NOLA – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Exploring NOLA: Culinary, Cultural, and Civic Experiences

Creating Common Ground: Civil Discourse Strategies

by Michelle Moya

In the heart of New Orleans, we were looking forward to our second day of the CSG conference with enthusiasm and optimism. We woke ready for another day with an itinerary loaded with much exploration, walking, and cultivating visual art of the “city that never sleeps.” Fueled by coffee from Fourth Wall, we hurried off to our first session of the day!

Our second day at the CSG conference was a masterclass on civic debate and leadership. The session, “Creating Common Ground: Civil Discourse Strategies,” led by NICD Executive Director Keith Allred (who, unintentionally, made me wonder if he was related to Colin Allred), transformed what could have been a dry lecture into a riveting analysis of historical decision-making.

With his professor’s precision, he drew a sharp contrast between two watershed periods in Kennedy’s presidency: the Bay of Pigs disaster and the Cuban Missile Crisis to illustrate his points. These weren’t just history teachings; rather, they were contrasting examples of how government officials should approach their decision-making. While this may not sound so interesting on a Friday morning, that session was the greatest one!

Allred began by describing the split of effective conversation inside contemporary governments, which is mostly due to a significant unbalanced change in political parties. However, his nonpartisan approach is effective in all areas of government and in our daily lives. He briefly outlined the Bay of Pigs disaster, as well as the administrative initiatives and coordination they took to come to it. The result? A catastrophic failure that lasted mere days but left an indelible mark on American history. The culprit was not just poor planning—it was the silence of those who knew better but chose not to speak. While the majority opposed the plan, they failed to share honest views, which was taken as a “green light” for JFK to go with the plan. The lack of communication and interpersonal contentions resided in the decision-making process, which ended in disaster only 3 days after the plan went into effect.

Allred soon shifted his focus to how they should have handled the situation and why it ultimately became a disaster. He accomplished this using the Cuban Missile Crisis, where a different approach would save America from the brink of nuclear disaster. The “commonsense sweet spot,” as Allred refers to it, is built on three pillars: embracing contrasting perspectives, avoiding the stampede effect, and navigating interpersonal tensions.

Through compelling footage from “13 Days,” we witnessed the transformation from Day 1’s despair to Day 2’s advancement, led by Robert Kennedy’s courage to voice dissent. We were able to understand the audience’s viewpoints and the lessons learned from Allred’s participatory approach, which helped us make wise conclusions. My favorite portion was undoubtedly this, and it has even inspired me to put the film on my “watch next” list!

The session closed with a powerful message that resonates beyond government powers: “There is something immoral about abandoning your own judgment.” In an era of increasing polarization, these words carry special weight. People elect officials for their judgment, not their ability to follow the crowd. Like great coffee, great decisions are best made when they are bold, well thought out, and discussed with people who aren’t scared to voice their concerns.

 Washington Watch: What States Can Expect from the Next Congress and Administration

by Chrissy Biello

With a new administration moving into the White House, many are predicting the future of the country. Because of this, the next session, “Washington Watch: What States Can Expect from the Next Congress and Administration,” posed a high amount of interest for us to gain insight from. The speaker, William Crozer, is the Co-Head of BGR’s Bipartisan State and Local Advocacy Practice. Moreover, from 2018-2021, Crozer served as the Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) in the Trump-Pence Administration, highlighting he has a wealth of experience to discuss the upcoming Congress and the new administration.

Crozer began by speaking on his past role in the White House Office of IGA, noting that during the pandemic, he “ran the local Covid calls from the White House,” making it likely that he spoke with individuals in the room. However, they are probably unaware of this since there was not much face-to-face contact. This being the case, he was coined the “emailer in chief,” sending various information to the state, local, and tribal officials.

Pivoting to the upcoming administration, Crozer spotlighted what he believes to be the “day one priorities” for President-elect Donald Trump. He maintained that it boils down to key issues: trade, taxes, the economy, and immigration. Further, that SNAP Pilot Programs will be a significant focus.

