Danae Columbus: Mayor-elect Cantrell will challenge the gatekeepers of New Orleans

If her choice of performers for the May 7 inauguration is any indication, it’s already clear that Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell will not be bound by traditional convention as she charts a new path forward for New Orleans future. Cantrell will govern “The Cantrell Way,” with citizens adapting to her style and priorities that will surely include creating a system of governance that is more reflective of our voting majority and their needs.

Women, people of color, LGBTQ and low-income communities have always been historically marginalized, according to the Women’s Donor Network which made a presentation in New Orleans earlier this week. With her grass-roots, social worker background, Cantrell is expected to push for greater inclusion, empowerment and economic equity. Spreading the wealth and the power will be her mantra.

With New Orleans’ historic crime, housing, incarceration, education, and environmental racism problems, Cantrell will also want to create a better balance in the economy and ensure all citizens are free from discrimination and violence.

How can Cantrell achieve these goals? By putting the traditional gatekeepers of New Orleans – the white business establishment – on notice that change is at hand. Though Cantrell’s transition committees have yet to release their findings, Cantrell can create a Mayor’s Leadership Academy to open up opportunities for those from historically marginalized communities. Cantrell can appoint more women and minorities to staff positions as well as boards and commissions. (Although to date, appointments have gone to men.) Cantrell can nurture candidates for office from marginalized communities.

Cantrell can create incentives for developers to build more affordable housing. Cantrell can work closer with area businesses to identify the skills their employees need and with technical schools and colleges to make the appropriate training available. Cantrell can suggest that all businesses provide more paid internships during the summer and year round. Cantrell can demand greater compliance to the city’s disadvantaged business enterprise goals. Cantrell can encourage the hospitality industry to more paths to management.

Cantrell can work with the Orleans Parish School Board to increase the quality of more neighborhood schools. Cantrell can work with criminal justice officials to provide better alternatives to incarceration and stronger re-entry programs. Cantrell can memorialize by ordinance the major tenets enshrined in both consent decrees to guard against deconstruction by the Trump administration. Cantrell can overhaul the Sewerage & Water Board, make the RTA more efficient, and safeguard our diverse workforce.

Early last Sunday morning I was at the Splish Splash Washateria right by the Jazz Fest’s Mystery Street’s gate where I witnessed a spirited conversation between two customers, including a 7th Ward man who works on the wharves for the Clerks and Checkers labor union. My new friend said he initially supported Desiree Charbonnet but that LaToya Cantrell’s election night speech made him jump out of his chair. “I don’t want to take anything from anybody,” he said. “I just want a fair chance to earn a living.” Thousand of New Orleanians probably feel the same way.

Gatekeepers beware: Mayors have the power to create the impacts they want one way or another. While Mayor-elect Cantrell has been a little slow getting started, she will soon pack a wallop. Tickets to the inauguration seem to still be available through LaToya for NOLA on Facebook.

Danae Columbus, who has had a 30-year career in politics and public relations, offers her opinions on Thursdays. Her career includes stints at City Hall, the Dock Board and the Orleans Parish School Board and former clients such as District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro, City Council members Stacy Head and Jared Brossett, City Councilwoman-elect Helena Moreno, Foster Campbell, Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, former Sheriff Charles Foti and former Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell.