Support for Louisiana: The State We're In is provided by Entergy Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure to prepare for stronger storms, reduce outages and respond quicker when you do need us, because together we power life.

Additional support provided by the Fred B. and Ruth B. Zigler Foundation and the Zigler Art Museum located in Jennings City Hall.

The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is an historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.

With support from viewers The November election is just weeks away.

We'll break down big changes to Louisiana's absentee ballot process.

Meet Grambling State University's 11 month president, making history as the youngest president in the HBCU system.

And a new project teaches young people how to handle their finances while also putting cash in their pockets.

And a statewide program brings access to art for all in public spaces and places.

You ready?

Let's do it.

Let's do that in.

Hello everyone.

I'm Karen LeBlanc and I'm Dorothea Wilson.

Much more on those top stories in a moment.

On this week's edition of Louisiana, the state We're In.

But first, cleanup and recovery operations are still underway in Florida after Hurricane Milton caused devastation across parts of the state.

Take a look at this video showing a teenager floating on a piece of debris in floodwaters in the Tampa area.

Sheriff's deputies pulled him onto their boat and got him to safety.

Milton made landfall late Wednesday night as a category three storm, killing at least 16 people.

Strong winds tipped over a giant construction crane in Saint Petersburg, badly damaging a newspaper office.

It also tore the roof off of the Tropicana Field, which was set up to be an emergency shelter.

People across the Gulf have been on edge this hurricane season.

It seems like storms are developing and strengthening much more quickly.

Yes.

That's right.

Karen and Milton went from a tropical system to a category five storm in just a matter of hours.

Joining us now is Doctor Nan Walker from LSU Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences.

Thank you so much, Doctor Walker, for being with us today.

It's my pleasure.

Thanks for inviting me.

Absolutely.

Now, Doctor Nan, we're seeing storms strengthen very quickly and in some cases, jumping from a tropical depression to a category three or higher in less than 24 hours.

Now.

Is that just unique to this year or is this the new norm?

hopefully it's not a new normal.

I don't think it is.

It's, you know, there's abnormal temperatures in the Gulf, an abnormal amount of heat, not only at the surface, but extending down maybe 3000ft.

So you can imagine the hurricane can't even take all that heat in.

So we're seeing this rapid intensification.

It is unusual.

And it could, you know, keep going, but it's not going to be every year, I wouldn't say.

You know, we're also seeing a lot more hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico as opposed to the Atlanta.

What is going on there?

Yeah.

So that could be explained, by the fact that, El Nino in the Pacific Ocean, it's called the El Nino Southern Oscillation.

It it went from an El Nino, which is not conducive to hurricanes in the Gulf to a La Nina, which is conducive.

So it's the atmospheric circulation that all of a sudden, you know, became, favorable to intensification, as that's the easy answer, I think.

So, you know, the El Nino Southern Oscillation has a lot to do with, like, whether the atmosphere will allow the hurricane intensification in the Gulf.

But yeah.

2023 last summer, you'll see most of the hurricanes formed in the, you know, in the central Atlantic, North Atlantic and not in the Gulf.

It's a couple.

It's just the Gulf of Mexico is unlucky time, right?

This is not our best, best season for sure.

For sure.

Yeah.

Speaking of not the best season again.

So we saw that in most people typically think that you can move inland like maybe closer to the mountains to kind of get away from the effects of the hurricanes.

And we saw in the Carolinas that that wasn't the case this year.

So talk to us about that.

Is it safer inland or is it not.

Well that was another surprising shock.

You know all that rainfall moving so far inland.

That was I don't remember another hurricane doing exactly that.

It defied conventional wisdom.

Yeah exactly.

But the rain within the hurricane is coming out of the Gulf of Mexico.

Right?

If it has an abnormal amount of heat, it's going to pick up that moisture at a higher temperature, and there's going to be more rain in the system.

Well, thank you so much, Doctor Nan, for being here.

Your expertise is impeccable.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Oh.

No problem.

Now moving on.

Now we're just weeks away from the November 5th elections, and some new laws will change the way some Louisiana voters cast their ballots earlier this year.

