Blog Monthly Updates from Louisiana's First Lady

  Nancy Smitherman Owner, Nancy Smitherman Art Nancy SmithermanOwner, Nancy Smitherman Art Studio 9170, a community art space, has blossomed into a thriving common ground for a group of artists. The group consists of retired art teachers, grandmothers, former corporate executives and professional artists. The studio is open by appointment and on the first Tuesday […]

  Kristen D. Bruce, M.Ed. Louisiana State Teacher of the Year Finalist The Path of Passion: From teacher to educator to advocateKristen D. Bruce, M.Ed. When I first started teaching, I was 23 years old, fresh out of college, expecting my first child, and completely clueless as to what it meant to be an educator. […]

Women’s Health WOMEN’S HEALTH BLOGJuly 2019 Words from Kimiyo Harris Williams, M.D. From the lens of a wife, mother, friend, physician, and advocate, the current state of women’s health in Louisiana is an urgent matter. One health concern that is strikingly alarming is the increased rate of maternal mortality. During the period of 2011-2016, the […]

  NOCHI New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute About The South is celebrated the world over for its hospitality. Here in Louisiana, we have hospitality down to a fine art form. From the crawfish boils of springtime to the deep gumbo pots of football season, we’re always finding a way to gather together and welcome […]

  Louisiana WomenVeterans Day Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Louisiana Women Veterans Day   “A strong woman understands that the gifts such as logic, decisiveness, and strength are just as feminine as intuition and emotional connection. She values and uses all of her gifts.” —Nancy Rathburn   BATON ROUGE – On June 19, 2019, Louisiana’s […]

  Lisa Rowell’s Julianna Grace Ministry and Cradle Me Campaign Lisa Rowell Julianna Grace Ministry and the Cradle Me Campaign   Lisa Rowell has become the face of hope, comfort, and encouragement in the child loss community.  She founded the Julianna Grace Ministry and the Cradle Me Campaign. The Julianna Grace Ministry provides grieving baskets to mothers […]

ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING Words from Dawn Buquet Forensic Interviewer/InvestigatorTerrebonne Children’s Advocacy Center   I love the sun. I mean, I LOVE it. Basking in warm rays of light in my backyard, at the pool, on the beach – it just does wonders for my soul. Sunlight lifts my spirits, eases my depression, warms my bones! Call […]

Royal Family Kids Camp Royal Family KIDS is a 501(c)3 charity that provides free summer camps and a comprehensive, school year Clubs and Mentors program for children in foster care.   Royal Family Kids Camp Royal Family KIDS is a 501(c)3 charity that provides free summer camps and a comprehensive, school year Clubs and Mentors […]

Teach MAM   Teach MAM: An Exciting Partnership to Strengthen Arts Education Across Louisiana Thibodaux High School Fighting Tiger BandAwards Received in 2019-2020 School Year   The First Lady visited Thibodaux High School in April of 2019. While she was there, the Thibodaux High School Fighting Tiger Marching Band, under the direction of band director […]