Although New Orleans is usually what people think of when they think of Louisiana, the rural south-central part of the state has a culture and a character all its own. I grew up in St. Martin Parish, between the Atchafalaya and the Bayou Teche, and in 2021 I returned there. St. Martin Parish was settled in the 1700s by settlers from France and Acadia, and this history is evident today in the large concentration of French-speakers in the parish, including my parents and grandparents, who all grew up speaking French. Enslaved persons, primarily from West Africa, also contributed greatly to the language, cuisine and traditions of the parish from its very beginning. The unique blend of these lineages—European, African and Indigenous—created the rich culture of the parish.

By developing relationships with St. Martin Parish Tourism, St. Martinville Cultural Heritage Center (which includes the African-American Museum and the Museum of the Acadian Memorial), St. Martinville Garden Club, St. Martinville Chamber of Commerce, Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, Duchamp Opera House and St. Martin Parish Libraries, I’m building a network dedicated to preserving, promoting and celebrating the language, music, literature and cuisine of St. Martin Parish.