The people taking part in the candlelight vigil marched from the Mississippi River to Jackson Square, and not much was said.
So, when a gentleman observing the procession began to play his flute to the tune of “We Shall Overcome,” it carried softly into the night air over "the city that care forgot".
That melody made me realize that as many times as I’ve frequented the French Quarters, this was one of the few occasions where a diverse group of people stood in close proximity without the help of Mardi Gras floats or beads or booze.Instead, tonight’s congregation was drawn by loss and remembrance as speakers such as Rev. Al Sharpton and Susan Taylor delivered messages of empowerment.
And there in the dark, with folks standing shoulder-to-shoulder and candles ablaze, I could see the hope for a better New Orleans flickering at times, but still bright enough to light the night sky.
New Orleanians: If only we could let that light shine day-in and day-out, this might one day be the city that care remembered.
