Gambit's Significant Impact on Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans After Katrina

Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans is grateful to Gambit for the vital role and significant impact their numerous articles made in our efforts to reform and consolidate the southeast Louisiana levee boards and Orleans assessors’ offices in 2006. Gambit enhanced our visibility and credibility immeasurably.

 “Enraged and Engaged” by Gambit’s Clancy DuBos in early 2006, spread the story of our reform efforts to citizens from across the city. DuBos states,” One of the bright spots since Hurricane Katrina is the awaking of civic responsibility by ordinary citizens. People are enraged and engaged and the politicians had better take note. The best example to date is a coalition founded by women demanding the region’s levee boards be consolidated.” In the first special session of the state legislature in November of 2005, a House Committee killed the reform measure that had been supported by the New Orleans Business Council. Citizens for 1 took up the gauntlet through a petition drive, causing Governor Blanco to call another special session focused on levee board reform and consolidation. DuBos stated, “The petition drive appears to be more popular than blue roofs.”

“Da Winnas and Da Loozas ‘ by Clancy DuBos rated Citizen Activists as the number one Winna.-“ Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans proved that a handful of committed people can still make a difference in a democracy . The group, which formed around a kitchen table in Uptown New Orleans and quickly grew into a metro-wide, diverse, and irresistible force for change, lobbied to get levee board and assessor amendments on the September 30th and November 7th ballots, respectively, and passed. “

Top 10 Political Stories of 2006 by Clancy DuBos of Gambit –The Number 1 Story  Consolidations- “ For all that went wrong in 2006, reforming the levee boards and merging the assessors into one office will have a lasting positive effect on government and politics.”

​Again, congratulations on the 40th anniversary of Gambit Weekly. I have been a reader all 40 years. You have guided readers through research and observation that has helped in making New Orleans a better city, and our citizens as more involved and engaged.
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Under the leadership of our Chair Blair Du Quesnay and the Executive Committee, Citizens for 1 GNO continues its mission in pre-K- 12 public education, areas of criminal justice, and ethics / good government reform at the state and local levels.

Ruthie Frierson. Founder
Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans

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