Hub Citizen

Community

June 17, 4:26 pm

Wanted: Lafayette’s best people

Know someone making a difference? Tell us about them.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

April 15

Lafayette skaters are having a moment

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

April 5

50 years of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles: How a chance encounter ignited a cultural revolution

Barry Ancelet’s yearning for Louisiana culture abroad led to Festivals Acadiens et Créoles’ inception, now marking its 50th year. Inspired by a folk singer in France, Ancelet’s vision revitalized Louisiana’s traditional music scene, shaping Lafayette’s cultural landscape.

Community

February 28

Lafayette’s Milton Arceneaux captures Creole Country

“We want to debunk a lot of myths, especially the [idea] that Creole means Black, because that’s so not true.”

February 8

Vintage market owner Devin Bijeaux stitches Lafayette a little closer together

In 2018 people in the United States threw away over 11.3 million tons of used textiles, which was 66% of all textile production that year. Devin Bijeaux, owner of Voodoo Vintage market, is putting a dent in that waste by encouraging upcycling and curating a space for clothing resales.

Lafayette muralist and artist Hannah Gumbo stands next to an upcycled filing cabinet, part of her installation at the Lafayette Visitor Center.

February 1

VIDEO: Gumbo Z’herbes: Hannah Gumbo’s latest installation goes green with a dash of Lafayette hospitality

Local artist and muralist Hannah Gumbo’s art has become a fixture in Lafayette, embodying the colorful and lively spirit of Acadiana through her bold and bright designs. Her latest installation at the Lafayette Visitor Center combines sustainability with hospitality.