When Condoleezza Semien first visited the REACH Center’s art gallery, she knew it would be a perfect place to debut “Nou La-We are Here: In Rhythm of Our Creole Roots,” an exhibition she curated to pay homage to Louisiana’s Creole culture and heritage.
The 20-year-old is a senior at Dillard University and one of the 2026 recipients of a Jazz and Heritage Foundation Community Partnership Grant. Meaning “we are here” in Kouri-Vini (Louisiana Creole), “Nou La” pairs fine arts with digital storytelling to explore folk life, religion, and the differing experiences that make Creole culture vibrant, unique, and unforgettable.
“This is a living, traveling, and evolving exhibit that we’re going to bring up and down the state to other Creole Parishes,” Semien said. “The exhibit features five core artists, including myself. We all have Creole heritage, and we all grew up in Creole Parishes.”
In addition to Semien, “Nou La” features artists Dyvonne Burton from Alexandria, Johari and Jalani Smith from New Orleans, and Donald Davis from Roseland. Semien grew up in Baton Rouge, but most of her family is from Opelousas.
The exhibit opened on August 8 at the REACH Center, a community center, art gallery, and coworking space operated by the New Orleans Public Library and located inside the Corpus Christi Epiphany Church Community Center (2022 St. Bernard Ave.).
REACH Center librarian Kim Coleman said showcasing local art directly aligns with their mission.
“Art is a primary way that a community can see itself reflected. As a librarian and cultural enthusiast, I know how important it is to create spaces where people can access not just information, but culture and creative expression without the traditional barriers,” Coleman said.
“The REACH Center is a place where I want people to encounter new ideas and experience beauty in and of the community that they live in.”
Coleman and Semien met through their work with the Free People of Color Museum. As a self-proclaimed Library fanatic, Semien was thrilled for the opportunity to host her work at the REACH Center.
“I love the Library. I’m always telling everyone that they need to get a Library card, so I was really excited when Kim approached me about the exhibit,” Semien said. “The REACH Center serves a certain population that I want to see my art, because there’s not a lot of places for people in this community to see their art, especially somewhere that’s free.”
The exhibit will stay up at the REACH Center through Sept. 26, when Semien will host an artist talk and closing ceremony. After it closes, “Nou La” will travel to Baton Rouge, then to Opelousas, and eventually back to New Orleans for a final show.
“Each installment of the exhibit is going to be different, depending on what parish it’s being shown in,” Semien said. “The goal is to showcase the unique aspects of Louisiana Creole culture, which can vary across communities. In our New Orleans exhibit, we’re highlighting three main traditions: Black masking Indians, African-derived religions, and folk life, specifically horsemanship and Zydeco music.”
Semien said she’s excited to watch the exhibit grow and change as it travels the state and is especially looking forward to the final iteration.
“My main hope for this project is to showcase everyone’s experience within their Creole culture and heritage, and I can’t wait to see what it becomes when the exhibit returns to New Orleans,” she said.
For Coleman, partnering with young artists like Semien is a valuable part of her work.
“The REACH Center is about making every available resource accessible to the community, and this exhibition provides us with a way to create an opportunity for cultural enrichment. It’s another way the community can use the Library to connect and engage with cultural life in New Orleans,” Coleman said.
Semien is one of the REACH Center’s 24 community partners, and her show is the fourth exhibit to be housed in the REACH Center’s gallery. Coleman said she plans to focus on the gallery space in the coming months, calling it “essential,” to the Center’s core goals.
“New Orleans is a city that lives and breathes art; it is a way of life. I want to use the space to create visibility and opportunity for young curators and artists like Condoleezza, to help them build confidence, develop their voice, and experience presenting their work,” Coleman said.
To see “Nou La-We are Here: In Rhythm of Our Creole Roots,” visit the REACH Center’s second floor art gallery on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 10am and 12pm, through Sept. 26. The artist talk and closing ceremony is on Sept. 26 from 10am to noon.
An exhibit celebrating Louisiana Creole history and culture is on display at the REACH Center through September 26.
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