New Orleans to Los Angeles Corridor Naming Ceremony

Thousands of Angelenos and residents of New Orleans were in attendance for a Juneteenth Celebration, Ribbon-Cutting & Street Festival. This historic occasion was held on Saturday, June 17, 2023.

By Ricky Richardson | Contributing Writer

        Los Angeles, Ca.- Thousands of Angelenos and residents of New Orleans were in attendance for a Juneteenth Celebration, Ribbon-Cutting & Street Festival. This historic occasion was held on Saturday, June 17, 2023.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

        The Crescent City delegations led by New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell were credited with sharing wonderful sunny weather from the Gulf Coast with residents on the West Coast. The weather was a welcomed respite from June Gloom Blume that has sprouted throughout the Greater Los Angeles region.

        A stretch of Jefferson Boulevard was dedicated as the “New Orleans Corridor.” The Corridor began at Holy Name Catholic Church, 1977 West Jefferson Boulevard to Harold and Belles, 2920 West Jefferson Boulevard (Jefferson and 10th Avenue).

        Opening remarks were delivered by Martin Ludlow, Founder and President of Los Angeles Jazz Festival Foundation, Los Angeles City Councilmember Heather Hutt, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell. The Freedom Choir performed several selections to the delight of the crowd.

        The New Orleans Corridor honored the historical migration and legacy of men, women and families of Creole and African American descent who moved from Louisiana to their settling in Los Angeles during a violently tumultuous period in the South.

        “As a native of Los Angeles and now 30- year resident and Mayor of New Orleans, it brings me great joy and pride to join my sister city Mayor Karen Bass of Los Angeles in celebrating the renaming of a stretch of Jefferson Boulevard to New Orleans Corridor,” as well as join in the cultural precursor of the 2024 launch of the Los Angeles Jazz Festival, “the mayor said. “The Second Great Migration that was born in the 1900’s where millions of New Orleanians and other Southerners migrated westward has evolved overtime into a shared language and cultural connection felt in every corner of the globe, including Los Angeles. I appreciate and welcome this cultural exchange of music, art, and ideas, while simultaneously sharing the richness and diversity of New Orleans. Like Los Angeles, the City of New Orleans is an extraordinary place and a city that has made a rich and unique contribution to American culture and history. It is my hope that this will be the start of a new tradition between our two cities and are looking forward to continuous to benefit each other through our cultural and tourism industries, stated New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell, in a news release.

        Los Angeles Karen Bass expressed appreciation of the special bond between Los Angeles and New Orleans.

        NBA Lakers great Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Danny Bakewell Sr., and Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. were additional speakers offering remarks on this historic occasion. George McKenna, LAUSD Board Member, and Congresswomen Diane Watson (Retired), and the festival sponsors were also in attendance and participated in the ribbon cutting.

        Los Angeles City Councilmember Heather Hutt, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell and other dignitaries, community leaders from various organizations, lead a New Orleans style “Second Line’ featuring Peace on Earth Social Aid and Pleasure Club, New Orleans New Groove Brass Band, and a local brass band from the Fernando Pullum Youth Arts Center in South LA, down Jefferson Boulevard, along the “New Orleans Corridor.”

        The Second Line was a great segue into the Street Festival. The Main Stage was located in front of Harold & Belles Restaurant, emceed by KBLA 1580’s “First Thing First” host Dominique DiPrima. 

        Live music was featured at the Street Festival featuring award-winning artists from both New Orleans and Los Angeles.

        DJ PZB played a thumping soundtrack of old school and new school tracks throughout the afternoon. Fernando Pullum Youth Arts Center Band entertained the crowd with an awesome arrangement of “Human Nature” by Michael Jackson.

Irvin Mayfield, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

        Grammy-award winning trumpeter, Irvin Mayfield from New Orleans opened his crowd pleasing set with “Mo’ Betta Blues,” a tune from the soundtrack to the movie Mo’ Betta Blues directed by Spike Lee. He continued with “We Gonna be Real Free,” which could serve as an anthem for Juneteenth. The band concluded their set with “It’s Not Logical.”

Terrace Martin, (Photo by Ricky Richardson)

        Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson greeted the crowd and shared the wonderful news about the return of LALA Festival to the New Orleans Corridor. LALA stands for Louisiana to Los Angeles. This is a welcomed addition to the rich cultural celebrations/festivals happening year-round in the City of Angels. Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson introduced three-time Grammy nominated artist Terrace Martin who was raised in the Crenshaw District. He thrilled the crowd with selections from his catalog, stand out tunes featured “Freedom,” “Breathe,” and a rousing “Valdez Off Crenshaw” with outstanding solos by members of the Fernando Pullum Youth Arts Center Band.

        New Orleans Corridor Naming Ceremony & Street Festival concluded with a spectacular performance by the legendary ensemble group “1500 or Nothin’ led by Grammy Award-winning Los Angeles natives Larrance Dopson & James Fauntleroy II. This popular group has collaborated with Bruno Mars, Jay-Z, Usher, Kendrick Lamar and many more.

        New Orleans Corridor Dedication and Street Festival were produced by the Los Angeles Jazz Festival, led by Founder and President Martin Ludlow.

        The Los Angeles Jazz Festival will debut on Dockweiler Beach in August 2024 as the first full-scale international jazz festival in the history of Los Angeles. The festival will offer 29 days of free music events throughout Southern California, including a ‘New Orleans Stage’ that will showcase the best of New Orleans’ jazz scene, further cementing the New Orleans-to-Los Angeles connection.