When the moderator asked about the executive orders Biden passed, Crozer stated that “everything will be on the chopping block; Biden repealed Trump’s executive orders.” He then hypothesized that the most likely roll backs will be those that are high spending, such as the CHIPS Act; thus, President Biden is dispersing as many awards as possible.

Speaking on partisanship, he stated that the “red states are getting redder, and the blue states are getting bluer,” remarking that some state governor’s will attempt to challenge Trump on executive orders. He gave the example of Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California, which many were not surprised to hear. Nonetheless, he emphasized that the legislatures in the room should engage with the Trump Administration, no matter what side of the party line they are on.

Transitioning to a humorous anecdote from his time in the White House, he described that when sending invitations to municipal mayors to travel to DC, many thought it was a “Russian Hoax.” The room filled with smirks and chuckles; however, Crozer quickly commented how this displays the lack of outreach to state and local officials. To end on a light note, he closed the conversation by asserting that if someone in the room receives something from the White House, it is likely not spam. But, he ensured to clarify that the White House will never ask for a person’s Social Security Number!

Lunch Break at Cafe Reconcile

by Michelle Moya

After two great sessions, we headed to try another great taste! In New Orleans’ Central City neighborhood, we were successfully able to go to Café Reconcile. As requested by Professor Yawn, we did some research into the café and its history. To our surprise, this place was not just serving up amazing food—it was serving up hope and opportunities for young adults in NOLA.

While the food was absolutely amazing, what actually distinguishes Café Reconcile is that it is a non-profit that uses its program to alter the lives of young people. Upon being seated, we saw that the restaurant featured various frames showcasing these students’ lives, including their personal aspirations and triumphs, which was quite encouraging. When you eat here, you’re supporting a program that helps young adults ages 16-24 kick-start their careers in various industries. We collectively agreed that we need something like this in Huntsville. Imagine having a restaurant that not only serves amazing food but also gives young people in our community real career opportunities and life skills. This little touch of history enhanced the overall experience and made it more delightful!

Now, moving on to the food, I kept with my borderline seafood fixation and ordered their catfish plate with veggies. To my surprise, the veggies stole the shine on my plate (never thought I’d say that). The catfish was great too! It came with an incredibly colorful side salad that popped with personality thanks to these vibrant radishes that made the whole plate “Instagram-worthy.”

LEAP Ambassadors Olivia and Chrissy shared this plate of jerk chicken that resembled a Thanksgiving turkey—or as Professor Yawn joked, perfect for “eating for two.” They ordered potato salad and the mac and cheese, which they mentioned, had them fighting over the last bites. Speaking of Professor Yawn, he went classic with red beans and rice, while Stephanie tackled a traditional New Orleans po’boy and this sweet potato crumb that she would not stop raving about and sharing—bless her.

For the grand dessert? A banana bread pudding that had everyone at the table seemed to enjoy (except me) team no bananas here.

Next time you’re in NOLA, skip the tourist traps and head to Café Reconcile. The food and service was amazing, the portions are generous, and best of all? Your money goes toward helping young people build better futures. This was a great experience and gave me a grasp of the great food New Orleans had to offer!

Cybersecurity in Focus: Assessing and Mitigating Risks of Cyberattacks Against State Governments and Critical Infrastructure

by Olivia Discon

Our last session for the day, and ultimately, for our time at the conference, was Cybersecurity in Focus: Assessing and Mitigating Risks of Cyberattacks Against State Governments and Critical Infrastructure.

We were fortunate to hear from three panelists; Brad Manuel, Jing de Jong-Chen, and Dr. Mike Garcia, each providing an individual presentation from their respective backgrounds on prioritizing cyber resiliency.

Brad Manuel, Region IV’s Cybersecurity State Coordinator for the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) took the podium first to discuss cyber infrastructure and “Best Practices”.

Having formerly worked as a Chief Information Officer for a state agency and contributed several statues to state legislatures on cybersecurity, he is a huge proponent of everyone in organizations holding stake in risk management and cyber hygiene practices.

