Discover Lafayette

"Tsunami" can be defined as "a force that comes into a community and takes hold of it". When the concept for the first Tsunami sushi restaurant was being developed in 1999, Michelle Ezell, her husband, Sean, sister, Leah, and cousin, Tara, looked for names that had an Asian influence and "Tsunami" captured it. They had a vision in mind for a powerful force that would take over their community....but in a good way, without the destructive qualities. Their imaginations have led to a successful restaurant enterprise which anchors downtown Lafayette’s restaurant scene.

Michele Simon Ezell, owner of Tsunami, is our guest on this episode of Discover Lafayette. Renowned for its fresh sushi as well as its trendy and inviting atmosphere, Tsunami is the place to go for great food and a wonderful ambiance.

Michele had never worked in a restaurant when she got the envie (desire) to open her own sushi restaurant. She was happily working for a local media company, and she jokingly recounted that she is still on the phone list of employees at Townsquare Media and will someday return after taking a “break” from media to open Tsunami, which was eighteen years ago.

The adventure all began on a trip to Los Angeles to visit her sister, Leah, for New Years’ Eve in 1998. Michele was a big fan of sushi, and would periodically make trips to New Orleans, the nearest city that offered fresh and authentically prepared Japanese sushi and sashimi.  Feeling giddy about the opportunity to enjoy great sushi which was abundantly available in L. A, she was encouraged and convinced by friends and family at that dinner to open her own restaurant in Lafayette. Saki may have played a role in the exuberant conversation!

Sushi was not well known in Louisiana when Michele, her sister, Leah Simon, and Michele’s husband Sean, began research in 1998 that would bring sushi into the mainstream in Lafayette. These were the days of dial-up internet services and the research and development was arduous, to say the least.

Developing Tsunami was a family affair, with cousin, Tara, designing the logo and helping come up with the restaurant’s name. Damian, Michele’s brother, who was working in Miami at a harbor with access to fresh fish, came home and assisted in running the restaurant. Sister, Leah Simon, was the family member credited with developing the visual look and sounds of the restaurant, and in fact, Michele says that Leah is endearing known as the “Minister of Vibe.” Leah eventually moved back home to partner with the Ezells in opening the Baton Rouge location.

Ashley Simon, sister-in-law, was the one family member who did have restaurant experience and had planned to help out for a couple of nights for the soft opening; she brought critical skills in running the kitchen and ended up staying on for a year and a half, eventually serving as general manager. Michele took over the business end of Tsunami, in charge of hiring and the books.

Bankers are not particularly open to loaning money to restauranteurs, especially those who have no restaurant experience. Eventually, Kevin Caswell of Bank of Sunset, Jeff Benton, at Source Capitol, and Jerry Prejean of IberiaBank, assisted Michele in obtaining the needed funding.

Tsunami took off. The three “P’s,” People, Product, and Process, were the focus. Its menu focuses on fresh seafood and diverse dishes with a Japanese and Eastern flare.

The first location of Tsunami opened in downtown Lafayette on Jefferson Street in 2000, with the second location in downtown Baton Rouge overlooking the Mississippi River in 2004, and the New Orleans location opened in the Pan American Center Life Center on Poydras Street in March 2017.

Tsunami is going strong after 20 years in Lafayette  Families and friends have flocked there for special occasions in its first generation of existence, and odds are, will continue to do so for many generations.

This interview is delightful,

Better Options Initiative ("BOI") focuses on making our region a better place for children, preventing parental alienation, and helping adults focus on effective parenting skills when their families are living in conflict.

Formed in late 2015, BOI has a mission to mitigate the rate and magnitude of high conflict divorce and the consequential lasting negative effects on children. BOI works with the legal community, mental health professionals, and clergy to provide research-based alternatives to divorcing parents in an effort to disrupt the transgenerational problems associated with high-conflict divorce within the Acadiana area.

In other words, BOI gets people to talk about the heart of what is important: providing safe and loving spaces for our most vulnerable, our children, who need a loving hand as they navigate through their childhood and young adulthood.

This episode features Dr. Luke Elliott and Dr. Eric Green who discuss the genesis of BOI and the empirical data which conclusively shows that children need stable and loving parenting in order to thrive in their own relationships, work and life as they mature.

Children from divorced homes have more problems than children from intact families. This data is most easily obtainable when you can track divorces through the public records. However, BOI quickly realized that with an ever increasing number of people who never marry, the odds are that familial problems are more intense and more frequent in unmarried households because the families don't have the societal structure and support of a traditional marriage to work within. To benefit from the most effective upbringing, children need two parents, no matter whether the parents are man and woman, or two partners committed to their wellbeing.

