Play examines voting in 1966 Selma; Lafayette opens center to divert youth from prison system
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Destructive hurricanes have affected millions of Americans this season and forced many to evacuate. But the costs of evacuating are getting more expensive. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Stephan Bisaha speaks with one New Orleans family who chose to leave and tracked the cost.
Perhaps you’ve seen the movie, “Selma” which tells the story of how civil rights activists came together to fight for voting rights with a march on Alabama’s Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965. But you might not know about what happened one year later, when African Americans in the state were granted equal voting rights.
“Bridge the Distance” is a new one-act play that tells the story of Selma in 1966, looking at Black voters casting their ballots for the very first time. Writer Clarence Holmes Jr. and actor Lance Nichols tell us more about this play, and an upcoming staged reading at Dillard University.
The Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice recently opened a new center in Lafayette aiming to divert youth in Acadiana away from jail. The Louisiana Multi-Agency Resource Center, known as LaMarc, will offer services designed to help families and young first-time offenders stay away from run-ins with the law.
Program Manager Desiree Hebert joins us for more about this initiative and the effectiveness of similar programs throughout the state.
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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman, Adam Vos and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell.
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