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New Orleans, LA

Standing Up on River Road: Activism in South Louisiana

Project

Field Notes: Letter from "Joseph Lopez"

Joseph Lopez (pseudonym) is a former University of New Orleans student, an educator, and a resident of “Cancer Alley,” a diverse Latin-American and African American community in rural south Louisiana. This audio narration of an email from Lopez was recorded using another student’s voice to protect the anonymity of Lopez’s family. In the email, Lopez reflects on environmental justice, his family history and how the pandemic has impacted them, the inability to gather as a family and travel to Louisiana due to COVID-19, and educating black and Latino students without internet during this time of online education.

Courtesy of Ella McIntire

Contributors

University Partners

University of New Orleans

Faculty Project Director
Mary Niall Mitchell

Project Assistant
Justine D'Ooge

Students
Leila Blackbird
August Darbonne
Lones Gagnard III
Vickie LaCoste
Daniel Lamplugh
Shelby Loyacano
Ella McIntire
Katheryn O’Dwyer
Jenidza Rivera
Katie Vest
Elizabeth Williams

Community Partners

The Louisiana Bucket Brigade

Genevieve M. Butler
Anne Rolfes

Hidden History

Leon A. Waters

New Orleans People's Assembly

Angela Kinlaw
Shannon Rainey
Marilyn Amar