Jing de Jong-Chen, current Senior Associate at CSIS and former executive at the External and Legal Affairs Division at Microsoft Co., focused on Supply Chain and Policy Alignment. She emphasized the importance of executive orders and strategic partnerships with federal agencies to enhance cybersecurity frameworks. Jing also highlighted the need for investment in IT modernization and fostering a resilient ecosystem through public-private partnerships. Her approach centered on integrating security into every layer of the supply chain, prioritizing cultural awareness, and creating holistic assessments to identify vulnerabilities. She also discussed the critical role of real-time monitoring and compliance attestations in maintaining system integrity.

Dr. Mike Garcia, Senior Elections and Security Person, Center for Internet Security, closed the panel with an in-depth look at the global impact of cybersecurity risks, focusing on international cooperation and domestic investment. He stressed the importance of adapting to rapidly evolving threats by fostering relationships in the field and engaging with vendors to align their goals with long-term resilience strategies. Dr. Garcia also addressed lessons learned from incidents like SolarWinds, emphasizing the value of competition and diversification in creating robust defense mechanisms.

As state governments increasingly rely on digital infrastructure, the discussions reinforced the urgent need to integrate proactive security measures to mitigate cyber security risks.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

by Olivia Discon

My favorite aspect of the LEAP experience is the opportunity to improve our cultural literacy. One way this is achieved is through reinforced exposure to key artists in various places across the country. New Orleans’ city-owned park was a perfect iteration of the LEAP experience, as it is home to the Besthoff Sculpture Garden.

There were some heavy hitters immediately upon entry. Roy Lichtenstein was featured at the front of the museum.

In addition to that we saw a Louise Bourgeois’ Spider…

…alongside works by, Robert Indiana, Jaume Plensa, and Claus Oldenburg.

As we continued exploring, we encountered works by Henry Moore and, to our delight, an Isamu Noguchi piece. The collection also included unexpected surprises such as Renoir and Rodin—names often associated with painting or smaller sculptures, but here showcased in a new context. Jesus Moroles, SHSU alumni and LEAP favorite artist, is also featured in this collection.

One artist I didn’t recognize but thoroughly enjoyed was Do-Ho Suh. His sculpture, a stack of figures resembling a spinal cord, was visually striking to me.

Michelle and Chrissy were drawn to two particular sculptures. One, Leandro Erlich’s Too Late for Help, featured an interesting hidden ladder to a gateway.

They were especially caught up in the physics of how such a sculpture could exist. The other, Rona Pondick’s Monkeys, had a strange, morphing form that they initially thought depicted humans or dogs—until Stephanie pointed out we were mistaken.

We also saw kinetic sculptures by George Rickey, whose moving parts added a dynamic element to the collection, and a work by Deborah Butterfield…

…and George Segal. Of course, no trip to New Orleans would be complete without encountering a Blue Dog piece by George Rodrigue.

On our way out, there was one final surprise—a sculpture by René Magritte (one of my favorite artists). Although the work differed from his typical surrealist paintings, it was an unexpected and satisfying way to end the visit.

The beautiful Spanish Moss was the excellent backdrop for these amazing works.

Oceana Grill

by Chrissy Biello

After exploring the French Quarter, we headed to Oceana Grill, a popular restaurant favored by both tourists and locals! Known for its contemporary Louisiana dishes, the restaurant offered a new set of choices to those of us that have not had much experience with New Orleans cuisine.

Alligator Bites was the relatively new item for the table, a food I had tried before and reassured Olivia tasted much like chicken. To her surprise, she did not hate it; however, I would definitely say she would not order it again if given the opportunity.

When it came time to order our main courses, Olivia shocked the table by ordering Cajun Jambalaya Pasta, which contains shrimp! For those that do not know Olivia, the pasta part is not unexpected, but the shrimp part is. She noted that the “dish was very flavorful, and it drowned out the shrimp.” Needless to say, she left the restaurant still not a fan of shrimp.

Michelle also dabbled in a little bit of experimentation. Her meal, the Blackened Chicken Platter, was served with Jambalaya, a dish she had never heard of. However, I ended up being the boring one of the group by ordering something I have had several times in the past, Crawfish Etouffee.

