By Dr. Andre M. Perry
Some eloquent historian will name the pivotal three days of February 5th through the 8th of 2010 in New Orleans. That grand scholar will certainly spin beautiful, descriptive words to describe how residents voted decisively, paraded exuberantly, and cheered our beloved Saints football team to victory. Being a unified city is more often the stuff of dreams than reality. But the hundreds of high-fives, handshakes, and hugs I’ve received over those three days are proof that New Orleanians are deeply connected. However, I don’t believe historians should attribute Landrieu’s agenda or the Saints’ Super Bowl run as catalysts for this palpable sense of community. I think the election and the Saints’ victories are by-products of post-Katrina recovery work by individuals, families, and communities.
Scanning the rooms of various candidates’ post-election victory parties, I was reminded of the hours of meetings, hundreds of pages for numerous applications, talks with parents, arguments with public officials, and the hard physical work of cleaning up immediately after returning home in the wake of Katrina. Sunday night when I screamed, “Who Dat!” at the top of my lungs at a makeshift second line on St. Charles Avenue and then on a jubilant Bourbon Street, I reflected upon my marriage in the African-American Heritage Museum in Treme in 2006, joining a church in 2008, and getting awarded charter schools in 2008 and 2009. All of these actions forged deep relationships with my fellow New Orleanians. These personal connections deepened my commitment to the idea of New Orleans as a greater, better city. Others like me also reflected upon how we deserved the victory we forged.
The tremendous biracial support that Landrieu received in victory can easily be construed as a sign that New Orleanians have agreed upon an agenda for change. But writers undoubtedly will link the Saints’ improbable rise from the professional football ashes to the highest heights with their emblem of the fleur de lis—a national symbol for perseverance. However, they should also write about how our unyielding support of elected officials and sport teams has met our high expectations too.
Without question, we will remember the weekend of Super Bowl Sunday, but August 30, 2005, the day after levee breeches decimated our city, is the day when we decided to make victories happen. If we can continue to work beyond the date of an election or a championship game, we will have many more historic weekends to write about.
Dr. Andre Perry is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of New Orleans, Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, and CEO of the UNO Charter Schools.
Well Said!!