State lawmakers passed several pieces of legislation dealing with mail in absentee voting.

Some advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit saying those changes will make it more challenging for people with disabilities and the elderly to vote.

Several new laws surrounding absentee voting were recently passed during this year's legislative session that will enforce stricter absentee rules during the upcoming November election and beyond.

Bill authors say it's a way to ensure election integrity.

This closes some loopholes in our current absentee ballot laws, and it's intended to limit the opportunity for ballot harvesting and ballot tampering by limiting the number of absentee ballots the nthat can be sent viallots the mail to the registrar of Voters to one per person, unless that person is an immediate family member.

This bill is part of the election paintegrity packagen from the Secretary of State.

The purposes of this legislation is to further strengthen our election security within Louisiana.

While others say the changes will negatively impact voters with disability, the elderly and those who are more apt to vote by mail.

it was unfortunate because these laws, what they do is, you know, I always say Louisiana is a state of helpers, right?

And when you limit the ability of helpers to help, then it basically, you know, it basically amounts to voter suppression and the inability of certain populations oto access their votes in their voice.

in all.

The law makes several changes.

One makes it illegal to print out an absentee ballot form for someone who didn't request it a second makes it illegal to help fill out mail or witness a ballot for more than one person for morewho isn't person an immediate family member, and another requires the recording of the name, address, and relationship to the voter and whether they were paid to assist with the ballot.

The final part addresses when the governor declares a state of emergency within 45 days of an election, it leaves it up to the Secretary of State to determine if mail in ballots are necessary for displaced citizens.

these series of laws, one limits who can witness a ballot, and the other law limits who can actually support someone in completing a ballot, to just one.

And so, like this idea that you can't help multiple folks and it's fascinating anin a, in a stateng with very low voter turnout that we would be engaging in voter suppression.

we actually worked with the legislature the prior year, and actually had a disability task force that worked with the Secretary of State's office to acknowledge some of the issues around the disabled community being able to access their vote certainly, that they need support and help, completing that ballot.

Elderly, elderly and disabled folks that live in rural areas, and have one person that comes to help them every day.

Like what?

You know, what are people supposed to do?

Advocacy group Disability Rights Louisiana filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of State's office, claiming the new set of laws are discriminatory to the elderly and disabled.

Attorney Andrew Buser agrees that the new laws are unconstitutional.

this is in direct violation of the Voting Rights Act.

It's very clear that this law, it goes against that federal civil rights law and should be struck down by the courts.

It's just that simple.

However, Buser says because the lawsuit was filed too close to the November election, the laws will remain for now.

But he says he's hopeful the fight will go on and that a change will come for the next time voters need to hit the polls.

Sympathy.

Grambling State University's new leader, is making history as the youngest HBCU president in the country.

Doctor Martin Lamar, junior takes charge as higher education systems face looming budget cuts and other challenges.

But he's motivated to move Grambling forward.

I'm joined by Grambling State University's 11th president, Doctor Martin Lemelle.

Earlier on this day, we attended his investiture ceremony, which, by the way, is a first in the university's history.

Quite an honor.

Also an honor and a distinction.

As the youngest president in the HBCU system.

Lots of milestones here.

Thanks for joining us and congratulations.

Thank you.

Karen, it's a pleasure to have you all here.

Welcome to Grambling.

So you are a third generation Grambling, right?

Yes.

And actually, on the day of your investiture, it was like, also marking your 20th, year since you were the SGA president.

Absolutely.

Lots of deep ties here at Grambling.

Tell me about that.

I'm gram fam through and through.

I have the benefit of being a part of the fabric of this institution.

From when my great aunt and uncle attended Grambling State University and graduated to the legacy of my parents, both being alums of the institution, as well as former team members who played finance and operations and admissions for the college.

And so I'm excited to be in this space to continue the work of HBCU and our mission and Grambling State University.

So you have the distinction of being the youngest HBCU president currently?

Yes.

Okay.

That is that's quite a distinction.

Do you feel the weight of that and a certain responsibility that comes with it?

Absolutely.