When making our choices for dessert, we were experiencing a shared sweet tooth and decided to order three! The desserts included La Boheme Crème Brûlée, New Orleans Bread Pudding, and the Chocolate Kahlua Mousse. After finishing off all of them, we had a slow but satisfied walk back to our hotel for the night.

A NOLA Adventure: Day 1

Oct. 13, 2022, Jessica Cuevas

PCAC Session 1

After a long drive Wednesday evening to Louisiana, we were up and early to attend our first Academic Conference – The Popular Culture Association in the South! The three presenters for the Film and Noir session were Professor Yawn, Matthew Wysocki of Flagler College, and Lauren Mitchell of Vanderbilt.

Professor Yawn presented over “A Simple Plan,” directed by Sam Raini, (most famously known for the Evil Dead movies).

He argued that the film is best understood by looking at it from a tragic framework, with questions of free will and fate, the allure of the American dream at its center, and the tension between brothers.

The motif of “brotherhood” is seen again in “Only God forgives,” which Matthew Wysocki addressed in his presentation. More elaborately, though, it addresses the role of mother. Crystal, an untraditional mother if ever there was one, uses manipulation and raw power to gain even more power, abandoning all of what would normally be regarded as traditional maternal behavior.

Lauren Mitchell presented her paper over the movie “Hereditary. ” This film continues the theme of motherhood, highlighting the difficult time we have of seeing mothers as real people, who sometimes becomes mothers despite not wanting children, who sacrifice goals and hopes and dreams for others.

We successfully survived, and even enjoyed our first academic conference, and embarked on our way to our next stop!

Brunch at Elizabeth’s

Ashley Kinyon

This afternoon, we drove down to Elizabeth’s Restaurant right next to the Mississippi River. We started with an assortment of appetizers; boudin balls, fried green tomatoes, (some with seafood!), and possibly the strangest of the bunch, praline bacon. While we waited for the starters, we learned that many foods that we love in the US originated in New Orleans, either by invention or through trade. This includes pralines, which originated in France, but which was improved on in New Orleans, and then spread mostly through the South.

My favorite of the selection was the boudin balls, Morgan favored the fried green tomatoes, and for Yvette it was the praline bacon.

To maximize on adventure and try new (to us) flavors, we ordered four main dishes. For our main course, Morgan and Victoria ordered the shrimp and grits; the ratio of shrimp and grits was perfect.

Jessica played it safe with the avocado toast, with a poached egg. Although to her credit, the toast did have some NOLA spice to it, and she paired it with a side of grits.

Yvette chose the duck waffles, which she enjoyed but deemed too spicy, a recurring motif throughout the trip (and from what I gathered, throughout her life).

I picked the sweet meal out of the bunch and had banana foster French toast, which was delicious!

For dessert, we had bread pudding and pecan pie. The bread pudding was average, not the table’s favorite, but the pecan pie was amazing, better than any I’ve had in Texas.

Thoroughly stuffed and with high expectations for our next NOLA meal, we embarked on our adventure!

Homer Plessy

With a bit of downtime, we hustled over to a City Park, one highlighting civil rights. It was the site of Homer Plessy’s train ride, where he spurred a test case on Jim Crow laws.

Unfortunately, Plessy lost in 1896, and the doctrine of “Separate but Equal” became shameful precedent in the US, not replaced until 1954’s Brown v. Board of Education.

While at the Plessy site, we also looked over the rest of the park, taking in some of NOLA’s civil rights heroes.

Zooming through NOLA

Yvette Mendoza

We have concluded over three separate LEAP trips that there is no better way to learn more about a new city than by Segway, and we did just that in NOLA! Our excellent tour guide, John, with Nation Tours did a great job explaining the richness of history, architecture, and culture in New Orleans. So as the LEAP Ambassadors took their Segways through the French Quarter to the Mississippi River, we all gained a deeper understanding of NOLA.

John frequently time-traveled and described what the city was like in days past. Some of the tour was a refresher on previous history lessons, while other parts were new information. We learned that NOLA went through 4 major governing shifts. The city was initially founded by the French, taken over by the Spanish, fell again under French rule, and then finally doubled the size of the U.S. in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase.

