It’s a historic day in New Orleans today as LaToya Cantrell is being sworn in as the city’s first female mayor in its 300-year history.
Cantrell leaves behind a City Council post she won in 2012. Before that, she was a neighborhood activist in the city’s Broadmoor area, which was among those hit hard by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She was elected in November.
Today’s inauguration ceremonies give her a chance to set the tone for her administration as she faces challenges including an aging drainage system and stubborn violent crime.
Inauguration day activities included a service at the historic St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter, her swearing-in at the Mahalia Jackson Theater, and a New Orleans “second-line” parade to an outdoor reception at Louis Armstrong Park. Evening events include a reception for veterans at the National World War II Museum followed by the inaugural ball at Mardi Gras World, a venue on the Mississippi River where iconic Carnival season floats are stored.
The Associated Press has the full story.