It's a blessing to be in service, to have an arc and a runway, to continue to do this work.

If I think about leaders from the civil rights movement, Dr. King, Charles P. Adams, Charles P. Adams was 36 when he came to Grambling and founded this great institution, celebrated 40 this year.

And so I'm a little behind what Charles P. did.

So we have great leaders throughout the arc of our throughoujourneyrc of our that continue to press us forward towards the mark.

We know that it ultimately bends towards justice, and Grandma's State University is a world renowned institution, Well, at the investiture ceremony, you made a big announcement and that is the launch of the Global Education Endowment Initiative.

Absolutely.

And we should note that you pledged $100,000 of your own money to this fund.

You hope to generate $5 million.

Tell me about that.

We are excited about investing in global and experiential education.

As students travel across the globe.

We want to enrich their experiences through short term study abroad.

It's a pivotal point in my career when I had the opportunity to do a study abroad in Luxembourg.

I completed my doctoral degree in Paris, and so Grambling is a world renowned institution.

We want students from across the globe, like Ghana and Bermuda to come to Grambling, and we also want our students to have exposure to diverse curriculums and perspectives.

So that's where we're putting our initial investment.

in my career when I had the opportunity to do So as I understand it, it'll fund scholarships to study abroad, opportunities for students to have special guest lectures so that students who want to hear from a Charles Blow, who's a grandma, an alum and a world renowned columnist, and they don't have the benefit of him being here every day.

We can pipe in those type of experiences in different places.

We want to have the first Rhodes Scholar from Grambling SchState University,ng so we'll also find opportunities to expose students so that students to a diverse portfolio of things so that they can be the best that they can be in any field.

And also in the past year, we've had some significant enhancements here in those type of experiences at the university, one of which is the first digital library in the HBCU system.

so we'll also find opportunities Any other first that we have in the works?

Yes.

So we celebrated a first and we still hold this distinction today for the first bachelors in cybersecurity here at Grambling State University.

And we're seeing record enrollment in that program, very high demand.

And we've also added a cloud computing program.

And so we're at the forefront of innovation and academic excellence.

And what do you see as the most pressing challenges confronting the university?

Competitive advantage.

As you think about the power of choice today in American higher education, HBCUs.

During reconstruction, there were about 300.

Today we have a little over 100.

And so you think about the challenges of decreases in funding, the challenges of open markets.

And so we continue to share our message.

In my speech today, I said, we speak your name, Grambling State University.

We have to tell the world our story and continue to have Grambling State University be an institution of choice for students going forward.

the challenges of decreases What do you see as, the most pressing social issues confronting the university?

This is my chief priority for our students and for our team.

From a social perspective, is around mental and physical wellness.

So we've increased the number of counselors that we have on campus to support mental wellness for our students.

We have our employee assistance program for our workforce.

We continue to find creative and innovative ways to be able to do wellness days on campus.

and for our team.

We have a balanced, Friday where workforce is completing their work duties at 1130 because they go longer throughout the week.

And so we want to prioritize self-care.

thankful, Doctor Martin Lamar, congratulations.

Thank you so much.

Trailblazing achievement.

to find creative and innovative Thank you so much Karen.

Good to see.

ways to be able to do wellness days on campus.

We have a balanced, Friday where workforce is completing their work duties at 1130 because they go longer throughout the week.

And so we want to prioritize self-care.

thankful, Doctor Martin Lamar, congratulations.

Thank you so much.

Trailblazing achievement.

Thank you so much Karen.

Good to see.

Louisiana is among the least financially literate states, but local government officials are working to change that and invest in one of the state's greatest assets its youth.

We want to save the city.

It's about investing in our young people, filling in the gaps where we know resources are needed so that we can give them a path to making better decisions that will impact all of our lives.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell was one of several mayors to take part in a program called mayors for Guaranteed Income.

The program is designed to have mayors from different areas with large, low income populations advocate for a guaranteed income at the local, state, and federal level.

The City of New Orleans was among the first cities in the country to participate, by awarding 125 of its youth payments of $350 per month to use as they saw fit.

And so when we did that, we were actually given a grant to disburse for our young people in the city.

