Stop Telling New Orleans To Shut Up And Be Resilient

In the evening of Jan. 4, 2025, as I sat in my backyard for dinner with my family, a round of explosions went off into the air. Mid-bite, we all froze and exchanged wide-eyed glances. My father broke the tension with a nervous laugh, and the rest of us followed with uneasy chuckles as we realized the explosions were only fireworks from our neighbor’s yard—a belated New Year’s celebration. But while my family’s laughter eased the moment, I sat in silence, consumed by frustration. Fireworks, something...