Everyone in New Orleans has a Katrina story—loud or quiet, cracked around the edges or full of resilience—and when we share them, we begin to heal. Storytelling isn’t just remembering the past, it’s how we see each other, know we matter, and find the courage to move forward together.

Silence lets the wounds fester, while story brings them into the light where healing has a chance. Sometimes the most sacred act isn’t speaking…it’s listening so deeply that someone else’s story takes root in you.

I've found healing. I've found forgiveness, for my dad and for myself.

There's something powerful about the stories we inherit, especially those that were never written down or discussed in therapy.

Healing doesn't always come from pushing those stories away. Sometimes, healing begins when we actually face them.

A groundbreaking study from Princeton University revealed that when someone tells a story, and someone else listens attentively, their brains actually begin to sync up.

Stories are how we make sense of the chaos of life—and how we find each other in the middle of it. When we name them and share them, what once felt disjointed becomes the very thing that connects us.

So what does being curious about yourself actually look like? It could start with questions like....

So what does being curious about yourself actually look like? It could start with questions like....

Curiosity is often the first step toward love.

What if curiosity isn't a threat to faith but the very thing that makes it deeper, richer, and more alive?

But where does this saying come from, and does curiosity deserve such a bad reputation?

Curiosity is the secret sauce that inspires innovation and creates change, not just on a large-scale societal change but on the smallest of scales...ourselves.

Can curiosity actually heal the division in our society?

We've been unpacking how curiosity creates connection—how a simple question can open doors to understanding and invite us into each other's lives in meaningful ways.

With the start of the New Year, I (like many folks) have been thinking about and starting to make (and hopefully sustaining) changes in our lives that will improve them physically, mentally, or spiritually.

Being "for" someone starts with listening, which flows into loving, and culminates in a relationship built on mutual support and trust.

Over the past year, we’ve begun to answer those questions by developing relationships with the folks of New Orleans. At the heart of every thriving relationship is a simple yet profound truth: being “for” one another. 

When Just Love - Greater New Orleans began in January 2024, we knew we wanted to love our neighbors holistically—body, mind, and soul.  The big question is where do we begin?  And with who?  And how?

Well...it's been quite the year!!!