Most interestingly, BOI found that divorce is not the underlying cause of the most harm to a child: if parents divorce amicably and maintain a good relationship as they raise their children, their offspring will thrive. But if the parents fight and stay married, more harm can be caused.

Divorce is a process, the fights and arguments start at least two years before there is a separation. Then the legal delays of filing, continuances, attorneys, and a myriad of court dates about who gets to keep the child can be a six-year process. When the adults are tied up in their own survival and battle, they don't have the time or energy to devote to their children.

Judges and Family Court Advocates have names for the adults who are in and out of the court system fighting over their community property and child custody: frequent fliers. 20% of the people in court represent over 80% of the time spent by judicial resources in dealing with family feuds.

And that's where the harm comes to children caught up in their parents' fights. BOI reminds people that they brought their child into the world, and their child loves them and needs love and tender support.

BOI is working to change the community mindset about what is acceptable in our society when it comes to raising children. Just as societal norms have changed about the dangers of smoking and drinking while pregnant, societal norms can also change about the treatment of children by adults who have split or in turmoil.

Dr. Green listed a few things to look for as you visit with friends or family and wonder if their children might be adversely impacted by a parental split:

Denigrating the other parent in front of the child.

Withholding gifts or messages from the other parent.

Shutting off contact with the spouse/partner's extended family.

Asking the child to spy on the other parent for evidence to use against them or in a court hearing as evidence.

This is part one of two episodes on the important work of Better Options Initiative.

Marc Mouton of the Insurance Resource Group offers an experienced take on the many ways people can purchase insurance in a cost-effective way. With the price of insurance rising, along with the mandates of the Affordable Care Act, it is a challenge for businesses and individuals to stay afloat and keep their families covered.

While just a few years ago you could purchase health insurance for your family for approximately $400 - 600 per month, costs have risen dramatically. Marc cited a recent example of a 56-year-old man with a 55-year-old wife and three children, who needed an individual plan. For a policy with a $4,500 deductible, no co-pay for doctor visits, and no prescription drug plan....which is basically a barebone catastrophic plan, the quote was $2,265 per month. Marc explained that if the couple formed an LLC (limited liability company), naming themselves as the managers, they could qualify as a legal entity and then obtain the same health insurance for $1,400 per month. People are taking steps to afford health insurance in ways that were unheard of just 3 to 4 years ago as the cost of health insurance is creating an economic depression within the middle classes.

Paying cash for medical procedures also opens up the opportunity to save money. This interview is eye-opening for those of us who are independent contractors caught up in the conundrum of covering our healthcare expenses. Consumers are poor negotiators when it comes to healthcare. We'll haggle over the cost of a car or a mobile device at Best Buy, but not for our own health procedures.

Special thanks to James Hebert of KRVS for taping this interview. We're grateful for their support.

Healthcare in Louisiana is always front and center in the news. Now that medical marijuana is legal and will be available in 10 dispensaries throughout the state, it’s the perfect time to visit with State Senator Fred Mills, the driving force behind the legalization of the medical use of cannabis with a doctor’s “recommendation.”

Senator Mills is a dedicated public servant who has represented District 22 covering portions of Lafayette, St. Martin, St. Landry and Vermilion parishes since 2011. Prior to that he represented District 46 of the House of Representatives and served as a member of the St. Martin Parish Council.

Mills serves as Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee along with numerous other committee assignments. He is President and CEO of Farmers Merchants Bank & Trust. A licensed pharmacist, he is the owner of Cashway Pharmacy in Parks, and is well-known for his humorous pharmacy ads depicting the infamous “Taunte Pills.” He is known for taking on tough issues at the legislature as well as for his generous and kind spirit.

Medical marijuana has an interesting history. It was first technically legalized in Louisiana in 1978, and again in 1991, authorizing treatment for glaucoma, chemotherapy side effects, and spastic quadriplegia, but rules were never implemented by the Department of Health and Hospitals on how to cultivate and dispense it. The law allowed a doctor to prescribe it, but there was no place to legally fill the prescription.

As Executive Director of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacists in the late 1990’s, Mills became interested in the topic as he began to receive many calls about medical marijuana. The issue was tricky: If people could get their hands on it, it was “legal,” but there was no regulated framework for cultivating, distributing and dispensing the product. Patients clamoring for this highly effective method of relieving pain and symptoms were out of luck in Louisiana.

