Madison - Message to young NOLA

how hypocritical
for me to say, we’re not that different really
when the worst thing to happen in my neighborhood
is the escape of the labradoodle next door.
how hypocritical
to pretend that we have the same beliefs.
when my school says no gum chewing
and the charter down the street? no handguns.

-stop-

You’re a who dat? and
You were at jazz fest, eating a mango freeze? and
You cried when the saints won the super bowl
but not when Your house was destroyed? and
You can tell the days of the week by whats cooking on the stove
Let’s see, monday? gotta be red beans. gotta be cornbread.

but most of all
You get a little pissed when people ask if You survived.
of course You survived, You’re here, aren’t You?
ain’t You here, just waitin to be found- by somebody, anybody.

You are here. and so am I.
we are beautiful in our brokenness; in our shared love affair
with this ditzy, drunken, magical place
we call home
reppin the 504ever.

- Madison, age 17

Gaby - Message to young NOLA

Life is short

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

After all, it is New Orleans

But life isn’t the Big Easy

It’s not ‘easy peasy lemon squeezy’

Some believe in fate,

Some believe in God,

Some are still in that debate

But know this, fate, nor God, will live out your life

They may be present, but know, that what you do

Will pursue

Reap what you sow

Be prudent, be wise,

But don’t be a PRUNE

Plant and harvest love

Weed out the hate

Dust if you must

But wouldn’t it be better to enjoy a beignet

And sit there with sugary powder as the Ponchatrain breeze embraces you?

Yes it’s true, that there’s so much to do

And if there’s no time for rest, then have you ever heard of a breather?

Despite the work and the hardships,

Know this:

A cup of determination, a cup of pure, concentrated will

And a cup of optimism

Will lead you through the potholes

And onto a smooth road.

-Gaby, 16

Rose - Message to young NOLA

Right now, you're probably wondering what you ever did to be plagued with this much pressure. School hasn't ever really been your thing; not that you don't exceed in other areas.

You're probably wondering how you're supposed to succeed now when it's never even really worked out for you in the past, so you should probably get to know this group of boys that I know who struggled with something similar.

These guys had been failing all throughout their 40-year franchise, and it seemed like nothing that they worked for ever went their way. They faced defeat after defeat, and every forward step they took seemed to bring them two steps backward again, like your attempts to go from 3 failing classes to 2 failing classes ended – with 4.

But, you should also probably know that when it came down to the most important moment, the hard work put forth by these guys finally paid off too. They didn’t care that they had never progressed that far before; they just kept moving forward with the help of a fearless leader named Drew. Pretty soon, these guys were a bit of an inspiration to anyone who laid eyes upon them, especially their home city.

And probably the most important part of their story was the end, which you are reaching for yourself now. The final moment to prove yourself. This isn’t any time to ease up; there’s always a chance at success if you have the right drive for it. You should probably take to heart the words that these boys heard at the end of their triumphant journey: Finish Strong.

Rose, age 17

Anonymous - Message to young NOLA

Have fun!
You live in the best city in the world, New Orleans.
Live your life to the fullest and have a great time.
Enjoy the music, the food, and the festivities throughout the city.
See everything! Do everything! Stop at nothing!
The world is your oyster, and New Orleans is at your fingertips.
Live it up! 504ever


Anonymous, age 17

Anonymous - Message to young NOLA

I know it’s hard, living life.

The expectations society puts on us doesn’t make easy.

We can’t be fat, we have to be skinny, and you won’t have a chance if you aren’t pretty.

Don’t listen to them; keep going strong.

You’re a beautiful person; don’t ever let someone tell you otherwise.

We all love you and don’t want to see you wither away.

So keep fighting. Know that your friends and family are behind you.

Don’t just fight for us, but fight for yourself

Anonymous, age 17

Melissa - Message to young NOLA

A wise woman once said,

“Hate breeds hate,

Fear breeds fear,

And love breeds love.”

Life is too short to waste with unkindness;

Take time to let love grow.

Some people have ulterior motives,

But do not be disheveled by their blindness.

Just be still; and know

A wise man once said,

“That karma

Can turn around and bite you;

And those who you think are friends

Can turn around despite you;”

And though you may think that

Everything that happens in the next four years

Defines who you are and what your life will be

You’re wrong.

