Years ago, in a raucous rally of groups along Cancer Alley, the co-founder of Inclusive Louisiana, Barbara Washington, stood up and invoked her ancestors. “My great great great grandmother Harriet Jones bought 34 acres of land in 1874,” she said, “and that land is still in my family today.” I remain in awe at the strength and smarts of her family in keeping that land despite a century and a half of attacks on Black land ownership.

This week, on June 3rd, the St. James Parish council is planning a radical change in the land use designation for the Harriet Jones property, from agricultural to industrial. And across the river in Ascension Parish, the parish council is also proposing a radical change, altering a section of the community of Modeste from conservation to industrial. That nefarious meeting is planned for June 4th.

The plan by parish officials is clear: make these places unlivable and destroy the property values of Black families who have lived on their land for generations. Make their lives so miserable they will leave. Force them out. Erase them.

But we aren’t having that.

We are proud to stand with the local leadership, Rural Roots Louisiana and Inclusive Louisiana, as we work together to protect the places and the people that make Louisiana what we are. THIS culture and our people – not some polluting, greedy, iron monster of a corporation – is the soul of Louisiana, our beautiful home.

Thanks for standing with us,

Anne Rolfes
Director

P.S. Please visit Inclusive on Instagram and Rural Roots on Facebook for details on how to provide support this week.

[Photo: Barbara Washington, Co Founder of Inclusive Louisiana, leads a march in 2020 ]