As a state senator, Mills once again began hearing from people statewide about the need for legalizing medical marijuana; and in 2014, the political climate nationwide was becoming more accepting of legalization for medicinal purposes.

With persistence, Sen. Mills was finally able to gain passage of legislation legalizing medical marijuana with the passage of Act 261 in 2015. The legislature selected the agriculture centers at LSU and Southern University to be the only legal growers in the state. Both schools have entered into contracts with private companies to ensure compliance with government-mandated production standards. One plant can generate 120 doses of oil for delivery to patients. Grown in a pod type of sterile environment, the marijuana will be tested by our State Department of Agriculture and should be available in November 2018. After 40 years of anticipation, medical marijuana will finally be available.

Only ten dispensaries are authorized to operate throughout the state, a compromise reached so that state law enforcement can adequately monitor the product. Under the law, a licensed physician will “recommend” the marijuana so that the patient can use it for management of symptoms.

While there is a celebration about the advent of legal medical marijuana, concerns still exist as Marijuana is listed as a Schedule 1 drug which is illegal under federal law. Mills explained the irony is that the federal government has its own patent on marijuana. Schedule 1 is the “worst” type of listing as this is the same category as heroin which has no medicinal purpose. It is not anticipated, however, that there will be any federal prosecutions of persons utilizing the drug for chronic conditions. Other complications from medical marijuana use may arise when a patient may test positive in a work-related drug test. Mill surmised that employers will probably handle this issue on a case by case basis taking ...

If you ask Red Lerille about the best methods for staying in shape and in good health, you will hear one answer, over and over: Work out with weights!

He knows what he's talking about; Red Lerille has been in the health club business since the early 1960's. Selected as Mr. America in 1960, prior to that, Red was the recipient of numerous other fitness awards which led to his dream of owning his own health club. He has dedicated his life to helping others achieve fitness in an iconic health club that makes changes every month. He's the epitome of health and has proven that aging can be slowed down, accidents can be overcome, and life is better when you work out with weights and take care of your body.

Red Lerille was inspired to lift weights when he was in 7th grade.  His school teacher had been a submarine sailor who worked out with weights. Red became a friend of the family, and this teacher’s inspiration inspired him to join the Navy, go to submarine school, and to pursue weight competitions.

Red's first competition took place when he was 14, in the Mr. New Orleans contest. At that competition, Red befriended Mike Stansbury from Lafayette whose friendship served as the catalyst for leading him to move to Lafayette when they crossed paths a few years later as Red's service in the Navy was winding down.

Red believes in envisioning the accomplishment of his goals. This started for him at the age of 7 when he put up pictures of Mr. America on his bedroom wall. He told everyone that came to his house that he would be Mr. America one day. Red says it best, "Everything I’ve ever wanted in life, I put a picture on the wall and dared it not to show up!" This tool hasn't failed him, ever.

On January 13, 1963, Red opened his first fitness club on Johnston St, where Dwight’s is currently located. In 1965 the club moved to its current location on Doucet Road and has been growing ever since. With a goal to make an improvement each month, Red oversees daily operations of his dream club which is now the largest and best in the South with approximately 13 – 16,000 members. By investing in the community, the community invests in Red. Beginning his workday at 2:30 a.m. by opening the club, Red has created a place that is a true melting pot of our community.

Listening to Red's voice is better than reading this post! Please listen and check out his Health Club which is, hands down, the best health club in the South! Visit https://redlerilles.com/ for more information.

Our guest is Zach McMath, President of the Acadiana Food Hub and a native of Lafayette with a family history involved in the distribution of food. With a granddad who was a Tom's Peanut salesman back in 1952, and parents who started M & M Sales in 1972, Zach has a clear understanding on how to move food from Point A to Point B. He's also a ball of fire who is passionate in his zeal to help our community grow our unique food culture.

Zach is a man with a mission: a mission to create affordable opportunities and space for local food producers, caterers, and budding restauranteurs. Zach has worked tirelessly and expended his own resources to allow locals to sell their farm products and food wares while staying in compliance with the myriad of state and federal regulations governing the distribution of food products.

Commercial realtor Hammy Davis has served as an invaluable benefactor by providing the space at no charge and building the necessary infrastructure as Acadiana Food Hub builds its capacity and becomes sustainable. Hammy's monetary investment and belief in Zach McMath have given the Acadiana Food Hub its wings to serve small business people who will never meet the investor who quietly helped launch this endeavor to support local vendors.

