NEW ORLEANS — The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the City of New Orleans and an interdenominational coalition of faith and civic leaders, convened the first quarterly Communities of Hope retreat on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at Loyola University New Orleans’ Monroe Hall.

The gathering brought together pastors, priests, imams, lay leaders, city department heads, senior members of the Moreno Administration, and university students for a day of strategy, relationship-building, and solution-driven dialogue focused on public safety, health, housing, and quality of life.

The program opened with a welcome from Xavier Cole, President of Loyola University, who reflected on the institution’s role as a convener of civic dialogue and a catalyst for justice-centered leadership. Professor Joe Givens provided an overview of the purpose and evolution of the Communities of Hope partnership, explaining how faith institutions and civic leaders had worked intentionally to streamline shared concerns across congregations and neighborhoods into coordinated, solution-oriented engagement with public officials.

District Attorney Jason Williams grounded attendees in the evolution of the New Orleans Data-Informed Community Engagement Initiative (NODICE) and its alignment with Communities of Hope. He emphasized that while data and analytics help government deploy resources strategically, lasting change occurs only when those efforts are paired with authentic community voice and sustained collaboration.

Williams noted that the Communities of Hope model has strengthened coordination across congregations, neighborhood associations, and city departments — moving from isolated responses to unified action plans built on shared responsibility. He highlighted that this partnership has contributed to sustained reductions in violent crime and meaningful improvements in quality-of-life conditions across New Orleans neighborhoods.

Mayor Helena Moreno delivered a detailed presentation outlining both her personal journey and the City’s forward-looking strategy. She shared how faith had propelled her throughout her personal and professional life — from journalism, to the State Legislature, to the City Council — culminating in her election as Mayor of New Orleans.

The Mayor provided a comprehensive overview of the City’s financial position and described how her administration was employing creative and nontraditional strategies to invest immediately in neighborhoods and physical infrastructure despite fiscal constraints. She highlighted the repair of thousands of streetlights, the expanded deployment of roadwork crews citywide, and continued progress in economic development and long-term planning initiatives.

Moreno also discussed her intentional leadership strategy, noting that she selected top deputies who are recognized leaders in their respective fields — professionals prepared to “hit the ground running” on day one.

She was joined by key members of her leadership team, including Deputy Mayor Renee Lapeyrolerie; Deputy Mayor Joe Giarrusso; Deputy Mayor Michael Harrison; Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Ginny May; Chief of Staff Kevin Ferguson; and additional cabinet members and senior staff, all of whom participated directly in discussions with faith and civic leaders.

Following the plenary session, participants transitioned into breakout discussions held throughout Monroe Hall, where faith and civic leaders engaged directly with subject matter experts from the Mayor’s administration:

Group 1 – Health: Focused on homelessness, food insecurity, and mental and physical health services.

Group 2 – Public Safety: Centered on reentry and prison ministry, youth violence, and violence prevention strategies.

Group 3 – Housing & Revitalization: Addressed blight remediation, housing stability, and neighborhood reinvestment.

Group 4 – Quality of Life / Community Affairs: Concentrated on cross-department coordination and responsiveness to neighborhood-level concerns.

In addition to the themed breakout sessions, District Attorney Williams, Mayor Moreno, and City Councilmember Aimee McCarron participated in a closed session with students from Loyola University New Orleans, Dillard University, and Xavier University of Louisiana. During that discussion, students spoke candidly about pressing issues affecting campus and neighborhood safety, asked direct questions of city leadership, and explored ways students — as residents and stakeholders in the city’s future — could actively support public servants and community leaders during a period marked by complex fiscal and public safety challenges.

The retreat marked the first of what will be quarterly convenings designed to institutionalize collaboration, track measurable outcomes, and ensure sustained engagement between faith institutions, students, and city leadership.

Saturday’s gathering demonstrated a unified commitment to aligning moral leadership, public service, and community voice to advance safety, stability, and opportunity for all residents of New Orleans.