“Lafitte, Treme: Between the City and Me” is a community mural designed by YAM youth artists under the guidance of lead artist mentor and local talent Keith Duncan.  The project came out of the Welcome Table New Orleans, a citywide program to address racial reconciliation and healing, initiated by Mayor Mitch Landrieu in partnership with the Winter Institute of Mississippi.

The mural is a product of a six-week dialogue series addressing structural racism with 23 intergenerational community members, led by Center for Restorative Approaches and Equity in All Places.  Over 150 youth and community members contributed to the mural through an extensive community engagement process that included a community design workshop, a design presentation, a community paint day, and an unveiling and block party. 

The mural wraps around five walls of a community pool near Lemann playground, a site that was once segregated by race.  The mural depicts local culture and Lafitte neighborhood history to promote a message of harmony and unity. Through the program, the youth artists received professional training in research, design, painting, and financial literacy, as well as compensation for their hard work.

Artists: Keith Duncan (Lead Artist Mentor), Kiyah Simmons, Edrin Johnson, Wendell Johnson

Barrion Johnson, Graca Yaasir, Katelyn Alonso, Shanti Broom, Sly Watts, Kate Madura, Mariah Williams, Brianna Gibson