JA’s Speaker Series Event, “The State of New Orleans & Our Future,” Brings Together All-Star Panel

Junior Achievement of Greater New Orleans hosted a panel discussion on February 14th on “The State of New Orleans & Our Future” with topics such as crime, education, business, and economic development. GNO, Inc. President and CEO, Michael Hecht, moderated the panel that included Joseph I. Giarrusso, III, New Orleans City Council Member, District A; Royce Duplessis, Louisiana State Senator, District 5; Walt Leger, President & CEO, New Orleans & Co.; Greg Rusovich, CEO, Transoceanic Development, and Dr. Avis Williams, Superintendent, NOLA Public Schools.

Before the panel discussion began, the event attendees visited Junior Achievement’s BizTown, where elementary school students run a simulated city for the day by operating banks, managing restaurants, writing checks, and using debit cards, with all activities helping connect the dots between what the students learn in school to the real world.

After the event attendees spent their “JA BizTown Bucks” at the shops run by the elementary students, the 80 or so guests gathered to enjoy lunch while the day’s elected “Mayor of JA BizTown,” 5th grader Ja’kai Collins, welcomed them to the JA speaker series panel discussion and delivered remarks on his experience as mayor in JA BizTown.

After Ja’kai spoke, the panelists were introduced, and moderator Hecht led a robust discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing New Orleans. Council Member Giarrusso discussed the mental health collaborative, pointing out that everyone on the panel is a partner in the collaborative from funding through the New Orleans Coalition, to working in the state legislature to fund resources, to working with the school system to access Medicaid funding for youth mental health. Giarrusso stated that “it is important that we create a system where there’s both access to care and where there is a continuum [of care] at the same time.”

Superintendent Williams remarked on the thoughtful youth she has met while visiting schools in New Orleans, reminding everyone that when we discuss the future of New Orleans, the youth are that future, and “we need to lift the voices of young people.” Williams conceded that “we have a whole lot to do,” to improve outcomes for our youth. New Orleans faces the same challenges as other cities, states, and countries in dealing with an international teacher shortage: “We cannot improve outcomes if we don’t change instruction and we can’t change instruction if we can’t attract and retain effective high-quality teachers.” As a part of her vision for improving outcomes for youth in New Orleans, she addressed the lack of career and technical education available within schools, with the goal of offering more CTE programs, ROTC programs, and opportunities for credentialling that will give graduates a pathway to a high-wage careers.  For Williams, career and technical education should be “no different than algebra or English in a traditional high school.” Finally, she envisions creating a one-stop-shop to include all the wrap around services families and young people need: “We have resources, but families don’t always have access to what’s available.” 

State Senator Duplessis began by discussing the challenges the New Orleans delegation has faced in the state legislature over the past years and how he seeks to strengthen the relationship between the city and the state, as the future of Louisiana and New Orleans are intertwined.  Duplessis also gave an update on the proposed project that will create a passenger rail between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, looking at the recently passed federal infrastructure bill to help fund the project.

Just back from the Superbowl in Arizona, Leger expressed his excitement for the upcoming 2025 Superbowl in New Orleans. He took note that Arizona handled the Superbowl well, but the layout of our city, with the Superdome positioned so close to the convention center makes New Orleans one of the NFL’s favorite cities to host the event. He sees these large-scale events as an opportunity to talk about the other innovative and extraordinary things we are doing in the city. He recognizes the mutual goal in having both a robust tourism industry and creating economic development to position New Orleans as a great place to do business and visit: “If we make this place a great place to live and work, then it will always be a great place to visit.”

Rusovich discussed improving the quality-of-life conditions in the city to make us more attractive to business: “New Orleans has all these wonderful attributes…culture and friendly people that other cities just don’t have,” he noted.  Companies are seeking “an environment that wants business, welcomes business, and nurtures business,” and they want a region and city that can fix  basic services.”  Rusovich believes that if the city can address the quality-of-life issues, then we will flourish because the city has all the other unique attributes that makes New Orleans special. He also went on to speak about the city’s history with international trade, pointing to the Mississippi River as one of our greatest assets. He stated that because newer ships are larger and unable to fit under the Crescent City Connection Bridge, that we must develop a port below the city. This along with our six class-A railroads can reestablish New Orleans as a leader in shipping and logistics. Finally, Rusovich stressed the importance of “tourism working with trade working with the business sector to make sure we are all aligned.” 

Over the course of the hour, panelists repeatedly pointed to the importance of creating more access and expanding resources for the city’s youth as the pathway toward a successful future for the region.  Almost every discussion came back to preparing the next generation of the region’s workforce and leadership.  President of Junior Achievement, Larry Washington, remarked that “JA is the answer,” as the work of JA builds that bridge between youth and industry and a more prosperous region. 

Washington asked the panel: “How do you see the role of JA in transforming the city?”  Leger remarked that at New Orleans and Co., they are offering financial literacy help to service industry workers, but this work is coming later than it should: “JA’s role is to continue doing what you’re doing, but for us to partner with you better.”  Duplessis added: “I’ll start with the future of the city and where we began with Mayor Ja’kai,” referencing the 5th grader who kicked off the panel discussion, “We have to center our young people and you all are doing that, whatever role we are in, we can’t shape the future without centering them and listening to them…I’m going to be here to listen to how I can play a bigger role in supporting what you are doing.” Rusovich remarked on the role of JA in building “business and entrepreneurial acumen” as the key to creating intergenerational wealth and prosperity. “I applaud Junior Achievement,” he said, for building the knowledge and skills needed.  Giarrusso commented, “You are doing great work and people in this room know about the great work, but I don’t know how much the public consistently knows about the great work.” He finds “JA is a part of the equation” in the future of New Orleans, and he invited JA to bring JA students to a council meeting and present the work JA is doing.  Dr. Williams recalled her JA in a Day experience as  “the best day ever as an elementary school principal.” She said that her office is building a portrait of a graduate, which she calls “our north star,” and that she sees “Junior Achievement playing a key role in that portrait of a graduate.”

Junior Achievement is grateful to each of our panelists and moderator for sharing their ideas in building a successful future for New Orleans.  Save the date for JA’s next Speaker Series event will take place on Tuesday, May 16.  This event will be a Part 2 to our first Speaker Series and will be youth-focused.