A Place Called Desire

the forgotten community

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Louisiana Heritage Media Award

Louisiana Heritage Media Award – “A Place Called Desire” Leonard Smith III

  • Recognizing outstanding works published or produced within the last two years (journalism, films, books, websites or other media) on Louisiana historic preservation themes, topics, issues, projects or local history and architecture.

Filmmaker Leonard Smith III’s documentary film highlights and shares the stories of the New Orleans Lower 9th Ward Desire community. He recreates the historical memory of a community and documents the legacy of pride by those who lived in this post-World War II development. Smith enables the viewer to look beyond unfair stereotypes and see the thriving, loving community of Desire’s public housing community.

The Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation recognizes 11 new award recipients for their impact on historic places, build pride and foster engagement in their communities. Awardees have been nominated by the public and selected based on

  • Significance and magnitude of the nominee’s contributions and/or achievements.
  • Consistent or innovative involvement with and commitment to culture.
  • Benefit of the nominee’s contributions to Louisiana’s cultural understanding.

 

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Private Screening Panel Discussion

Lenett Films Production and LS3 Studios presented a private screening at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. A Place Called Desire is a documentary feature film telling the powerful story of an often forgotten community in the upper 9th Ward in New Orleans. It has been in the making for 12 years, offers many unforgettable history lessons applicable to American history, Louisiana history, African American history, urban history, racial history, studies of neighborhoods, studies of survival, and memorable stories of love and community. Somehow the filmmaker shares hard truths with a gentle touch.

We held the following panel discussion after the viewing.

Bernice Bennett: And so that’s my community, and I never thought that this was there was negative anything negative about growing up in the Ninth Ward. I just was excited to see my mother and to hear her say things that we all laughed at because she often talked about how she almost talked herself out of a home. She wanted to stay uptown. But just to see everyone in this documentary share their experiences brought back wonderful, warm memories.

Rev. Daniel Perkins: I was well pleased with the first of all, the quality of the documentary and the putting together. It was really good. I just wish it could be shown more and in more places. And I was hoping that George Carraby and Johnny would all be the guy that was in the documentary. I’m from the Desire. I think we moved into Desire and still building it. We were halfway through. We moved in the center of the project that was still building the back part of it. And I think I love Desire so much that if somebody would cut me, some of the ghetto may start bleeding out, but I would never exchange my upbringing for nothing in this world. In fact, I traveled all over this country and everywhere I go, people recognize our accent. They try to figure out where they come from. And the first thing they want to know, where are you from? And my response to them is always the same. I’m from Desire, Louisiana.

Kirk Stevens: And I’m very, very happy to have been a part of this, and I just want to give a big shout out to Leonard for put this together.

Private Screening- Panel Discussion video by Tiffany S. Williams on Vimeo.

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The STORY Behind The STANDOFF

September 15, 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the shootout between the Black Panthers and the New Orleans Police Department. The STORY Behind The STANDOFF was revisited by WWLTV Charisse Gibson and Adam Copus.

To read more of the story click here:  50 years ago the Black Panthers and New Orleans police had a major standoff in Desire