Elliot Wade

Elliot covers community affairs for the Current through building relationships directly with community leaders and Hub Citizens alike. A Cecilia, Louisiana native, he graduated from University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he worked as a columnist and news writer for The Vermillion.

July 11

Louisiana residents can now carry a concealed weapon without a permit

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In Louisiana, you can now carry a gun concealed without a permit, but the controversial new law isn't a catch all.

Conversations

July 8

It’s Monday night: Where y’all eating?

When you’re hungry for something someone else cooked on a Monday evening, what’s your go to restaurant?

Community

Peyton Rose Michelle, Executive Director of Louisiana Trans Advocates and Pride 2024 Grand Marshal, stands in front of the Y Lafayette sign in Parc Sans Souci. The Y Lafayette sign is painted in the colors of the Progress Pride Flag and Michelle sports the Pride Grand Marshal sash.

June 27

It’s all about the joy for 2024 Lafayette Pride Grand Marshal

Amid a legislative session that targeted her community, Peyton Rose Michelle embraces an upbeat attitude as grand marshal of Lafayette Pride.

Community

June 17

Wanted: Lafayette’s best people

Know someone making a difference? Tell us about them.

Hub Citizen

June 4

How Jessica Brown-Mason put her neighborhood on the map

Jessica Brown-Mason started the Resilience Rise Community Collaborative to bring change to her neighborhood.

Hub Citizen

May 31

Drake LeBlanc’s fight for French

Lafayette filmmaker and multimedia artist Drake LeBlanc is a product and advocate of Louisiana French education. The French multi-media organization he co-founded, Télé-Louisiane, is facing drastic cuts in state funding.

Hub Citizen

Jencie Olivier, Sexual Abuse Response Center Coordinator (left) and Grayson Trahan, Sexual Abuse Response Center Survivor Advocate (right) stand in front of a wall with dozens of colorful handprints in Hearts of Hope's Children's Advocacy Center.

May 17

A safe place for all: Hearts of Hope’s inclusive approach to survivor support

Hearts of Hope, the only sexual trauma center in Acadiana, makes resources for all survivors of sexual assault accessible and safe.

Hub Citizen

Girl Scout Luna Bowles stands next to the newly installed Communication Board, a large colorful board with numbers 0 though 9, the alphabet and words like "hungry", "thirsty" and "tired".

May 6

Girl Scout brings nonverbal Communication Board to Moncus Park

As a part of her Girl Scout training, fifth-grader Luna Bowles spearheaded the effort to get an Augmentative and Alternative Communication Board at Moncus Park. The board, designed to support children with diverse communication needs, allows them to express themselves while they enjoy the playground.

Hub Citizen

Ida Aronson, steward of Raccoon Oak Farm, sits in the grass in front of several bright red flowers.

April 26

Indigenous farmer seeds a traditional food system for Acadiana

At Raccoon Oak Farm, Ida Aronson is experimenting with indigenous methods of growing native southeastern fruit and nut trees and bushes to promote native biodiversity.

News + Notes

Former students of Paul Breaux High School gathered to share their stories. From left to right, Barbra Ruffin Robertson, Sylvia Cluse, and Wilfred "Paul" Cluse.

April 24

‘It’s what made us’: Paul Breaux has long been the center of Lafayette’s integration struggle

Paul Breaux educated generations of Black students. It was also the primary venue for Lafayette’s integration story.

Hub Citizen

April 18

Lafayette label embraces cassette tape’s unexpected comeback

Citronel Sounds, a new Lafayette company, is empowering artists to embrace the DIY spirit through the humble cassette tape. Citronel operates not only as cassette producers, but also as an accessible record label working to record and promote new artists.

Hub Citizen

April 15

Lafayette skaters are having a moment

For five years, Lafayette skaters had nowhere to go. Ooti Billeaud hopes to change that.