Central City greenspace to be dedicated in honor of community activist Barbara Lacen-Keller

By Fritz Esker
Contributing Writer

At the New Orleans City Council’s quality of life meeting on February 24, District B Councilmember Lesli Harris announced that a planned greenspace in Central City would be dedicated in honor of and to honor community activist Barbara Lacen-Keller, who was affectionately known as the “Mayor of Central City.”

The new greenspace will be located adjacent to the Keller Community Center on Magnolia Street on a city-owned lot that has been fenced-off and vacant for many years. Councilmember Harris could not remember the last time the lot had been used by community members.

Harris said plans are not yet finalized as to what will populate the green space, but she said a community garden and a splash pad for children are some of the possibilities under discussion. She also hopes it will bring more people to the Keller Community Center as a whole.

“Greenspaces are especially important in neighborhoods that are neglected,” Harris said, citing how trees have been removed from Central City over the years without new planting to take their place.

Harris said the first phase of the project, which will begin later this year, would be the removal of the concrete and fencing on the lot. Funds have been allocated within the city’s budget for the project, but Harris said they are still seeking additional funding to improve the offerings on the greenspace. She will also be submitting a motion to initiate the renaming process for the land through the City Planning Commission. A separate public meeting will be held for the renaming.

“I know how I’m going to vote (on the renaming),” Harris said at the meeting.

Harris also spoke at the meeting about Lacen-Keller’s considerable contributions to the community.

“In the audience today, we have the family and friends of the late, great Barbara Lacen-Keller. She was a trailblazer and a beacon in the Central City community,” Harris said. “Barbara Lacen-Keller deserves everything the city can offer and more. I am proud to announce that this new greenspace will bear her name, and I hope it will become a place where the community can come together to enjoy for generations to come.”

Lacen-Keller passed away in January 2023 at the age of 76, leaving behind a full and robust career and legacy.

She was a charter member of the Krewe of Femme Fatale and founded the New Orleans Social Aid & Pleasure Club Task Force. She also served on the boards of WWOZ and the Jazz & Heritage Foundation. She worked as director of constituent services for Council District B Councilwoman Stacey Head and also served in Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Office of Cultural Economy. She served as a Barack Obama delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention in North Carolina. She was also a Mellon Community Fellow at Tulane University where she mentored graduate students in community relations.

This article originally published in the March 3, 2025 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.