On May 16, 2020 we lost our founder and our guiding light, Linda Jackson.

 

In the words of neighborhood activist Happy Johnson,

 

“Linda embodied a steadfast and selfless warrior spirit.”

 

Linda founded the Lower 9th Ward Homeownership Association barely 6 months after the levees failed. Fourteen years later, she was still fighting to rebuild her beloved neighborhood. A week before she died, she was at a Board meeting by Zoom, excited about our plans to expand our work in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

 

In the years between, she had done almost everything in our neighborhood—case management for people applying for disaster recovery funds; Parliamentarian of the L9 Stakeholders Coalition; fighting the widening of the Industrial Canal; spearheading a study of Minority Health Disparities; and bringing volunteers to overgrown lots that needed their time and sweat. Perhaps most important, she didn’t stop fighting for a high school in the Lower 9th Ward until the day it opened, more than 10 years after Hurricane Katrina.

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The L9WHA Linda Jackson Good Neighbor Award

The purpose of the L9WHA Linda Jackson Good Neighbor Award is to embrace and reward the qualities of being a good neighbor.

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This award recognizes individuals who possess the qualities of dependability, service, and leadership in their homes and communities. This award also recognizes individuals who exercise neighborly qualities of volunteerism, leadership, and care in their communities. These neighbors are nominated by their community and selected by L9WHA staff because they demonstrate these characteristics.

 

• This award is only open to current homeowners or residents in the Lower 9th Ward.

• Only (9) awards will be issued per calendar year

• Awards will be presented online and issued in-person

• Nominees may not be current board members of the Lower 9th Ward Neighborhood Association, Lower 9th Ward Homeownership Association, or Holy Cross Neighborhood Association

• Only one homeowner per address may be honored as a L9WHA Linda Jackson Good Neighbor per year

• Nominees must be a current resident of the Lower 9th ward 

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2023 L9WHA Linda Jackson Good Neighbor Award Recipients:

Bill Edwards

Lindsay Edwards

Tribble Condor

Brandi Jean Charlot, Blucid

Dr. Kendall P. Parker, DDS

Linda A. B..Rhodes

Rosanna Seymour

Pastor Anthony J. Jeanmarie,III (MCJ, MSW)

Laura Paul, Lowernine.org

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This year's award was extended to include businesses and organizations who have served vital roles and support for Lower 9 homeowners and residents.

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The recipients will receive their award and a proclamation from the City of New Orleans at the 2023 Lower 9th Ward Festival. The ceremony time is at 12:00 pm (noon).

 

This award is presented by the Lower 9th Ward Homeownership Association (L9WHA) & Lower 9 Neighborhood Association (L9NA).