And one of the controls, just like cornerstone since the beginning of this administration, has been we take care of our vulnerable populations.

Asya Howlett, director of youth and family services in New Orleans, says Louisiana's youth are among the most vulnerable in the country.

In Louisiana, nearly 1 in 4 young people grow up in poverty, the third highest rate in the nation.

Because of their challenges, they often struggle with school attendance, have poor educational outcomes, and many fall into a life of crime and violence.

Experts have also found direct links between poverty and mental health challenges in children.

Students who took part in this program have seen significant increase in school attendance and increased grade point average is we give the money directly to students and so they're empowered to do with that.

You know, whatever they choose.

And we do hear from a number of kids that they are supporting their families.

Sometimes it looks like helping pay bills directly, but a lot of times what it looks like is absorbing some expenses that they usually ask their parents to take on themselves because of the student's success.

Organizers chose to expand the program, giving more young people access in the form of $50 weekly payments.

No strings attached.

So we're expanding the $50 study this year to serve 800 students across all of Orleans Parish.

We have 13 high schools participating, and the city of New Orleans, through their Office of Economic Development, is our primary funder for that.

So through Arpa grants, they were able to give us a $1 million grant to expand this project.

Talia Livni is the program director of Rooted Schools, one of the groups participating in the study.

She says the program teaches valuable life lessons like financial literacy and how to manage their own bank accounts.

They're able to use online banking, mobile banking.

And so a number of our students are reflecting on, you know, things that they're learning about going to the ATM, calling the bank when they lose their phone, when they lose their card, tracking money, choosing to save, and just a deeper understanding of what it means to have financial resources, which we know, you know, many young adults who grow up in low income communities don't get to practice and learn these skills in a, you know, more controlled, in supportive environment.

When I asked about their plans for the future, Talia says she's ready to take this program around the globe.

The goal of Rooted School Foundation is to put students on personalized pathways to financial freedom.

We run a network of charter high schools around the country because we believe education is one of those ways that we can set students up for upward economic mobility.

Direct cash transfers, we believe, are another mechanism for doing that.

And so we're open to expanding this program around the city, around the state, around the country, around the world.

And she's working to do just that.

But first up, Louisiana.

of Throughout Louisiana, public art is on display.

Aimed at enhancing our quality of life and communicating the mission of various state institution.

The push for Art program funds hundreds of public art projects by dedicating funds from state construction building projects.

I'm taking you and I public art tours and behind the scenes at an artist's studio to learn more about the program.

So, Karen, this is MidCity Studios.

And, houses several different artists.

20, 30 artists.

Ceramicists painters, yoga studio downstairs.

Sculptors.

And, this is my spot.

Sculptor Brant Barnett creates relief artworks on multi-dimensional canvases And, houses several different artists.

crafted from clay pressed in handmade molds.

20, 30 artists.

relief work is it's, in clay.

Is an additive process.

So as opposed to yoga studio downstairs.

subtractive, like marble or wood or, where you take away material and so you have a final, shape, relief work is done in clay.

And so it begins crafted from clay really with an armature or like an internal skeleton to hold the general shape.

relief work is it's, in clay.

Two of Brent's latest works are headed to university campuses.

They were commissioned by the Louisiana Percent for Art program.

where you take away material the Louisiana Personal for Art program is a state law that was enacted during the 1999 legislative session.

really with an armature And it stipulates that when a state agency spends more than $2 million on the construction or renovation of a building, that 1% of those project funds is allocated for public art.

the Louisiana Personal This could be a commission or the direct purchase of existing art from an artist.

during the 1999 legislative session.

The percent for Art program is jointly administered by the Louisiana Division of the Arts million on the construction and the Office of Facility Planning and Control.

or renovation of a building, The division oversees the art selection process, which is funded through the Office of Facility and Planning Control.

This could be a commission or the direct State agencies and buildings and institutions can apply to the program for funding artists to answer the calls for proposals in a competitive selection process.

and the Office of Facility I think it's kind of the the Oscars of visual art, to be able to work on such a grand scale the art selection process, which is funded and something with, enduring significance.