Ghandi once said that,

“Everything you do is insignificant,

But it is important that you do it.”

Live your life trying

Because once you stop trying, you stop living

Once you stop living, you start dying

And dying is easy

Giving

All of yourself to everything that you do

Is inexplicably difficult, but will ensure you success

But giving all of yourself to people

Who don’t give all of themselves to you

Is never in your best interest

Melissa, age 17

Lane - Message to young NOLA

Untitled

I never knew you back in your young days

Back when you were my age

When I was a “tween”

When you were so weak

I hear the stories and gasp

Why’d you get into all of that?

I like not knowing that side of you

Never go back

- Lane, age 18

Anonymous - Message to young NOLA

YO

New Orleans. New Orleans Youth.

Swim! Swim until it hurts. Never stop. The current of the mighty Mississippi might
pull you away.

Just keep that head up. Swim for those who might need floaties in this city Swim
for those bright, happy days.

Don’t give up.

Ever.

But seriously, don’t…

- Anonymous

Sam - Message to young NOLA

Live without regret
Live without fear
Live two lives:
one for yourself and one for those who aren’t here to live one themselves

Sam, age 17

Olivia - Message to young NOLA

There is this girl down the street

With cupped hands and an impossibly large mouth

Selling her

“FRESHSWEETLEMONAAADE!”
“FRESHSWEETLEMONAAADE!”

There are two little brothers shaded yellow

With colored fingers and unsteady words

Selling their

Lemonade only 50¢
Lemonade only 50¢

FRESH

Ignorance is bliss?

SWEET

Savor every bit.

LEMONADE

Take it all in.

The sweetness brings me back,
And I thank them for that.

Olivia, age 17

Sydney - Message to young NOLA

Feelings
only get you in trouble
Feel for others more than for yourself
Thoughts
Make them good ones
Think about your actions
Tears
Make your face red
Cry and embrace your new color
Anger
Only wastes time
Be mad in your night mare, realize it was just a dream
Laughter
Leads to smiling
Laugh with everyone not at anyone
Judgements
Cause corruption
Judge not, and you will overcome
Love
Be truthful,
Love is not a fantasy, it can be your reality

Sydney, age 17

Hannah - Message to young NOLA

Stand up for yourself. Don’t let others push you around.
Just be you, it’s always better in the end.

Say what’s on your mind and you’ll be forward bound.
Make your thoughts known; it’s always better in the end.

But don’t only speak when you’re saying what people want to hear.
Don’t be a push-over, it’s always better in the end.

You’ll get through everything you are going through
You’ll make friends to last a lifetime, remember, it’s always better in the end.


Hannah, age 17

Alli - Message to young NOLA

Have fun. You only live once.

Don’t believe everything you hear.

Do what you love.

Most importantly:

“Be real, because a mask only fools people on the outside. Pretending to be someone you're not takes a
toll on the real you, and the real you is more important than anyone else.” (All Time Low)

Alli, age 17

Matty - Message to young NOLA

Dear Friend,

To be young, they say, is to be in your prime

This ambiguous moment, they say, is when poems rhyme, and the sun shines

          "Enjoy your time! Ah, such a wonderful city!  Be young here!"
           But what if you aren't particularly happy as a youth?  What if your burdens weigh you down and      the time is uh, slipping, and falling, and just. Out. Of. Reach. And you wake up and you may not be quite as young as you remember.  Or what if this "prime" isn't like the movies. Maybe you didn't get asked to prom, or you don't party on Saturday like all the other cool cats who seem to be as prime as a good steak. Or maybe you do. So? Who cares? What defines a prime? Does it even exist?

I think it’s what you make of it.

But you know what they say, what they say isn't really credible anyway.

Best,

Friend

(Matty, age 16)

Katie - Message to young NOLA

 Makes me whole?

Hey bay do you want some Gumbo?

        Hmmm….

               I can hear the ingredients simmer in the pot

              The overwhelming taste absorbs my mouth

                   The combinations swarm my tummy

                              Makes me whole

Hey Kates red or white beans tonight?

       Hmmm…

              I can hear my brother yell out “RED!”

                 The amount of beans in the pot is overwhelming

                    Take a bite…dryness. No flavor

                             Makes me whole

Hey Katie Bug do you want spaghetti tonight?

