Work, Power and Purpose: Women Changing the Leadership Playbook | Alison Fragale + Samhita Mukhopadhyay | Moderated by: Sarah Jaffe

Alison Fragale (Likeable Badass: How Women Get the Success They Deserve) and Samhita Mukhopadhyay (The Myth of Making It: A Workplace Reckoning) discuss workplace feminism and share their visions for a reimagined workplace culture.

Katrina 20: The Stories We Tell, The Truths We Hold | Jarvis DeBerry, Jeff Duncan + Cheryl Gerber | Moderated by: Lucy Bustamante

Two decades after Hurricane Katrina, the way we tell its story continues to shape our understanding of its impact. This panel brings together journalists and photographers who documented the storm and its aftermath, exploring how media, photography, and storytelling have influenced the narrative of New Orleans' continued recovery. From hard truths to personal reflections, and even the role of sports in shaping community resilience, Lucy Bustamante, Jarvis DeBerry, Jeff Duncan, and Cheryl Gerber offer a compelling look at the stories we tell - and the ones that still need to be heard.

New Orleans, New Flavors: Cultural Fusions on the Plate | Nina Compton + Nini Nguyen | Moderated by: Kevin Belton

Kevin Belton talks with Chefs Nina Compton (Kwéyòl/Creole: Recipes, Stories, and Tings from a St. Lucian Chef's Journey) and Nini Nguyen (Dac Biet: An Extra Special Vietnamese Cookbook) about New Orleans' diverse cultural heritage and how it continually shapes the contemporary food scene.

The Global Table: African Cuisine’s Influence and Evolution | Biruk Alemayehu, Serigne Mbaye + Alexander Smalls | Moderated by: Michelle Miller

Chef Alexander Smalls (The Contemporary African Kitchen), Biruk Alemayehu of Addis NOLA and Serigne Mbaye of Dakar NOLA explore how African culinary traditions have influenced global cuisine and the diaspora's evolving food culture.

Gumbo to Gourmet: The Stories Behind New Orleans’ Greatest Kitchens | Marcelle Bienvenu, Eric Cook, E.J. Lagasse + Donald Link | Moderated by: Edgar “Dook” Chase

Join Edgar "Dook" Chase as he talks with Marcelle Bienvenue, Eric Cook, Chef E.J. Lagasse and Donald Link about how their culinary creativity has shaped the city's iconic food scene. From gumbo to haute cuisine, this conversation reveals the stories behind the dishes that define the Big Easy.
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