Lumar, 41, New Orleans, LA - Drummer of Soul Rebels Brass Band

What was your favorite thing about growing up in New Orleans?

The culture and the family life, the music and the food. Oh, playing in the Lafitte House and project where I was raised. Imitating like we were in Mardi Gras parades. We used to march around the court acting like we were in a parade, with a band. And we used a shopping cart for a float. We would save the beads from previous Mardi Gras parades and we would play with them at various times during the year. We’d have the girls, they’d act like they were the majorettes or dancers. Then you’d have some guys with sticks and boxes in their hand acting like they were drummers. Then you’d have the cart which was emulating the floats, someone would sit in the cart - a shopping cart - that we’d take from the grocery store and they would push it and they would throw beads acting like they were in a parade. That’s one of the fondest memories.

Have you voted in an election before?

Yeah, I’ve been voting since I was an adult. It’s kind of stressed to you in black homes… your parents always tell you people fought for you for the right to vote and died so that you can have the right to vote. So you need to vote. So you kind of feel like its your duty to vote.