It is with much trepidation that I share these thoughts, as I suspect they may not sit well with some folks. And that’s okay. My heart aches deeply for the people of Louisiana who are suffering in the aftermath of what is being called the worst natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy. The images being shared […]

Why would anyone want to live in Louisiana? That’s the question that many seem to be asking. Why would anyone want to live in a place that continues to flood and destroy so many lives? Aside from the (however unintentional) heartless insensitivity that accompanies this question, it’s pretty much the equivalent of kicking people when they’re […]

[layerslider id=”2″] On August 6, 2016, a part of New Orleans’ musical soul died. That’s the day legendary musician Pete Fountain was called home. Though he had struggled for over a decade with health issues, his passing was unexpected. And it sent shock waves throughout the community. In a city filled with musicians, Fountain was […]

How is it possible to feel like your heart is breaking and be incredibly uplifted all in the same moment? This afternoon, I had the good fortune to see Gleason, the documentary about former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason, who is living with ALS. The experience brought a rollercoaster of emotions, ranging from lighthearted […]

  What has become of our America? Too many divides. Too much finger pointing. Too much “Us vs. Them.” Too many people who feel like their voices aren’t being heard, that they don’t matter. Too many who feel that they are the targets of malice and hatred, based on the color of their skin or their choice […]

Give Peace a Chance. This morning in Baton Rouge, six more law enforcement officers shot. Three, fatally. How many more must die before we stop the madness?  

I once shot and killed a man. It was in the late ’80s, during a women’s gun safety program called “Lady Beware,” offered by local law enforcement officers. While the course included training as to how to clean, hold and fire our weapons, the most impactful part of the program was the series of situations […]

This morning, it was announced that Idea Village CEO Tim Williamson made the difficult decision leave the company he founded to accept a position as President of Nola Media Group. This letter is in response to the news, expressing sentiments that, undoubtedly, are shared by many of the entrepreneurs whose lives have been forever altered […]

  You’d have to live under a rock to have not heard of Candace Payne, better known as “Chewbacca Mom,” whose Facebook live video because an instant viral sensation. In just days, her gleeful post earned millions of views and shares which translated into over 800,000 Facebook followers, and ultimately broke Facebook records for the […]

Ahhhh, dance recital season. It’s a phenomenon in and of itself. After all the months of chauffeuring the little ones to lessons and costume fittings, portrait sessions and final practices, the big day arrives. The payoff. The showcase of all of the children’s efforts, in a splendid, splashy spectacle for all to enjoy. As the […]

Public Relations Society of America/New Orleans 2017 Fleurish Award of Excellence recipient/Blog Post If you ask any New Orleanian to name the city’s greatest music ambassador, the response you’re most likely to hear is “Louis Armstrong.” If you ask the name of its most authentic, no holds barred, tell it like it is ambassador, those […]

Dear Louisiana Legislators, Every year, hundreds of artists and arts advocates make the trek to the State Capital to request your support of the arts, and every year, the resources continue to shrink. But today, I learned of a proposed amendment that has artists everywhere shaking their heads: artists are being asked, in effect, to pay […]

  On April 21, 2016, the world was stunned to learn of the untimely passing of iconic musician Prince. Media outlets scrambled for more information. Social media was awash in purple and Prince lyrics and memes as people tried to wrap their heads around the news of the 57-year-old Prince Rogers Nelson’s death. Celebrities weighed […]

  Here’s to the single moms, who face the world with unique challenges and rise above them like the warriors that they are. To the moms who work two or three jobs just to make ends meet, while juggling scout meetings, ball games, dance lessons and household tasks, wishing for clones who could help them […]

Here in New Orleans, we celebrate everything. We start with festivals for all occasions, with homages to frogs and alligators, gumbo and meat pies, seafood, strawberries and more. Jazz Fest is just as much Jazz Feast, with insanely delectable fare. If it rains, we don’t pack up and go home. We pull out umbrellas, don rubber boots […]

Every now and then, we stumble upon something on social media which makes us pause and chuckle. Such was the case with this gem. It’s a poem which, I later learned, was quietly penned by mild mannered photographer Paul Wood between photo sessions during one of the most hectic times of the year for his profession—Dance Week. […]

The search for children whose cards provided hope in the midst of Katrina chaos.   August 29, 2015 marked the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. While the media flooded the world with an overload of dismal aftermath imagery, such were memories that those of us who had […]

It’s amazing how far a simple “thank you” can go.  

A God Wink that led to a Garth Brooks encounter Do you believe in Destiny? That’s the question I posed on the very first post that kicked off The Right Brain Diaries blog in October of 2014. Over the next few months, I shared the chapters of an epic adventure with a real life fairy tale […]

I am a word nerd. For me, writing is a passion. It’s just something I’ve always loved. The thing about writing is that it’s not something  one can really do on demand. Ideas come and go, and often times, if they’re not scribbled down, they’re gone for good. But every now and then, inspiration hits and […]

Recently, when reading the news online, I stumbled upon a headline that stunned me. The story reported that a small group of Tulane students were dissatisfied with the university’s announcement that the very accomplished journalist and Today Show host Hoda Kotb had been selected to deliver the Class of 2016’s commencement address. The students declared […]

Social media has revolutionized the way that businesses and organizations interact with the world. When properly used, sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram provide tools for unprecedented growth of your audiences. And as varied as the options are, so, too, are the opinions of those who utilize them. Ideally, management of your social media outlets […]

“If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Like so many others’ mothers, mine instilled this value in her children. We were taught to help others who weren’t as fortunate, that kindness costs nothing, and that everyone deserves to be treated with respect. When folks were sick, they could count […]

The most recent Old Navy t-shirt offering is yet another reminder of the lack of understanding of and respect for among the most noble of all professions: artists. First off, a look at what the term itself encompasses: to the creative world, “artists” is a single word that defines a broad spectrum of talent. Whether […]

Oh, how I love a full circle moment. The yellow slip in my postal box advised that a package was awaiting pickup. And so, I stood in line with my grandchildren, awaiting our turn to claim the parcel. After I handed the slip to the postal clerk, she returned with a large, manila envelope, and […]

Dear Alabama fans who posted the “Finish what Katrina started” banner, On behalf of the many people who vowed to not let Katrina defeat our spirits, we thank you. Thank you for the reminder of who we are and all that we represent. That we know how to rise above challenges and to conquer them […]