New Orleans is often called the most resilient community in the world. You've seen that many times before, and it's clearer than ever this week. But New Orleans is more than resilient. We're persistent. We don't just wait out our challenges. We take action with intentionality to provide mutual aid and come back stronger. Our city persists through this pandemic - not only its onset, but every wave that has hit since then. We persist through the economic crisis that it brought. Right now, everywhere I look, I see people extending a helping hand towards family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. Whether it's the staff at Bub’s checking on someone's house around the corner, new friends meeting at Courtyard Brewery while they give away free beer and ice cream, or Sukho Thai feeding first responders for free , I'm seeing New Orleanians supporting each other in any way they can. This is the persistence that makes this city one of a kind. We have urgent work to do. And a lot of it. But we will keep holding the line. If your friends' homes are too damaged to stay in, invite them over. If you have extra food that's going to go bad, share it with your neighbors. If you have a generator, let others use it to charge their phones and other essential devices. If you’re out of town, use the internet to help find resources for those without. We are still assessing the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Ida, including the damage to our power grid. My administration is working closely with Entergy to restore power to the city as quickly as possible. We will share updates continually as we get more information. Keep looking out for your fellow New Orleanians. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This is bad, but we've persisted through worse. We will get through this by working together. And please, keep following COVID-19 protocols no matter where you are. We can’t let Ida distract us from pandemic recovery. Sincerely, Mayor LaToya Cantrell