Celebrate Canal! Coalition is a resident-driven initiative working to reimagine Canal Street as a place that truly serves the people who live and work in New Orleans. We break down how this grassroots coalition formed, why past revitalization efforts fell short, and what makes this approach different by starting with community leadership instead of top-down mandates. Drawing from successful models like Times Square and downtown Raleigh, we talk through the coalition’s vision for restoring Canal Street as a vibrant, local-first destination.

We also unpack the coalition’s plan to divide downtown Canal Street into distinct segments, including retail, theater, riverfront, and biomedical areas, and how ideas like pedestrian-friendly design, public art, family-focused attractions, housing, and higher-end retail could finally bring sustained life back to the corridor. Hosted by Etosha McGee and Charles Miller, this conversation explores what it takes to move from talk to action, why locals matter in shaping the future of downtown, and why Celebrate Canal! may be the most promising effort yet to bring Canal Street back for New Orleans, not just tourists.

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Helena Moreno is the newly elected Mayor of New Orleans, and we break down what her first few weeks in office are signaling for the city. We talk through what she’s inheriting from the previous administration, including the budget deficit, public works challenges, and long standing infrastructure issues, and what early actions suggest about her priorities during the political honeymoon period.

We also dig into visible changes residents are already noticing, like streetlight repairs, road work, and pedestrian safety enforcement, while staying honest about the skepticism many New Orleanians feel after years of broken systems. The conversation covers recent controversies around Mardi Gras spending and DJ pay, questions about sustainability leadership in city government, and what accountability could look like moving forward. As always, we’re watching closely, staying critical, and tracking whether early momentum turns into lasting change.

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Community colleges in Louisiana are doing far more than most people realize, and we’re breaking down why they matter now more than ever. This week, we lean on Charles’s perspective as a professor at Nunez Community College to unpack how schools like Nunez and Delgado are expanding access, partnering directly with industry, and creating real pathways into high-demand fields like healthcare, aerospace, coastal restoration, culinary arts, and technology.

We also dig into the shifting perception of community colleges, why more students are choosing them as a first option, and how dual enrollment, credential programs, and workforce-driven curriculum are helping keep talent in Louisiana. From affordability and accessibility to fighting brain drain, we explore why community colleges are quietly shaping the future of education and the economy across the state.

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