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New Orleans Elects First Woman Mayor In 300-Year History

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November 22, 2017

Photo credit: Michael DeMocker

Former City Council member LaToya Cantrell was elected the next mayor of New Orleans in an overwhelming 60% of the vote victory. The historic run-off election with fellow Democrat Desiree Charbonnet now makes her the first woman to be elected mayor in the city’s nearly 300-year history.

Cantrell, who represented Council District B, added another first to the city’s history as a district council member has never before won the office. While New Orleans mayors typically come from families with political pedigree, well-established ties to the civic and business community, and native roots to New Orleans, Cantrell beat all odds by having none of these qualifications.

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Hailing from California, Cantrell grew up in the southern part of the state until she began attending an HBCU in 1990. Although college was a part of her family’s background on her father’s side in Alabama, she faced a tough start growing up in Reagan-era Los Angeles that could have led her into another direction. Despite growing up in difficult conditions, Cantrell eventually became a sociology major at Xavier University where she began to lay her roots in New Orleans.

Cantrell’s work as a neighborhood activist post-Katrina in the hard-hit neighborhood of Broadmoor helped her win a seat on council in 2012. Her non-profit expedited Broadmoor’s recovery after the devastating hurricane hit New Orleans in 2005.

Photo credit: Michael DeMocker, Pictured: Cantrell hugging her daughter after her election night victory.

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With the election cycle moved up by several months, current Mayor Mitch Landreau will remain in office for six months before Cantrell takes his seat in May 2018. 

Congratulations, Mayor-elect Cantrell on blazing a trail and breaking the glass ceiling! 

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