I confess: On Election day, I could not help but be thankful. Along the neutral grounds the signs, smiles and barbeques were genuine. Louisianans have taken stock of the political harvest and they are ready for change. A seasoned cynic or pundit would call me naïve or “Pollyanna.” What about all the corruption?
Yet I resist the temptation of pessimism. The country has seen the resiliency of New Orleans’ neighborhoods and takes pride in Louisiana’s spirit – approximately half of all the registered voters in Louisiana cast their votes on Saturday. Seeing the enthusiasm and candor of those who voted and those who urged others to raise their voices leads me to believe Louisianans will not stay on the sidelines in the coming years. As one impassioned resident from Parkview told me, “In New Orleans, civic participation is not a spectator sport.” Working with NPN and the Trumpet for over a year has taught me many lessons, and perhaps the most impressive one is the depth of people’s determination to succeed. I appreciate those who have followed their words with action and I am thankful that we have worked hard to share our successes. Now, over this we can all break bread. Thank you for supporting the Trumpet.
Gill Benedek
Programs Director, NPN

My being thankful in the midst of these disarranged times for my hometown may seem strange, even foolish. Yet it is during this time that I step out of myself and I reflect on where I was, and how bright my future is NOW. As I sit writing these words, I hear my maternal grandmother singing a familiar song that I heard her sing many times in her uptown kitchen as she cooked teacakes and biscuits. I never truly understood the words until I was much older: “How I got over, How I got over… you know my soul looks back and wonder how I got over.” The idea of getting over is to think beyond what you see in front of you. Not in a cunning or dishonest manner but instead becoming more informed, equipped and resilient to the opportunities presented before you. I think about how not even a month ago I was one of five persons living in a one-bedroom house and now I am in a home of my own participating in the rebuilding of a city that I love. Reading this issue, I see that the city is filled with love – just check out Jessica Kinnison’s story about rebuilding in Broadmoor starting on page eight, or Marcia Wall’s inspirational stories of community thanks on page twelve.
It is these words of thankfulness that plant seeds of hope for me, that New Orleans will one day be a city of aspiration and inspiration, and that all things are possible when all peoples BELIEVE.
Timolynn Sams
Executive Director, NPN