From the steps leading up to Darlene Jones’ shotgun home in the Tremé, she has a front row view to second lines, Mardi Gras Indians and brass bands.

Still, when Jones, 70, hears people talk about what makes New Orleans’ culture so special, she thinks their reasoning sometimes misses the mark.

"People think it's the food, music and architecture that make New Orleans’ culture unique," she explained. "But they're only partially right. What's really important are the people. Who cooks the food? Who plays the music? Who has lived in these homes for generations?

“Our people are what makes New Orleans special, but there are so many of us that can’t afford to live here anymore.”

In 2020, Jones was in danger of losing her home.

She was a Katrina survivor who spent a year in Chicago and another

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