Awareness of the difficulties a small producer can face in accessing food from local farmers, as well as getting wares on the market legally, developed several years back when Zach and his former wife created Evolve juice. While the company utilized local produce from organic farmers with a mission to bring the healthiest and freshest food juice to the Acadiana market, it quickly became obvious that identifying farmers, passing inspection, and setting up a storefront created huge hurdles for the small business owner.

McMath identified three separate components that are necessary to effectively assist farmers and entrepreneurs who need a low-cost solution to get their business off the ground: The Acadiana Food Hub, The Acadiana Incubator Kitchen, and the Acadiana Commissary Kitchen.

Acadiana Food Hub is a non-profit business providing warehouse space for the storage and distribution of goods produced locally. Think of a one-stop shop for local businesses looking to develop and sell a product, or farmers who need a place to store their harvest to be ready for quick sale. WaitR has partnered with the Food Hub and you can order online to receive a shipment every Wednesday afternoon. The McMath Group will broker food sales and facilitate business relationships between food makers and food buyers (e.g. restaurants, grocers, food delivery services), as well guide the client to find affordable web developers and business

Acadiana Incubator Kitchen is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved space for artisans, who can rent the space as needed, to develop their products to sell in wholesale markets and retail businesses. Many vendors became painfully aware when Whole Foods opened that their goods could not be sold because they were being produced from the home kitchen; the law provides that a separate, professional kitchen which meets all state and federal guidelines be utilized when selling at retail. The Incubator Kitchen rents out space to facilitate the development of products by providing commercial kitchen equipment. Zach also assists the vendor in developing barcodes, labeling of the product, and other necessary steps to get the product on the shelf of grocery stores and markets.

The Acadiana Commissary Kitchen is a separate commercial kitchen space for the region's food retail food producers, such as caterers, food trucks, and virtual restaurants, who need secure & certified space to run their business, and is the only one of its type in Louisiana that serves retail clients. Zach has prepared a tenant punch list which outlines all of the legal steps that need to be taken to se...

It's been almost ten years since LUS Fiber began rolling out what is known as the "4th Utility -Fiber to the Home (FTTH)," which gave Lafayette residents access to the gold standard of internet connectivity: high-speed fiber optic internet service. In this episode of Discover Lafayette,  Terry Huval, recently retired Director of Lafayette Utilities System, outlines the history of how the City of Lafayette invested in its future by creating Louisiana's first community-owned broadband system, LUS Fiber.

The City of Lafayette and its leaders have a strong history of stepping up to provide great technological services to its residents. In fact, Lafayette Utilities Systems was proposed by city leaders after the world watched in awe as the 1893 Chicago’s World Fair was lit up by electricity; the desire for pressurized water, as well as the ability to light its towns and streets, drove the public to demand its own electrical system.

By 1897, Lafayette Utilities System was operational with the opening of its Grant Street plant. The ability to offer electricity placed Lafayette in the lead position to be selected as the site for the Southwest Louisiana Industrial Institute (now UL - Lafayette) which opened its doors in 1901, and set Lafayette apart from neighboring cities as electricity attracted commerce, opportunity and growth.

Jumping forward a century, Terry Huval had been with LUS for 10 years when Joey Durel was elected mayor and took office in 2004.  Terry seized upon the opportunity to pitch the idea of a community-owned broadband network to bring fiber directly to the homes of Lafayette residents.  An existing fiber ring around Lafayette had already been built in 1998 to support communication between LUS's electric substations, and by 2000, LUS worked with LEDA and the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce to establish a wholesale and governmental retail network.

Businesses needing high-speed connectivity were clamoring for access to this fiber optic broadband capability to be able to stay in Lafayette and still communicate effectively with clients around the U. S. and the globe. The large, private telecommunication providers servicing Lafayette had repeatedly declined the city's offer to utilize LUS's existing fiber ring for their customers, nor to invest in upgrades to provide Fiber to the Home which was deemed cost-prohibitive given the size of this market.

Durel was hesitant to see government compete with private business in the telecommunications sector, but agreed to do a feasibility study and move forward until a roadblock may prove too great to overcome. That day never came even though many hurdles had to be faced and, as they say, the rest is history.

The Lafayette City-Parish Council approved a plan to request up to $125 million in funds to be financed through bonds, and the project went to the voters for approval. Non-partisan groups such as Lafayette Yes! and Lafayette Coming Together campaigned enthusiastically to support the project in the face of intense opposition from existing telecommunication providers. In July 2005, the voters of the City of Lafayette approved the plan for LUS to move forward to borrow money by issuing bonds to pay for the FTTH project by a 62 to 38% margin.  A lawsuit to stop the FTTH initiative by LUS was filed in 2006 and the Supreme Court eventually ruled in February 2007 that LUS could sell bonds to finance the fiber initiative. By February 2009, the first residents were offered cable, telephone and internet service.