Next, we headed to Jackson Square. This central location is deemed such because of the “Hero of New Orleans,” Andrew Jackson, and his unexpected victory as General at the Battle of New Orleans in early 1815. This was a major win for the United States because it spared the US the prospect of the British having control over the mouth of the Mississippi.

Perhaps the prime feature of Jackson Square must be the stunning, almost 300-year-old, St. Louis Cathedral. This Cathedral is one of the oldest in the country and was founded during Spanish occupation!

Our jaws dropped when we discovered we were stepping in front of the oldest Cathedral. We could not miss a photo opportunity!

Up next, Bourbon Street! Here we learned more about the Spanish stock architecture and the fantastic bars that perform the best jazz in New Orleans. this blend of modern-day culture, with historic surroundings is the city’s largest source of revenue Pre-covid, NOLA saw millions of tourists each year, and now those numbers are significantly lower. In fact, without tourists, there is genuinely no thriving NOLA since no revenue is being made.

No matter your age, interests, taste, there is something to be found by everyone in NOLA!

New Orleans felt like its own country. The way the people, location, and everything else are something we are not used to. We are so grateful we were able to learn so much on the Segway Tour guided by John; thank you so much!

Dinner at Oceana

Morgan Robertson

To conclude our evening, we stopped at the corner of Conti and Bourbon for yet another taste of NOLA. Oceana is popular for having a wide variety of NOLA standards, such as oysters, po’boys, and étouffée to name just a few.

To start, we stuck with our trend of an assortment of appetizers including, gator tail bites, boudin balls, fresh, Rockefeller oysters, and chargrilled oysters. For Ashley and me, this was our first time to try oysters and we had slightly different reactions. Ashley tried the Rockefeller oysters and determined they were not her favorite. I tried all three and enjoyed the Rockefeller the most! Everyone enjoyed the boudin balls, and we all agreed that alligator tastes a lot like chicken.

For our main meals, we once again mimicked family style, and tried many new flavors. Victoria and I split a blackened redfish, with a side of greens, Yvette and Jessica ventured out with the taste of New Orleans (creole jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, red beans and rice with smoked sausage), Ashley had the fried shrimp platter, and Professor Yawn and Stephanie split the Bayou Duck.

Verdicts were split on what the best entrée was, but at least three out of seven favored the blackened redfish. The flavors were once again unique but fantastic, a trip to NOLA could be made simply for the food.

Despite having little room for dessert (except for Stephanie because she effectively planned) we selected three options carrot cake, la boehme crème brule, and of course, bread pudding. The bread pudding was easily the favorite, but everyone enjoyed the sweet treats to end our wonderful meal!

Bourbon Street

We might have seen Bourbon St. during the day, but it was almost a completely new place after dark. Our steps fell in time to the bass of the music around us, and it almost felt like a runway with the flashing lights. If it is true that anyone can find something on Bourbon St, it’s even more true at night. Being only a Thursday night, however, we might gone at a slightly better time as it was not insanely busy.

Not wanting to linger on Bourbon Street and needing some sleep, we headed back to our hotels, to get rest for another day of learning and fun tomorrow.

Favorites from NOLA

After each trip, the LEAP Ambassadors break down their favorites from the experience. And so they did on the NOLA trip, with the following results.

Favorite Restaurants:
1) Napoleon House: This is primarily a sandwich shop, and the students were very much impressed with the muffaletas.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Napoleon House

2) Oceana: This is the most “Chilis” like of our New Orleans dining places, so it’s little wonder it was most liked by Makayla and Maggie. In fairness, it does have a solid and diverse menu, giving people a choice of diverse New Orleans food.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Oceana Grill

3) Elizabeth’s: Tied for second was Elizabeth’s, a truly original New Orleans joint, with praline bacon a highlight.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans, Elizabeth's

Favorite Food:
1. The Muffaleta: The New Orleans’ invention, the Muffaleta, wins the day!