                 Hmmm…

                 The noodles are overflowing from the pot

    Moisture radiates off each surface making my tongue overjoyed with happiness

                Red Sauce on my clean, white polo- nothing new

                                Makes me whole

Yo! Want something to eat?

             Hmmm…

          The bubbling and the searing of the tomato on top of the bread

           Crunch, Crunch, broken down one by one each entering equally

             Small but filling, keep them coming… who wants the last one?

                              Makes me whole

Um do you want me to actually cook?

             Hmmm…

              The macaroni and cheese is baking in the oven

                   Fear runs through the veins- decisions

                    Yum? Luckily, Overpowered with coke

                              Makes me whole

Sincerely,

Katie, age 16

Torre - Message to young NOLA

Living in a world inside a bright young mind
In it lies residence of endless needs and opportunities
Lacking are the moments to look behind
And wander aimlessly about what you have done
In front of you lies the future full of notable deeds
There is the presence of curiosity
Encouraged by a desire for self-recognition
Where we will all develop different cognitions
Some of us see discovery and hope
While others only see misery and feel frustration
This is where our true cognition develops
In the hope of rediscovery
Because in this, ambition is generated
That raises up our thirst
To live day by day
Remembering our true thoughts
As we try to take life’s punches
Hoping that it won’t break our backs

Torre, age 16

Ruthie - Message to young NOLA

Living between deities and diets,
TV tells us all we are is a party and a pastry
They see jazz funerals and cemeteries
And flood waters hitting our homes and they say,
That’s New Orleans!
They say we eat and we drink, and sure sure, we do.
They say we party and we pray, and yeah, of course.
They say we’re Bourbon and we’re Basin, and we say, have you been out of the French Quarter?
They’ve got this spotlight on New Orleans so much they can’t see our natural glow.
They hear the myths but won’t wait to hear our story.
But they’ve got New Orleans in their crosshairs now,
They say, we see you! They say, we’ll come down a few days a year,
Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, conventions and conversions, they’ll be here.
Thanks for spending your money, your time!
You never left the quarter, but I guess that’s alright…
There’s more to our city then bars and devastation tours,
They won’t see it.
They’ll go home and say, not too different from my town
Sure, sure, yeah, of course.
Keep kidding yourself.

Ruthie, age 16

Amy - Message to young NOLA

To that girl walking the distance to school every morning, hot or cold, rain or shine, arid or dew.
Here's to you.

You make me wish that we still lived in a safer, more peaceful times, when it would not be seen as an
act of terrorism to offer you a ride.
Sometimes I wish I could, but honestly I've never tried.

You make me realize that I am lucky, but just because those polls of people who walk to school always
come out close to 0%, the kind exists in you.
You make me regret living in the murder capital of the world, which makes me worry for you every time
we pass, and that’s true.

You make me wonder, how long is your walk every day and would you take it if you were offered a ride?
Does it make you scared, when cars slow down around you or honk at you, on the inside?

Well here's what I say to you.
Hold your head high and just keep on walking on by.
For you may not realize, but the little things you do,
every day can make a much bigger impact than on even a girl like me, too.

Amy, age 17

Claire - Message to young NOLA

You went to the dome,

And that was your home,

Why would you go there in the first place?

You thought it was safe

This temporary shelter

Except your home is not there

It is the house that is near

To mine.

Then you went to Texas

You didn’t know what was going on

But a friend saw you on the news

At that point you were still moving on.

After our family friend called “hey, I saw Ben”

My mom decided that you were still on

Earth and we were going to see you again.

You arrived at the Lafayette house like nothing was wrong

And my mom cried because she hadn’t seen you in so long.

You continued to act like you had back home,

Eating oatmeal, chocolate and sweet potatoes on time

You didn’t realize the stress that your presence had caused us to overcome.

Katrina didn’t stop Ben,

And his guardian angel didn’t lead him to the end.

