As the past president of the Loyola University Alumni Association— the first African American to hold that role— I began advising the Greenfield Louisiana grain export facility because I believe it can play a vital role in ensuring the historical and cultural preservation of our region, while also bringing environmental, economic and agricultural security to the West Bank. My many meetings with West Bank residents has confirmed how beneficial this project is to the prosperity of St. John the Baptist Parish families.

Greenfield’s mission is to improve the environmental conditions of the community by building a state-of-the-art facility that uses upgraded and safe technology to be the cleanest grain export facility in North America.  The facility will outperform current and future environmental and safety standards, and it will be better for the environment than the current sugar farming happening on the site. 

Preserving our cultural heritage in the region is very important to me. Cultural research surveys have not identified unmarked graves on the site. Prior to construction Greenfield will conduct additional surveys to identify any potential unmarked grave sites and when construction begins, we have a protocol in place to ensure that if any historic artifacts are found they are handled responsibly by the proper authorities. 

We intend to be a leader in preserving cultural heritage in the community with partnerships like our recent one to reopen the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House and other activities to honor the vibrant history of the region. Guided by this and other thought partnerships, Greenfield will use best practices to preserve and promote heritage and culture.

Greenfield Louisiana is doing the right thing. We are talking with our neighboring residents to ensure our mission benefits their ongoing revitalization movement. They want safe, green and well-paying jobs so they can prosper in their proud community. That is why I am involved.