New Orleans Cultural Diversity

Resilience is a the capacity to spring back from difficulties, after Katrina was rebuilt by a versatile number of people from an already mixed heritage (Spanish, French, Caribbean and African) New Orleans, has been nestling new ones, with no regards of race or color. The individuality of these people shine through several events in the city, whether it’s the creativity poured into their Mardi Gras costumes, or musicians walking with solemn respect through the Marigny Quarter guiding a Second Line celebrating a deceased fellow of the community, or ultimately stomping and keeping the beat of the band under the fiery weather. People at festivals blend together in diversity: The Running of the Bulls happens as a particular interpretation of the Spanish tradition in Pamplona (where the New Orleans Roller Derby Girls, acting as helmeted bulls, ride on roller skates chasing down people with a plastic bat), all kind of folks experience greek traditions and dance together by Bayou St. John or silently sip a drink while waiting to perform for the Vietnamese community at the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church for Tet Festival. Whether becoming the Queen of the Mirliton Festival or sharing a small break from serving beignets, I believe, there is no other place in the US that allows such an intercultural dialogue where music, food and traditions bind together the complexities of being different with such a joyous laissez faire.