Stay tuned for the second part of this interview, in which details of the arduous path to building LUS Fiber's broadband service is explained in more detail by Immediate Past Parish President Joey Durel and City-Parish Attorney Pat Ottinger, and current Parish President Joel Robideaux.

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One encounter with Judi Terzotis, President of The Advocate, is all it takes to discern her love of journalism. Typically, journalists report on other people's stories, but we flip the roles as we listen to Judi Terzotis, wife of Bob, mom of Capt. Trey McMinn and stepmom of John and Sarah, share her story on this podcast episode of Discover Lafayette.

Terzotis oversees the daily operation of The Advocate's three newspapers in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Acadiana, plus 11 weeklies. Owned by John and Dathel Georges, their vision is to preserve The Advocate's well-established and respected Louisiana brand while maintaining traditional journalistic values, both in print and online.

Growing up an "Army brat," Judi attended 11 schools before graduating from high school. A University of Tennessee graduate, she had the opportunity to intern with the iconic Lady Vols Basketball Coach Pat Head Summitt. This experience allowed her to witness a great mentor in action and instilled the understanding that the human side of work can partner with high expectations. Judi started in the newspaper industry early with a small Tennessee newspaper and moved up the ranks quickly, having spent 25 years with Gannett before joining The Advocate in February 2018.

With 104 journalists across three markets, The Advocate is the largest news organization in Louisiana, Bolstered by John Georges' long-term commitment to elevate community journalism, Judi expressed that Georges leads with his heart and wants to do the right thing for employees and the community. This strategy has paid off for The Advocate as it has grown its print circulation year after year since being purchased by the Georges five years ago, which is an anomaly in today's media market.

Sharing interesting statistics about their audience, 43% of The Advocate's readership consists of Baby Boomers who prefer to read print newspapers. Even with the growing Millennial market and its preference for digital access to news, however, Georges is committed to maintaining print publications of their three newspapers.

Staying on top of trends in the constantly evolving media market, The Advocate has 3.3 million unique visitors per month, and depending on the sports season, up 17 to 20 million monthly page views. These numbers translated to an Alexa U. S. website ranking of 519 on the day of our interview. This high volume of website traffic, coupled with precise targeting of demographics and other analytical data, allows the newspaper to assist advertisers in reaching their desired audience and get the best return on their advertising investment.

Acadiana Business, the new business-centric newsletter, rolled out on September 4, 2018, and fills the void in business reporting the community has been clamoring for. Each Monday through Friday, at 10 a.m., Acadiana Business is distributed via email at no charge and you can sign up online at www.theadvocate.com. The content is also available online at the Acadiana Advocate and in Sunday’s Acadiana Advocate business section.

Adam Daigle is the new Business Editor in Acadiana and Dan Boudreaux is a full-time writer as well.  Reporter Ben Myers will remain along with Leslie Westbrook, photographer, and free-lancers who will contribute to the endeavor. Discover Lafayette is proud to be a partner in this endeavor.

Reporting is a team effort, and Judi loves empowering her talented staff as they pitch ideas and explore direction on their stories. Advice to anyone wanting to get into journalism? Intern and immerse yourself in media and/or advertising organizations. Interning pays incredible dividends to those investing in their career of choice.

Judi anticipates the expanded use of video in the next couple of years as a growing trend in how news is distributed. It is possible that 80% of what you will see online by 2020 will be stor...

Mitzi Heath, Co-Artistic Director of the Lafayette Ballet Theatre, provides a delightful take on why she has the most wonderful job in the world.  On this episode of Discover Lafayette, Mitzi speaks about the theater and its conservatory, as well as upcoming tryouts for the 2018 annual Nutcracker Ballet performance to be held December 8-9, 2018 at the Heymann Center.

Lafayette Ballet Theatre (LBT) was founded in 1982, filling the need for a classical ballet company in our community. Its official school, Dance Conservatory, was established the previous year and supplies 90 percent of the company's dancers.

Lafayette Ballet Theater is run by sisters Shannon and Mitzi Heath, both of whom were professional dancers. Their mother, Patty Heath, designs and creates the costumes: with tutus running up to $5,000 each, any talented young dancer has access to the appropriate costume no matter their financial situation. Committed to their craft, the Heaths pour their hearts, souls, and talents into LBT in order to sustain opportunities for classical ballet training and performances in our area. A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, funding for LBT is generated through community financial support, grants, and tuition from the Dance Conservatory.

