she served for 10 years Charbonnet was Cover Story, Continued on page 3. DATA NEWS WEEKLY P.O. 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Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com Cover Story November 18 - November 24, 2017 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from page 2. also the first woman elected to the bench of Municipal Court in New Orleans, and the first selected as Chief Judge She is now on a quest to achieve another first as the First Woman Mayor of New Orleans On her campaign website it states the vision of Charbonnet, “Public service, when it’s done well, is a calling and a craft De- siree Charbonnet has a vision, a plan for building a future for all the people of New Orleans, where no one is left out or held back, where we’re the first to try new ideas and new approaches to old, difficult problems ” Her platform includes address- ing the issues of affordable housing, economic development with a focus on workforce training and support- ing local businesses If elected she says she will also address inequal- ity and take on the crime problem taking a more holistic approach Recruiting more officers is one of her goals but believes the social problems that cause crime need to be addressed; paying a living wage, addressing inequality, better educa- tion for all, repairing broken fami- lies and helping people with mental health challenges This is some- work on the council they say, “She thing she says she has been suc- protected our hospitality workers cessful in doing as a judge as one with the smoke free ordinance, of the first in the country to try al- developed affordable housing, cre- ternatives to incarceration and says ated the “Welcoming Cities” legisla- she will continue to be an advocate tion for the immigrant community for as Mayor of New Orleans and other marginalized residents and spearheaded the low-barrier LaToya Cantrell homeless shelter ” Cantrell has been a longtime They also stated, “Building off activist and community leader be- her slogan, ‘Nothing Stops a Bullet ELECTION fore being elected to the New Or- Like a Job,’ LaToya has a plan for leans City Council representing improving our people’s lives with District B in 2012 If elected May- better paying jobs, affordable hous- or Cantrell says she will fight to ing including first time homebuyer make the City safer for all its resi- programs, a stronger and more re- dents, create better-paying jobs, silient drainage system and a more prioritize neighborhoods left out effective NOPD with community post-Katrina, restore affordability policing ” and fight for a more equitable New Orleans Her platform includes Get Out and Vote addressing issues surrounding We have provided these brief seniors, affordable housing, the summaries of both candidates so plight of African American Men, that you the voters can be informed DAY IS crime and public safety, drainage We suggest that you go to both of and infrastructure, the economy, their websites desireecharbonnet women’s rights, LGBTQ, Youth com and latoyacantrell com, to find and Family, criminal justice re- out more about their positions on form, youth engagement and the issues that concern you most NOVEMBER health and wellness A statement released to Data History in the Making News Weekly from her campaign We are on the cusp of history outlining her vision for New Or- electing the First Woman Mayor leans says, “For years, LaToya has and as we approach our 300th An- been a leader: bringing back the niversary, so please get out and Broadmoor neighborhood after VOTE and have a hand in shaping Hurricane Katrina Touting her the future of our City 18, 2018 ladatanews.com Page 4 November 18 - November 24, 2017 State & Local News www.ladatanews.com Writer Reflects on Shared Experiences of Racism for People of Color By Deja Dennis that studied major British poets told him that he thought of him as over the globe coming together In Data News Contributor He began reading other famous po- a White person, Mura responded, many of his poems, he talks about ems and crafting his own He found “That’s what I wanted to be ” interracial couples and his children “When people say they don’t himself writing a lot about race and During the Jim Crow Era, Asian- who are mixed race His writing see color, that is self-delusion,” identity Flunking his LSAT exam, Americans were grouped in with style is also a mix of many different read Author David Mura during the test to get in to Law School, was White people They were expected forms a poetry reading on Nov 9th at 7 his first act of rebellion to sit in the front of buses and trains “I just follow where my mind p m at Xavier University Mura, Mura is a Sansei, which is a third Mura told the audience about his goes,” said Mura In his book, who is a Japanese-American Poet, generation Japanese-American grandmother that did not agree The Last Incantations: Poems, he Novelist, Playwright, Critic, and Both of his parents were placed in with how Black people were treat- praises hip-hop and some influen- Performance Artist from Chicago, internment camps in the 80s, some- ed She did the opposite of what tial African-Americans like Malcom Ill , shared excerpts from his 2014 thing that his family is too ashamed Rosa Parks did, she refused to sit X, James Brown, Richard Pryor, book The Last Incantations: Poems, to discuss in the front of the train When the and Alice Walker He isn’t afraid to to Xavier students His upcoming “When you go to jail for stealing, conductor asked her to get up she look at other cultures and celebrate book in 2018 is titled A Stranger’s you don’t steal anymore What do responded, “I Japanese, I enemy ” them He believes that this is some- Journey: Race, Identity and Narra- you do when you go to jail because “My father didn’t learn racism thing all writers should do tive Craft in Writing where he takes of your race?” Mura asked the audi- from his mother,” Mura said He “He is a great speaker, a wonder- a step back to take a look at expe- ence He said that his parents tried explained that his parents wanted ful and unique poet He is genuine riences of race as a shared journey to assimilate into White culture be- to assimilate as a way to survive, and sincere,” said Dr Biljana Ob- for people of color cause they thought their race was a Author and Poet David Mura, not because they hated themselves radovic, an English Professor at a Japanese-American Poet, Mura became a writer by acci- crime Mura lived in a predominant- Novelist, Playwright, Critic, and and other people of color Xavier, who organized Mura’s visit dent He thought he would go to ly White neighborhood and attend- Performance Artist from Chicago, In high school Mura wasn’t ex- Her poetry students had recently Law School like his father wanted, ed a predominantly White school Ill., shared excerpts from his 2014 posed to many authors of color In read Mura’s book and were eager book The Last Incantations: Po- but he was exposed to poetry in He was raised to deny his Japanese ems, to Xavier students. Photos college, he began to realize his own to meet the author and gain insight college when he enrolled in a class culture When his childhood friend by Deja Dennis identity by reading Black authors “We’re not taught creativity, it’s like, James Baldwin, Alice Walker about experiment,” Mura said as and Amiri Baraka Mura started to advice to writers He encourages explore the idea of racial identity by students to not be afraid to write making new friends and connecting about heavy topics like race and with their experiences identity In his new book, he con- “When you become friends with tinues to explore this idea and new different kinds of people, their his- styles of writing tories enter you,” Mura said He “The principle for creativity,” sees America as strangers from all Mura said “is failed often ” www.ladatanews.com 42 Tribes November 18 - November 24, 2017 Page 5 WEEK 22 Alphonse “Dowee” Robair FROECLUSRE 9th Ward Black Hatchet MAEKS EEVRYHTIGN By: Glenn Jones didn’t really tell a story but, it COFNUISNG.