Congratulations to The Black Men of Labor. Last night at the Love Your City Awards, the famed social aid and pleasure club won in the Culture category at LifeCity’s Love Your City Awards Gala Thursday night at the Sheraton. We were nominated in that category as well, and we count it as a victory to be included in the same conversation with them.
The category according to LifeCity, “seeks to protect cultural diversity both within the workplace and also through the cultural economy, recognizing that our arts and culture, and their practitioners, are woven through the fabric of New Orleans’ communities and is what makes New Orleans so exceptional. It seeks to protect, and uplift and sustainably invest in the artistic and cultural traditions of New Orleans, and support the and freedom of expression for all individuals.”
We’re grateful to LifeCity for believing that our work as New Orleans immigration lawyers makes a contribution to the city in those ways. We have a very focused mission to bring people here and keep them here, and to do that with compassion and service. To do this mission in New Orleans, a city that welcomes others and has a long history of offering refuge and acceptance to those who need it without fail is a blessing. The message of welcome is apparent in our food, our music, and the way we connect to strangers and each other every day. If we can stay in the spirit of the city, our job is half-done.
We're also thankful for being including in a category with Black Men of Labor and the other nominees: BigEasy.com, French Quarter Festivals Inc., and Grande Krewe. They do important work, and we are happy to join in a celebration of their contributions to New Orleans’ culture.
Even though we didn’t get to collect a trophy or make a speech, we felt like winners at the gala Thursday night by being in a room with so many inspiring people who are working to make New Orleans a more equitable, sustainable, socially responsible place. It was great to hear whoops and cheers for such organizations as Friends of Lafitte Greenway, Tulane/Canal Neighborhood Development Corporation, and Lighthouse Louisiana because they and all the other nominees do important work every day. It was great to hear them be appreciated in that way.
Finally, we need to shout out LifeCity for its efforts to encourage and more socially and environmentally responsible business community. LifeCity recognizes young entrepreneurs, established businesses, and non-profits that make a difference, and we appreciate all that they do.
Thursday night was itself something to think about for us. 2018 was a hard year for everybody who works in immigration law, but the sense of community in the ballroom served as a reminder that we’re on less of an island than it can sometimes feel. We want to foster the night's optimism and ride that spirit of connectedness. Kathleen decided that our motto for 2019 will be “Bridges not walls, y’all,” and the Love Your City Awards Gala was a good start to the year.
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