If you've never seen a live performance of the Nutcracker Ballet, please add this to your bucket list of life's beautiful experiences. Guest artists from the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the entire dance community present this classical ballet in two acts, based on the story of E. T. A. Hoffmann's "Nutcracker and the King of Mice" with original music of Peter Tchaikovsky. More than just dance, the Nutcracker is a tradition for many families who view this as the start of the holiday season.

Mitzi explained that with over 150 young dancers needed for this year's Nutcracker Ballet, they are reaching out to invite all area dancers who are at least 8 years old, have completed one full year of ballet study, and be currently enrolled in an established dance program.

Auditions take place Sept. 8-9 for two performances of the full-length classical ballet, “The Nutcracker.”  Sept. 8 auditions are for advanced to professional dancers, ages 15 through adult. Sept. 9 auditions are for dancers ages 8 through 14. Auditions are scheduled to take place at Lafayette Ballet Theatre, 201 Petroleum Drive, Lafayette LA. The cost is $35 to audition, and performers selected will incur a $300 charge which covers their costumes and all related expenses for the performance.

Through the support of the community, LBT has sustained its place as Acadiana's professional ballet company, offering 28-week contracted positions to local artists, and a long-term student scholarship program.

LBT currently maintains an extensive complimentary ticket program, providing underprivileged children and adults, A Night at the Ballet, as well as supporting all of its educational programs that reach over 2500 children annually in schools and at the theater.

LBT students have gained acceptance into the School of American Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet and many more. Mitzi shared that the ideal age for an aspiring ballet dancer is age 8, and training takes about 12 years for a serious student. Similar to a ball player, ballet is an athletic endeavor and not for the undisciplined!

For more information, visit http://lafayetteballettheatre.org

Discover Lafayette is grateful to its sponsors of this podcast: Rader Solutions and LUS Fiber!

Rep. Julie Stokes, Republican State Legislator from Kenner and candidate for Louisiana Secretary of State, is a force to be reckoned with. On a recent visit to Lafayette where she was speaking to the annual convention of the Louisiana Clerks of Court Association, we had a chance to catch up and talk about the 2018 race for Secretary of State.

A Certified Public Accountant, Julie was the first in her family to graduate from college having attended UNO on a scholarship. Elected in 2013 to represent District 79 in the Louisiana House of Representatives, she jumped right in and assumed various leadership positions at the state and national level.

She serves on the executive committee of the National Conference of State Legislators and is on a first-name basis with analysts at the Tax Foundation, the nation’s leading independent tax policy research center. She chairs the Sales Tax Streamlining & Modernization Commission, which seeks to reform Louisiana’s sales tax system.

She was recognized nationally as one of a handful of state "Tax Legislators of the Year" by State Tax Notes for her work on sales tax reform.

Stokes is the vice chair of the Legislative Audit Advisory Committee and serves on the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. She also serves on the House Executive Committee, Ways & Means, Health & Welfare, and Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay. She has been recognized one of the most knowledgeable Louisiana legislators in the field of Louisiana’s fiscal environment.

Julie withdrew her candidacy from the 2017  State treasurer's race, where she was thought to be the frontrunner after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. In January 2018, after aggressive treatments, Julie was able to announce that she was cancer free. She has moved forward, continues to serve in our State Legislature, and is an active, healthy and viable candidate for the open Secretary of State position.

During the interview, I asked if Julie had advice for women candidates for elected office. She stated, "Fight for what you believe in and fight for yourself, because honestly, if you have deeply held beliefs and conviction about something and you want to change the world, then you've got to advocate for yourself. Because the only way to get into a position where you can change the world is to do that." She further stated, 'If you want to change the world as an elected official, you have to raise money, which is super awkward when you're told your whole childhood by your mom to never show up at anybody's house unannounced and never ask anybody for money every day. And that's exactly the name of the game! But you know it is very important."

Julie Stokes loves Louisiana. As we talked about how Louisiana should be first on the list for quality of life, business, etc., she stated, "We have too many assets. We have too many resources and we're abundant in culture and music, and rivers and ports. We're the gateway to the Americas. We've got so much going on." How true, and let's own that assessment as we move forward and move Louisiana forward!

www.votejuliestokes.com is the site to visit for more information on Rep. Julie Stokes' run for Secretary of State.