LaToya Cantrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
LaToya Cantrell
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Cantrell in June 2013
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| 62nd Mayor of New Orleans | |
| Assumed office May 7, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Mitch Landrieu |
| Member of the New Orleans City Council from District B |
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| In office December 19, 2012 – May 7, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Diana Bajoie (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Jay Banks |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
LaToya Wilder
April 3, 1972 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Jason Cantrell
(m. 1999; |
| Children | 1 |
| Residences | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Education | Xavier University of Louisiana (BA) |
LaToya Cantrell (born April 3, 1972) is an American politician. She has been the Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, since May 7, 2018. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Cantrell is the first woman to hold the office of mayor in New Orleans. Before becoming mayor, she represented District B on the New Orleans City Council from 2012 to 2018.
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Early Life and Education
LaToya Cantrell was born as LaToya Wilder in Los Angeles, California. In 1990, she moved to New Orleans. She attended Xavier University of Louisiana. There, she earned a degree in sociology. She also took part in a special training program at the Harvard Kennedy School.
Community Work in Broadmoor
Cantrell returned to New Orleans in 1999. She settled in the Broadmoor neighborhood. In 2003, she joined the Broadmoor Improvement Association. She became the president of this group in 2004.
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Broadmoor neighborhood was badly flooded. It remained empty for many months. In 2006, a group suggested turning Broadmoor into a park. Cantrell worked with residents and religious leaders. They organized to oppose this idea. She also helped residents create a recovery plan for their neighborhood.
Cantrell worked full-time on Broadmoor's recovery from 2006 to 2012. She helped form the Broadmoor School Board. This board oversaw the reopening of the Andrew H. Wilson school. She also helped start the Broadmoor Development Corporation. This group helped returning residents with social services. Cantrell was also involved in reopening the Rosa F. Keller Library. This project received a $2 million grant. She also helped create the Broadmoor Art and Wellness Center.
Political Career
Serving on the New Orleans City Council
In 2012, Cantrell decided to run for the New Orleans City Council. The seat was open because the previous representative, Stacy Head, moved to a different position. Cantrell won the election in December. She served the rest of the term. In 2014, she ran again and won a full four-year term without any opponents.
As a council member, Cantrell focused on health, housing, and justice issues. She introduced a bill to ban smoking in New Orleans restaurants and bars. This was to protect workers from secondhand smoke. The council passed this bill in 2015.
In 2015, Cantrell also worked to open a shelter for people experiencing homelessness. This shelter was later moved to a different location downtown. In 2017, she helped create a law to register and inspect rental homes in the city. She also worked on installing crime cameras and improving the New Orleans Police Department.
Becoming Mayor in 2017
Cantrell announced she would run for mayor in March 2017. The election was to replace Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who could not run again. On October 14, 2017, 18 candidates ran in the first election. Cantrell received the most votes, with 39%.
In the final election on November 18, Cantrell ran against Desiree Charbonnet. Cantrell won with 60% of the votes. She became the first woman to lead New Orleans in its 300-year history. She was also the first mayor not born in the city since Vic Schiro.
Mayor of New Orleans
Cantrell became mayor on May 7, 2018. She was the first woman to hold this important job. Once in office, she created a new Office of Youth and Families. This office aims to help families in crisis. Cantrell also started a Gun Violence Reduction Council. This group works to find ways to reduce violent crime.
She also launched her "#fairshare" plan. This plan aims to use hotel taxes to improve the city. The money would go towards city infrastructure, public transportation, parks, and green spaces.
In 2019, Cantrell worked with Governor John Bel Edwards and other officials. They reached the Fair Share Agreement. This agreement gave New Orleans $50 million for infrastructure needs. It also provided $26 million in yearly income for the city. After this agreement, New Orleans voters approved three of four proposals from Cantrell and the City Council. They approved a $500 million bond sale and a tax on short-term rental properties. They also approved creating a Human Rights Commission.
In December 2023, Cantrell signed new rules into law. These rules limit how many students can live in single-family homes near Tulane and Loyola universities.
Re-election in 2021
Cantrell was re-elected as mayor in November 2021. She won by a large amount, getting 65% of the votes. Her campaign focused on how New Orleans handled the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. She talked about her efforts to stop the disease's spread, even when they were not popular. She also promised to work for higher-paying jobs for city workers. She wanted better public health and new technologies for New Orleans' future.
Personal Life
LaToya Cantrell lives in New Orleans with her daughter, RayAnn. In August 2023, the city announced that her husband, Jason, had passed away at age 55. They had been married since 1999.
In 2016, Cantrell received a special award. The presidents of Tulane, Loyola, Xavier, and the University of New Orleans gave her this award. It was for her great service to the community.
See also
In Spanish: LaToya Cantrell para niños
- List of mayors of the 50 largest cities in the United States
