Six days after the 2025 New Orleans Mayoral election, we sat down with Gregory Swafford, co-founder of the Culture of Cleanliness, and our hosts Jessica, Deniseea, and Ryan to talk straight about what really moves New Orleans forward: informed civic engagement and community action. We unpack our takeaways from the election, like low voter turnout, the locals vs. transplants dynamic, and how influencer culture can spread both information and misinformation. Gregory shares why neighborhood pride starts on your own block, what it takes to curb illegal dumping, and how resident-led cleanups can shift the tone at City Hall.
We also get into the bigger vision—voter education that meets people where they are, clear roles for council members vs. communities, and bold ideas like leveraging our waterways and reimagining services in New Orleans East.
Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
3:20 Much Needed Election Week Debrief
8:45 Local vs. Transplant Influencers
14:10 Voter Education and Misinformation
21:55 What Should We Expect From Our Elected Officials
30:40 Innovation in New Orleans East
39:50 What's Next for New Orleans
Don’t Water it Down (DWID) is a live and pre-recorded video podcast hosted by four black voices, primarily from New Orleans, decoding climate jargon, over curated cocktails. These unique hosts bring their distinct perspectives and experiences to the table, discussing complex and challenging topics in an authentic and transparent manner. They use storytelling and knowledge sharing to build connections, rooting each episode in New Orleans but grounding it in the local community, art, culture, and libations.
Check out our first season – www.youtube.com/@nolawater
Follow Don't Water It Down
Youtube: www.youtube.com/@DontWaterItDown
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dontwateritdown
Website: https://nolawater.org/
Follow our hosts on Instagram
Jessica @Queenofwata
Deniseea @chickenandchampagne
Ryan @mynameisphlegm
Nesby @Nesbyphips
