JVC in New Orleans
New Orleans, the largest city in Louisiana, is known for its unique cultural contributions. It is a city that sits below sea level, which makes it vulnerable to flooding. Most notably, Hurricane Katrina changed the landscape of the city in 2005, and the community is coming back strong from Hurricane Ida in 2021.
The JV community is named for Henriette DeLille, a free woman and native of New Orleans, with an African-American and French-Creole heritage. She founded the religious order, Sisters of the Holy Family in 1842, composed of free women of color. One notable accomplishment is that the order provided education to free and enslaved children, at a time when it was illegal to do so. She is currently considered “venerable” in the Catholic Church, a step in the process towards being canonized a saint.
The JV home features a lovely front porch. Because JVC has been in New Orleans for quite some time, there is a wonderful, established support system of FJVs and wider community in the city. The JVs often enjoy meeting and making connections with these folks throughout the year while leaning into the rich culture that the city has to offer.