Claire,  age 17

Anonymous - Message to young NOLA

Your Lesson

You left us speechless. Confused and so hurt. We wonder why it happened to you. Why you?
Why now? You are such an inspiration. A person so talented. So happy. So full of life. Again and again
we ask ourselves why you had to go. Now, I know why. You came to teach us a lesson. A lesson like no
other. A lesson greatly needed. Your arrival and quick departure taught us to love like no other, take
advantage of every second of everyday, and make an impact. We thank you for that. We ask you to
help us remember your lesson and what you have left us here to think about. We ask you to help us
carry on, but never again, never forget. We ask you to help us realize that our time is short and we need
to take advantage of it. We ask you to help us love. And most of all, we thank you for teaching us, and
we can’t wait until we meet again!

anonymous, age 17

Brooke - Message to young NOLA

i used to know a girl who ran

good. She said

words weird

ball. not cone.

that’s what we call it at home

praw like craw.

pray at church not with leans

that’s what pecan and caramel means.

she ran away

From food

from Words

crawled in.to a shell

and she fell

skinny. awkward for.ei.gner

voice over at the coroner

i used too many words

efficiently to assume I knew her

the girl who stood up

what I meant

was in.tolerant

for the new girl in her shell

i used to know the girl who ran well.

Brooke, age 16

Lizzie - Message to young NOLA

Our City

New Orleans

French Quarter, streetcars, Mardi Gras, and snowballs,

The people of New Orleans seem to really have it all,

Beignets, the Saints, The Mississippi, and more,

Visitors and tourists don’t even know what’s in store,

Jazz Fest, Gumbo, and music from the soul

New Orleanians love their city, true and whole

Nothing will stop us, we are proud to swim home,

Not even with water surrounding the Dome,

There are many different meanings of the Who Dat Nation, or NOLA, too

What does New Orleans mean to you?

Lizzie, age 16

Darby - Message to young NOLA

Never stop,
live life,
exceed expectations,
go beyond limits
set by those who want to govern
you.

You
are America’s future,
Hope
who has power,
enough power to
control your
future.

Future
is success,
there are no other
options,
failure exists
but only if you allow it to
thrive.

Thrive
in your environment,
take what you can
from it,
keep in mind:

Never stop
because You
are the Future,
you must Thrive.

Darby, age 16

Lillie - Message to young NOLA

Season your years with what feels right,
but never forget what the flavor of home means.
         (lavender and dog breath to me)
Forge your own path,
but never speed through the good scenes.
        (Kodak moments are rarely caught on film)
Support everyone who needs you,
But don’t let your own infrastructure succumb.
        (muscle strength has nothing to do with this)
Don’t coast your way through life,
but always remember where you come from.
        (home isn’t where the heart is, but where the mind often wanders)
But most of all,
don’t worry about every rough edge
because the world is round.
        (and about 131,479,713 and a half feet around)

Lillie Martin, 16

Grace - Message to young NOLA

Never let people get you down

Keep on smiling, and never frown

Things always work out in the end

Be yourself, and no one else my friend

Don’t let anyone tell you who to be

Try it out and you will see

Even when push comes to shove

God will be smiling from above

Make time for school and get good grades

Make good memories that will never fade

Keep friends and family close to your heart

And you and your loved ones will never be apart

Grace, age 16

Holly - Message to young NOLA

The Stars

Have you ever been told to aim for the moon because if you fall you’ll land in the stars?
I have.
My parents always say, “Set a farfetched goal for yourself because achieving your goal isn’t as
important as the person it forces you to become.”
This attitude is New Orleans.
New Orleans is a city of dreamers—full of aspiring musicians, artists, and kids who wish to
make something of themselves; kids who are willing do whatever it takes to become the person
they want to be.

I’m telling you to reach for the moon because if you fall, at least you’ll be among the stars.
I’m telling you to:

Challenge yourself.
Strive to be the person you want to be.
Never let anyone tell you that you're not good enough or that you’re not gonna make it.

The only person who can stop you from becoming the person you want to be is yourself.
Don’t let fear stop your dreams.
If you fall short of a dream, see where it brought you and who you’ve become because of it.
Explore your possibilities.
Aim for the moon so you can end up among the stars.

Holly, age 16

Brittany - Message to young NOLA

New Orleans,
also known as The Big Easy
Some natives pronounce it N'awlins
What do you call it?
Some prefer the initials NOLA
I call it my home
How about you?
Amazing food, enjoyable music,
A true family
What do you think?
We are all connected
Intertwined
The Crescent City


Brittany, age 16