ABOUT THE MORIAL AWARDS
The Morial Awards were established in 2019 to celebrate small businesses and corporations that embody the visionary spirit of New Orleans’ first black mayor, Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial.
Morial, a civil rights attorney and activist, was a groundbreaker literally and figuratively. A political pioneer who served as mayor for two terms from 1977 to 1986, he championed the construction of the convention center that would one day bear his name, promoting it as a center of opportunity for local and diverse small businesses.
The Morial Award is an initiative of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority in proud partnership with the Urban League of Louisiana.
ABOUT THE MORIAL AWARD STATUETTE
Sheleen Jones is a native visual artist from New Orleans. She began her study of the arts during her second year at Xavier University of New Orleans where she received a B.A. of Art, and continued her studies earning a Master of Fine Arts at Florida State University. Several of Ms. Jones’ sculptures are displayed throughout the New Orleans Metropolitan area. Her most recent commissioned sculptures include, ”The Battle of New Orleans”, The Black presents, The New Orleans East Hospital “Healing Tree”, Armstrong National Park “Chief Allison Tootie Montana”, “New Orleans Brass Band”, Rev. Avery C. Alexander, “Forever a Crusader” of Civil Rights, the Memorial Plaza, and “Opening the Gates” a memorial to A. P. Tureaud Sr.
“In my sculptural portrait, I strive to capture the attributes of the person or entity in particular moment of inspiration. It is an honor to create memorial sculptures for communities, and I hope to continue creating images that capture, and celebrate, our humanity our, struggles, our beauty and our fortitude.”
Pictured: Artist Sheleen Jones sculpts a statuette of Mayor Dutch Morial, capturing his likeness with precision, as Mrs. Sybil Morial observes the process.
ABOUT THE NEW ORLEANS ERNEST N. MORIAL CONVENTION CENTER AND THE ERNEST N. MORIAL NEW ORLEANS EXHIBITION HALL AUTHORITY
The Convention Center works year-round to create opportunities to help Louisiana’s small and emerging businesses (SEB) and disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE) succeed. Through the Small and Emerging Business Program, the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority encourages the hiring of local vendors to provide goods and services at the Convention Center and is making it easier for these vendors to access new business opportunities through the SEBConnect app and through its website at exhallnola.com. Since the program launched in 2019, 1,300 certified vendors have registered and more than $40 million has been awarded to area SEBs and DEBs. In 2022, roughly one-third of all payments and contracts awarded were to SEBs and DEBs.
For more information about the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s Small and Emerging Business program, please visit exhallnola.com/SEB
ABOUT THE URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA
Since 1938, the Urban League’s mission has been to assist underserved communities throughout the state in securing self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights.
Today the Urban League of Louisiana is led by CEO and President Judy Reese-Morse. Before joining the Urban League, she served the city and state in several key roles, most recently as a Deputy Mayor of New Orleans.
CONTACT US
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