The Consulate General of France in Louisiana is relaunching its debate series “The 2406 Dialogues” with “Shaping the Crescent: A Panel on Urban Mutations in New Orleans.”Join them on Thursday, February 25 at 5:30 p.m. CST via Zoom for the next edition of The 2406 Dialogues.
“Shaping the Crescent” will take a step back to evaluate the changing face of the City of New Orleans with three leading voices from the private, public, and academic sectors; Brenda Breaux, Dr. Carol Reese, and Jonathan Tate.
Executive Director for the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority (NORA) since 2016, Brenda Breaux is responsible for providing strategic leadership, stability, and growth opportunities for the Authority and the New Orleans community. Prior to this role, Ms. Breaux served diligently as the Chief Operating Officer of NORA for four years where she was responsible for overseeing and managing Human Resources, Land Management, Land Stewardship, Real Estate Development, and the day-to-day operations of the Authority. In this position, Brenda Breaux also directed legal strategies and participated in dispute resolution. Among her previous experiences, she also served as Senior Chief Deputy City Attorney for the City of New Orleans and the Deputy Executive Director for the Housing Authority of New Orleans. Ms. Breaux earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Spelman College and her JD from Loyola University College of Law in New Orleans.
Carol McMichael Reese is an art historian who teaches in the schools of Architecture and Liberal Arts at Tulane University, where she offers courses on architectural and urban history and theory. Dr. Reese currently serves as Program Director for the interdisciplinary City, Culture, and Community (CCC) Ph.D. program, preparing students for advanced degrees in three tracks: CCC Sociology, CCC Social Work, and CCC Urban Studies. Dr. Reese has been actively involved in the New Orleans community and has focused part of her research on “Jim Crow Urbanism”. She has assisted in the rebuilding of the decimated “Pontilly” neighborhood since Katrina and founded the Project New Orleans in 2006 with co-organizers Michael Sorkin and Anthony Fontenot. In 2014, Verso (New York and London) published their co-edited book New Orleans Under Reconstruction, the Crisis of Planning. Dr. Reese received her Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University, her Master of Arts in Art History, and her Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Jonathan Tate is the principal of OJT (Office of Jonathan Tate), an architecture and urban design practice in New Orleans. OJT has been widely recognized for its Starter Home* development agenda, and Wetland Urbanism, a research and publication project that was exhibited at the 14th International Architecture Biennale in Venice. Jonathan Tate, and the practice, have been recognized as part of the 2017 Emerging Voices by the Architectural League of New York, a Next Progressive by Architect Magazine, and a 2018 finalist for the international Architecture Review Emerging Architect Award. They have received numerous awards for their work, including a 2018 National AIA Housing Award and a 2019 National AIA Honor Award. Jonathan Tate received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from Auburn University and completed his graduate studies at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, with a Master in Design Studies degree in Housing and Urbanization.
After the premiere of “Shaping the Crescent,” future iterations of the series will be held on Zoom until further notice. Our goal is to open our diplomatic and consular mission with the general public and foster a discussion on current events and issues. While we may raise more questions than answers, we are called to reflect on the actions that we can take surrounding the key issues that concern us all.
