Beyond Bourbon Street
Last week I had the honor of returning to my hometown to participate in a project called beNOLAbound. During the project, 27 individuals toured New Orleans’ most innovative companies that specialize in digital media, traditional and digital arts, bio-innovation and sustainability. To say that the experience was inspiring would be an understatement. I was blown away by how much has changed in the business sector of New Orleans in just the six short years since I moved away.
As a native, when I visit New Orleans, I pass up downtown and the tourist destinations like tourists pass up the neighborhoods and homes on the way into the City from the airport. And, somewhere in between the tourists visiting for events and the locals re-visiting to connect with family, the business sector was overlooked.
All of that will change soon, and change for the better. The State of Louisiana has committed to tax incentives for the business community much like it did for the New Orleans film industry. And, with Academy Award Winning films being produced in New Orleans at staggering rates, one can only hope that soon New Orleans’ business community will follow suit and add awards and accolades to its credit as well.
The digital media industry was the sector that I visited with nine other participants. On the trip, we heard about exciting new companies doing innovative things with website creation, application development, programming and more. The industry is booming with business and is actively seeking qualified individuals to take on the challenge of filling key roles in the digital media arena.
On the last day of our journey, we visited a business incubator that provides low-cost space to budding entrepreneurs seeking to develop themselves and their companies into the next Steve Jobs and Apple. It was at that time that I had an epiphany. With so many new companies voicing concerns about the lack of talented individuals to work in the industry, why not start a technology program for school-aged youth to meet that challenge? The idea has been born, and now plans are in the works for Algiers to have its own digital media program to train 9th through 12th graders how to create websites and applications for mobile phones and tablets.
When I joined beNOLAbound, my goal was to do something positive to help the community overcome its challenges with poverty, crime and education. This digital media program will be a key component in addressing those concerns. It will provide a generation of young people with opportunities to advance themselves by getting good jobs and also by becoming entrepreneurs.
What started as a tour to learn of New Orleans’ renewal, has transformed into a groundbreaking program to transform young people’s lives. In five days, the beNOLAbound project opened my mind to the possibilities for greater change. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to participate. And, I now have 31 more friends and talented people to share this dream of making New Orleans into a world class City.
posted: March 20, 2012
New Orleans Innovation
I’m elated to participate in my hometown’s beNOLAbound project to promote New Orleans as a center of innovation. Since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ doors have been opened wide allowing citizens from around the world to witness our struggles, challenges and pain. Most recently, New Orleans has developed a reputation for its high crime rate, which is claiming the lives of our young African American males.
To be a part of this project to re-shape New Orleans’ image is a great opportunity. As an author of books about New Orleans and a professional communicator in the digital media industry, I am an advocate of promoting all of the positive aspects of life in our City. Additionally, I believe that by highlighting New Orleans’ groundbreaking success in attracting innovative startup companies, we can not only re-shape the City’s image, but we can bring about fundamental changes to address our struggles, challenges and pain.
New Orleans has been in need of economic diversification since the 1980s. And, while tourism is New Orleans’ greatest strength, the industry’s opportunities for career growth and personal economic prosperity are small. For centuries in New Orleans, the working poor have struggled with the lack of opportunities to advance themselves above the poverty line. And, as a result, many of New Orleans’ brightest and talented individuals, including myself, have left the City for better careers that provide fulfillment, better compensation and recognition.
The beNOLAbound project is a promising start for talented people from all over the world to see New Orleans’ value beyond Bourbon Street. It’s also an opportunity to attract more innovative companies that can partner with our communities in their struggles to eradicate poverty, reduce crime and offer career opportunities that can provide a better standard of living for many of our residents. By building an industry that can diversify New Orleans’ business sector, bright and talented individuals of the future may not have to leave the City to obtain fulfilling careers. And, New Orleans can begin to see change, positive change that can address some of our most deepest concerns.
Follow me here as I share more about our journey during the beNOLAbound project. I’m excited about the possibilities and I’m hopeful for a brighter future.
posted: March 13, 2012
