Kezia Kamenetz

Features

New Orleans, United States

New Orleans is #7 on The 2014 GOOD City Index

With Louisiana now hot on the heels of Los Angeles as a hub for film production and companies like Kickboard and TurboSquid representing the “Silicon Bayou” tech economy, New Orleans is still blossoming. The city hosted its third international art biennial this fall, alongside a local film festival, fringe theater festival, and comedy festival, which all continue to grow larger each year. Of course, not everyone is happy with the attention. Often transient movie industry workers have been blamed for rapidly increasing rents citywide. Staggering statistics about pervasive racial inequalities put a damper on rosy economic outlooks. Noise ordinances, cultural misunderstanding, and appropriation put many locals on the offense, sparking heated debate over gentrification, charter schools, and the effects of outside influence on the city’s soul. And yet, the looming vulnerability of New Orleans’ coastal environment continues to stimulate this dynamic crescent of creative self-expression and heart-centered resiliency.

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