Although the commemorative events placed me in the midst of politicians, academics, entertainers, and other moneyed people, seeing young people do positive things in post-Katrina New Orleans gently reminded me where the wealth of our city lies.
I’m speaking specifically of the Anthony Bean Community performing artists. The group of high-school-aged New Orleanians graced the ‘Day of Presence audience with sleek dance moves, but their story is deeper than boogying and bopping. Their story explains that what young people do on stage can keep them from doing negative actions associated with many of New Orleans’ high-crime neighborhoods.
“For me, dancing keeps me off the streets,” said Daldesa Keppard. A 17-year-old student at Warren Easton High School, Keppard said because she has something to occupy her evenings, she has very little time to get into the trouble which many of New Orleans’ youth are all to familiar with.
“Dancing not only keeps us involved and off the streets, but it also allows us to express ourselves creatively,” Keppard said.
Elise Felix, asst. director of the Anthony Bean Community Center for seven years, said that the kids are not only dancing, but learning to put on plays as well.
Felix said the young people are putting together a production called 5-0-4 in which six kids return to New Orleans four weeks after the storm determined to help rebuild the city. After tossing around ideas, the group stages a large concert to rally the people of New Orleans.
Felix said that the group members not only perform, but also builds props and work behind the scenes to put on the production.
“Many of our youth, especially our young Black men fall into the trouble because there’s no place for them and a lot of times they drop out of school,” Felix said. “But if you’re running with Peanut, Pookie and Juju, then you become apart of the school of hard knocks.”
Felix said if groups or organizations have the means or resources to help young people, then that’s what they should be doing.
“I challenge them to take these young folks in, not just to get government funding, but more importantly to keep these kids off the streets.”