Favorite Museums:

Ogden Museum of Southern Art: This museum was favored by Ryan and Ilexus.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, James Surls

World War II Museum: This was actually tied for first place, with Makayla and Maggie naming it as their favorite. Interestingly, Makayla and Maggie most enjoyed the interactive exhibits. Ryan, on the other hand, thought it was better the last time he visited, when they had more artifacts and commentary, and fewer interactive aspects.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, WWII Museum

Favorite Art Pieces:

There wasn’t a lot of consensus on the art, but some standouts included:

Benny Andrews: A black artist whose style was vaguely reminiscent of the Regionalists, with a strong emphasis on the African-American experience.

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2. Courtney Egan: Virtual Idyllis

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3. James Surls: And, of course, we always enjoy seeing James Surls’ work!

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Favorite Activity:

There was a tie in the favorite activity department, with two students liking the Segway Tour…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Segway Tour

…and two students most enjoying their scavenger hunt.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans

There was also general agreement that this was one of the most fun LEAP trips, with many interesting sites…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, Jackson Square, NOLA, St Louis Cathedral

…and sightings…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Red Dress Race

A Louisiana Tour

Today is what is known as a “travel day” in LEAP circles, but that does not mean we spend the day exclusively in the car. We’ll make the most of our day–beginning with a trip to Cafe Du Monde.

Cafe Du Monde

By Miranda Estrada

We ventured to the French Market one last time for the well known and loved Cafe Du Monde. Cafe Du Monde opened in 1862 and has been serving coffee and beignets to the residents of New Orleans and all who travel there. It’s a very popular destination!

When we arrived, we were greeted by two long lines. Luckily for us, we stood in the shorter of the two for to-go orders. Cafe Du Monde serves hundreds of cups of their coffee – made with chicory. The origin of coffee with chicory stems from France and was introduced in New Orleans in the Civil War when the ports were blocked off by the Union. New Orleans then turned to chicory because of its similar flavor to coffee in order to stretch their coffee supply. Today, visitors can enjoy several variations of the coffee: Au Lait (steamed with half and half with milk), iced (Maggie and Makaylas favorite), or traditional. What people seem to love the absolute most is the beignets. Cafe Du Monde’s beignets are a thick French doughnuts sprinkled with generous amounts of powdered sugar. We tried our best to keep the powdered sugar in the bag and not all over ourselves and the van as we headed to see the Sculpture Garden before saying goodbye to New Orleans.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Cafe Du Monde, Beignets

Sculpture Garden

By Maggie Denena

After finishing our coffee and beignets, we visited the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at The New Orleans Museum of Art. The sculpture garden is located in the 1,300 acre City Park and houses over 90 sculptures. There are several entrances to the garden, and we entered near the beautiful Deborah Butterfield horse sculpture.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Deborah Butterfield

Her fame as an artist derives from her sculptures of horses. While her horses appear to be made from wood, they are often made of other metals (in the photo above, the horse is made of bronze, meticulously crafted to give the appearance of wood grain). I have seen her work previously in Denver and Phoenix (on LEAP trips), and I always enjoy them.

There were several more notable sculptures in the garden, including those done by notable artists whose work we are now beginning to recognize: Claes Oldenburg and Joel Shapiro…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Claes Oldenburg

…Robert Indiana…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Robert Indiana, LOVE

…Anish Kapoor…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Anish Kapoor

….and Jesus Moroles…

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Jesus Moroles

We came across one of Professor Yawn’s favorite pieces, Monkeys by Rona Pondick, which is quite strange.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden

I also saw a Louise Bourgeois “Spider,” for the first time.

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, Louise Bourgeois

The Sculpture Garden is open year-round with free admission, and I hope to eventually return to New Orleans and further explore the City Park and sculpture garden!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden, George Rodrigue, Blue Dog

Just like that, we were out of New Orleans headed to Baton Rouge!

SHSU, LEAP Center, LEAP Ambassadors, NOLA, New Orleans Louisiana, Besthoff Sculpture Garden,

New Orleans State Capital – Makayla

Towering 450 feet high with 34 floors, the Louisiana State Capitol building in Baton Rouge is the tallest capitol building in the United States. The building was commissioned by Governor Huey P. Long in 1931, costing $5 million and it took only 14 months to complete. With its towering structure and an intriguing sky, we experimented with moody black-and-white photos.