To truly reach people, stories can’t just be told—they have to be shareable, teachable, and actionable for every age. Trinity City Arts began in 2014 with a simple goal: make the tools of storytelling and civic engagement accessible to kids, teens, parents, and elders alike. What started as a community play about policing and neighborhood safety has grown into a hands-on “artivism” lab, where theater—and now comics—become entry points for reading, writing, drawing, and speaking up together.

Today, their North Star is unchanged: young people must be seen and heard.

In this conversation, we meet two of those voices—Trinity City Arts interns and Issue #2 writers Alexander Warren and Je’Miyah Suggs, both now college sophomores. They came to the project through 826 New Orleans, carrying different strengths. Alex is a lifelong comics fan who began writing seriously during COVID, turning dyslexia into a source of clarity and purpose. Je’Miyah is a poet whose teachers pushed her to share her work publicly, discovering along the way a vocation for community-rooted storytelling.

Together, they’re learning the craft—and the collaboration—behind building a world: shaping character voices, working with artists, and translating the music, beauty, and hard truths of New Orleans into panels where young readers can see themselves.

Smiling back at you from the other side of the algorithm comes the rhythm and charm of Joshua Starkman. Blake sits down with Joshua to talk about moving to the city, diving into the music scene head first, and the evolution of a tiny, tiny deck concert.

Blake gets a chance to chat with Bob Murrell. Bob is a Comedian, Aspiring Politician, and all-around Well Read Do-gooder.

Blake sits with chef, author, and super mom Melissa Martin for a chat about her background, being a writer, and love for coastal Louisiana.

Blake gets a chance to sit down and interview theater art director, educator, and speaker Nick Slie.

Blake interviews Fatima Shaik about her book Economy Hall.

Fatima Shaik is an American author known for her writings that explore themes of community, family, and race, particularly within the context of the African American and Creole experiences. She writes across various genres including children's literature, young adult fiction, and non-fiction. Shaik's work often draws on her own heritage and experiences growing up in a multiracial, multicultural community in New Orleans. Her stories frequently emphasize the richness of African American and Creole culture, exploring both historical and contemporary issues with depth and sensitivity. Some of her notable works include "Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood," a historical account based on the extensive records of a secretive society of free men of color, and several children's books that feature diverse characters and settings.

We had a chance to sit down and talk to Maurice about his new book, his research approach and what he would do if he was mayor.

Maurice Carlos Ruffin is a New Orleans native and is the author of the historical novel, The American Daughters, as well as The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You, which was longlisted for the Story Prize, and We Cast a Shadow, which was a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the PEN America Open Book Prize. All three books were New York Times Editor’s Choice selections.

In the first episode of this series, Blake speaks with Jessica Dandridge in 2021. They cover the complex relationship those along the coast and in New Orleans have with water. They then pivot to discuss the Claiborne Overpass and its complicated history in the Treme neighborhood.

About the Series:

On this podcast, we hope to explore the intricate tapestry of New Orleans, a place we call home.

New Orleans has 300 years of history which gives us cherished traditions and a way of life we love while blending with entrenched challenges we wish we didn’t have to deal with day to day.

We sit down and talk with some of our neighbors. We hope these guests can help unravel the decisions of the past that set our course to today.

We want to learn more about their lives and the work they do while we discuss together some of the changes that could be made to help chart a course for a more functional future.

Intro music by Mike Dillon