I think it's a really meaningful thing, and I'm proud to be a part of it.

And, and I'm glad to be in the company of other artists who've done amazing work through the program over the years.

process.

I think it's kind of the Brent's relief series will reside at the LSU Animal and Food Sciences Laboratory.

The installation depicts the history and the work in animal and food science.

He's also working on a present for art project for Nicholls State University.

And, and I'm glad to be in the company of other artists They basically wanted the image of a windswept tree when so creating, you know, an iconic, look for stability of barrier islands and a symbol for resilience.

depicts the history And so this is eventually going to be 20ft by 20ft by 15ft.

So it's pretty large.

for Nicholls State University.

the percent for our program funds an ever growing collection of public art of a windswept tree at state buildings throughout Louisiana.

To date, nearly 300 pieces at 40 plus state agencies.

and a symbol for resilience.

And so this is eventually going to be 20ft by 20ft by 15ft.

I'm not.

So it's pretty large.

the percent for our program funds And here at the University of Louisiana campus.

Monroe, we have the sculpture.

at state buildings throughout Louisiana.

Here you go.

And it's by Bethany Beck.

If you look closely, it features responses from students and faculty.

Hey, man.

Oh, running.

We got, LP, LP here, filming the music trail and LSU Vet School is the recent recipient of 2% for art sculptures.

Monroe, we have the sculpture.

In her hands is a 16ft tall sculpture by artist Vito de Bari.

He crafted the sculpture from 3,800 pounds of brushed steel.

We got, LP, LP here, filming the music trail and this is emblematic of the care that we deliver every day to the animals and people that we serve, It embodies the compassion and the dedication, the talent, the expertise that we have here for all animals, large and small.

pounds of brushed steel.

And it really does it in a very visually impacting way that is, a beacon that you can see miles away, every day to the animals Also on the vet school campus.

Dog Bowl dog made of donated dog bowls by artist Donald Glass.

Nella.

It was made possible by leftover funds allocated for the In Our Hand sculpture.

And it really does it in a very visually impacting way ultimately we are about, in a very visually impacting way serving Louisiana, this state and further afield.

a beacon that you can see And art is part of that, both for, Also on the vet school campus.

community engagement, Dog Bowl dog made of donated external and internal.

dog bowls by artist Donald Glass.

the For Art program acquires art in two ways through competitive calls for artists proposals In Our Hand sculpture.

and the purchase of art.

ultimately we are about, More public art projects are in the works.

serving Louisiana, this state One of the things we want to do is really speak to.

How can we say something, communicate something expressive about the vision external and internal.

of the institutions that the For Art program acquires the art will serve?

the For Art program acquires art in two ways Beyond that, we're doing something for our local artists.

We want these emerging artists who are interested in, being part of the public art field to have these opportunities.

We're doing something for, is really speak to.

to enhance the public space for the public, for visitors, for, something expressive about the vision the people who are at these institutions every day, the art will serve?

not every state has a percent for our program.

we're doing something for our local artists.

I think it reflects the prevailing priorities of your state, and it tells the artists that art field to have these opportunities.

the thing you do, the thing you've devoted your life to, has, significant and enduring value.

for the public, for visitors, for, the people who are at these institutions every day, not every state has a percent for our program.

I think it reflects the prevailing priorities of your state, and it tells the artists that the thing you do, the thing you've devoted your life to, has, significant and enduring value.

Support for Louisiana.

The state we're in is provided by Entergy.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid throughout the state.

We're reinforcing infrastructure reduce outages and respond quicker when you do need us, because together we power life.

Additional support provided by the Fred and Ruth Zigler Foundation and the Zigler Art Museum located in Jennings City Hall.

Louisiana is strengthening our power grid The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists We're reinforcing infrastructure and is an historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana.

reduce outages and respond quicker And by visit Baton Rouge when you do need us, because together and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.

Art Museum located in Jennings City Hall.

The museum focuses on emerging Louisiana artists and is an historical and cultural center for Southwest Louisiana.

And by visit Baton Rouge and the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting and viewers like you.

Thank you.