NEW ORLEANS–2020 started like every other year here with a successful Mardi Gras, but little did we know that in addition to beads and king cakes on the streets of our city, a virus was lurking and was the start of the coronavirus pandemic in our state.

From there things got worse as the virus spread and ultimately sickened thousands and killed over 7,000 people statewide.

As a result, the restrictions put in place shuttered schools, closed businesses, and devastated the economy across the world and certainly in our region.

In a normal year, 13 hurricanes is an extremely busy year, but a record 5 named storms hit the state in 2020. The most powerful, Hurricane Laura tore through Cameron Parish and Hurrican Zeta landed on the New Orleans area, leaving in it’s wake widespread wind damage and power outages.

Just as the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor sparked protests and calls for social justice around the globe, so too did these events spurn change in our city. One of the results of the conversation is street renaming happening in New Orleans.

Some say that the election of new District Attorney Jason Williams is also a result of the social change movement. Williams takes of the office long occupied by Leon Cannizaro.

Williams campaigned on a social justice and reform platform and joins a wave of others from around the country being called progressive DA’s.