New Orleans Parade Balances Tragedy with Defiance and Love \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Joan of Arc Parade in New Orleans pushed forward just days after a devastating truck attack, blending grief with defiance. Locals criticized being labeled “resilient,” expressing frustration over systemic failures while celebrating their community’s unwavering spirit. The parade became a testament to the city’s traditions, love, and determination to rise above tragedy.
New Orleans Parade: A Balancing Act of Tragedy and Tradition
- Carnival Kicks Off: The Joan of Arc Parade, featuring knights, dragons, and angels, began the Carnival season in New Orleans despite recent tragedy.
- Criticism of Resilience: Locals voiced frustration over the city’s repeated calls for resilience in the face of systemic failures.
- Community Spirit: Residents celebrated with costumes, king cake, and shared hot toddies, offering support and defiance.
- Recent Tragedy: A truck attack killed 14 just blocks from the parade route, leaving a half-block memorial of flowers and crosses.
- Love Over Fear: Marchers and spectators expressed hope, viewing the parade as a rally for unity and healing.
Deep Look
The Joan of Arc Parade in New Orleans, an exuberant start to the Carnival season, took place under a shadow of grief and frustration. Just blocks away from the parade route, a truck attack six days earlier had claimed 14 lives, leaving a sprawling memorial of flowers and crosses. Yet, for many, the decision to march, celebrate, and gather reflected a defiant choice to embrace hope and community.
A City Caught Between Grief and Celebration
Antoinette de Alteriis, clad in a shimmering tunic, maneuvered papier-mâché horses and a giant green dragon through the freezing wind. Alongside hundreds of others, she prepared to bring the parade to life, a stark contrast to the somber scene nearby where mourners honored the victims of the attack.
“How do you reconcile that with having a parade?” de Alteriis asked. “We chose hope.”
This choice encapsulated the tension felt by many locals. New Orleans has long been lauded for its resilience, praised for its ability to bounce back from hurricanes, oil spills, and violence. But locals increasingly bristle at the term.
Resilience or Defiance?
Mark Schettler, a bartender and lifelong New Orleanian, argued that the city’s survival is less about resilience and more about defiance. “We’re so sick and tired of having to be resilient,” he said. “As long as I have two middle fingers, I will always be waving them around defiantly.”
At a service industry party on Chartres Street during the parade, Schettler quizzed partygoers about their least favorite word. The answer came quickly: “Resilience.”
“It’s not fair to be judged by your ability to navigate trauma,” said Dominic Hernandez, co-owner of the Double Club. “It’s dismissive,” added his wife, Cierra.
For many, the demand for resilience felt particularly acute after Bourbon Street reopened just 36 hours after the attack. While Louisiana relies heavily on tourism—generating $17.1 billion from 42.6 million visitors in 2022—residents felt their need for space to grieve was deprioritized.
A Parade of Love and Tradition
The parade was smaller than in previous years, but its participants embodied the spirit of New Orleans. Knights, monks, and angels braved the near-freezing temperatures, eliciting cheers from spectators who shouted, “Y’all look so great!” and “Thank y’all!”
For some, like marcher Wren Misbach, the event was an act of service to the city. “We rise again, we live to fight another day,” Misbach said.
Others viewed it as a rallying cry. Hannah Miller held a lit sign that read, “I love you New Orleans.” She described the event as a protest against fear: “Love is bigger than fear.”
Spectators like Kathleen Ford echoed this sentiment. A former French Quarter resident who lost her home during Hurricane Katrina, Ford said the parade wasn’t about resilience. “It’s about the city, and what it means, its beauty, its pain, its grit,” she said.
A City Marked by Tragedy
The attack that cast a shadow over the parade is just the latest in a long series of tragedies for New Orleans. Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, the city has endured hurricanes, the BP oil spill, and persistent violence. In 2022, it had the nation’s highest per-capita homicide rate, and while numbers have declined, residents say the violence feels ingrained in daily life.
This New Year’s Day, hours after the truck attack, a beloved Vietnamese grocer, Thanh Vu, was killed during a robbery. Two other people were also shot and killed in separate incidents that same day.
“Things keep happening here—hurricanes, floods, now a terrorist attack,” said Julie Laskay, a New Orleans native. “We’re just expected to dust ourselves off and keep going.”
If Not Resilience, Then What?
As the parade wound down, angels in white-gloved prayer processed through confetti and flashing police lights. For many, the event symbolized the heart of New Orleans—not resilience, but a deep and enduring sense of community.
Rafaela Lopez, a tattoo artist and bartender, summed it up: “The only real resilience is in the support that the community has for itself. The only people who take care of each other is us.”
Pouring hot toddies and handing out slices of king cake, Yasin Frank Southall emphasized the importance of tradition and connection. “Going back to normalcy is really important. It’s about love,” he said.
In a city shaped by both joy and pain, the parade served as a reminder of its defining spirit. “It’s the soul of my heart and the soul of New Orleans,” said Ford, smiling as she watched the angels march past.
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