2017 Garden Party in New Orleans - Gia Coelho

Gia Coelho is Development Director for ATD Fourth World Movement, a position started here in the United States last fall. We are very happy to have her on our team! The recent New Orleans Garden Party brought together 75 ATD Fourth World friends and supporters. Gia attended for the first time. She shares a few thoughts on the event and people who make it possible.The opportunity to attend the 13^th Annual Garden Party in New Orleans, on March 26, 2017, was an absolute privilege. It was a warm, sunny day with blue skies and an ambience of conviviality. I met with many wonderful people who have supported us in our work for several years, and also those who had heard about it for the first time. The common thread being the interest in our work in the local community of New Orleans, specifically the 7^th Ward, where our team works in partnership with the community, organizing Stoop Talks, facilitating work for the Multidimensional Aspects of Poverty Research Project, in service of our international work in partnership with Oxford University, and our team’s work in the local criminal justice system in partnership with Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC), defending young people and children caught in the school to prison pipeline as they are pushed out of the school system and into the justice system. I came away with a sense of deep gratitude for the immense generosity of the many friends that worked tirelessly to put together this event in support of our work, and all those who made time to come out and support it in many different and innovative ways!Here are some photos from the Garden Party. Enjoy! All photos provided by Paul D. Mankovich