• Express Yourself

    • Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      “Self Portrait” by Katie McDowell (18), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts  "An Old Man in Military Costume" by Simone Wuttke (18), Dartmouth College (recent Benjamin Franklin High School graduate) "This oil on canvas painting is inspired by Rembrandt's 'An Old...

    • The Stages of Grief

      The Stages of Grief

      I have sat with anger ingrained in my ribs night after night. I know the five stages of grief. Why am I so stuck on anger? Denial was the first one. It hit when I stood in front of my fridge all alone in my house with my knees wobbling, staring at the screen on my...

    • Be Well

    • Yoga: Partner Poses

      Yoga: Partner Poses

      Partner Yoga Poses by Laurie Azzano of Lolo’s Youth StudioYaaaas, finally! Hello, summer! Inhale deadlines. Exhale freedom. If you’re like most, summer represents one big sigh of relief. No more early morning alarm clocks, homework, tests, school drama, or crazy,...

    • Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Makes 20-24 brownies (depending on how big you slice them) BAKE TIME: 30 minutesIngredients 6 eggs 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 sticks butter 1/2 cup Crisco shortening 1 1/2 cups baking cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons...

    • Resources for Your Mental Health

      Resources for Your Mental Health

      If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or any form of mental distress, reach out to someone right away who can be there for you. Professional help is always an option when your psychological well-being is at risk. There is zero shame in...

    • Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA ClinicsClinics that serve adolescents usually focus on the reproductive health needs of adolescents and young adults but may also provide primary care services. The ages served vary depending on the clinic, but they usually include preteens (11 or...

    • Have Fun

    • Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Have you ever wondered how you can apply astrology to your everyday life but don’t know where to start? Astrology can be very complex and sometimes overwhelming to interpret, so I have compiled a quick guide to help you consciously incorporate daily practices to...

    • Hair Care Quiz

      Hair Care Quiz

      HAIR CARE QUIZ Is your hair oily?   If YES Do you shampoo your hair more than once per week? If YES Wash your hair with a clarifying or deep cleansing shampoo. Make sure your conditioner isn’t heavy with moisture. Do not add any oils. If NO Try washing your hair...

    • GLITTER!

      GLITTER!

      New Orleanians love their glitter, and, more than ever, we all deserve a little extra sparkle in our lives. Addie Ellis of the local biodegradable glitter company Glitter Nymph shared with us how to make shimmery oil that is good for your skin and nature. Since you...

    • Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea What it’s about: Laure will do anything to prove a Black girl can be a star in the cutthroat world of Parisian ballet, even make a deal with a primordial power she finds in a pulsating river of blood in the...

    • Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Are you looking for inspiring ways to volunteer in the local community while fulfilling your school’s service hour requirements? We’ve talked to some great organizations in the area that rely on volunteers to help their wonderful programs run. Learn more about each...

    • Expand Your Mind

    • Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Imagine that you just found out you are pregnant. For some young people, this may be exciting news; for others, it is not. Questions swirl: How can I take care of a baby and finish school? How can I afford to be a parent if I don’t finish school? How will my parents...

    • Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz is my “shero” because she ran 300 miles from Los Angeles, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of The Speed Project. That’s roughly like running to Houston, Texas, or Seaside, Florida, from New Orleans! Not only did she win the 2023 competition and...

    • When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      Careers in Skilled Trades With the cost of college continuing to rise, skilled trade careers are a great alternative pathway to stable, well-paying work and upward social mobility. Many trade workers provide essential services and help build and maintain important...

  • About Us
  • Read Geaux Girl!

Did you know clothing isn’t biodegradable?
That means it doesn’t decompose once it’s dumped in the trash—it just sits in a landfill and creates nasty greenhouse gases in our environment. “We have to think longer and harder about the clothing we wear, where it came from, and where it’s going,” urges Alison Parker, owner of ricRACK.

Here are some tips she shared on how you can be kinder to the environment while still being stylish…

Buy secondhand instead of shopping new

Thrift stores get donations of all kinds of name brand clothing, fancy gowns, designer jeans, gently worn accessories, vintage t-shirts. It’s fun to shop through and find hidden gems, plus it saves you money! It’s a win-win-win: you’re supporting your community, and by not supporting fast fashion, you’re supporting planet Earth.

Wash your clothes less often

Scientists are finding tiny little particles called microplastics in fish. These microplastics are coming from polyester fibers that end up in the ocean through discarded water from our washing machines. Try to wash your clothes less often whenever possible, especially if they aren’t actually dirty or it’s not a steamy July-in-New-Orleans day when you’re sweating through your clothes. Give it the sniff test and use your best judgement. The ocean will thank you!

Learn to sew

If your clothes get a hole or a button falls off, instead of trashing them, learn how to sew so you can mend it yourself. You’ll wear that shirt or dress with a new sense of pride knowing you fixed it yourself.

Repurpose your clothes

Let’s say you’ve outgrown a pair of pants or your shirt has too many holes (or sweat stains, hey, it’s New Orleans) and it’s beyond mending at this point. What can you do? Cut it into rags! Sew a fun patch to cover a hole! Turn those pants into shorts or that shirt into a tank top!

Donate your clothes

If your clothing is still in good shape, donate it to a local thrift store. And while you’re there, scope out the aisles to see if you find anything good!

Host a clothing swap with friends

Clothing swaps are a fun way to exchange clothes that you’re no longer wearing with friends. It’s like shopping your friend’s closet, except everything is free! It feels great knowing someone will get good use out of something that’s been sitting in the back of your closet.

JUST PLEASE DON’T THROW YOUR CLOTHES AWAY 🙁

Whatever you do, please don’t throw your clothes in the trash.
There are so many other options.

Thrift Stores in the New Orleans Area

• ricRACK
1927 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. (New Orleans)

• YEP Thrift Works
1626 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. (New Orleans)

• SisterHearts Thrift Store
7519 W Judge Perez Dr. (Arabi)

• Thrift City
601 Terry Pkwy. (Terrytown)

• Goodwill
3400 Tulane Ave. (New Orleans)
123 Allen Toussaint Blvd. (New Orleans)
875 Manhattan Blvd. (Harvey)

• Red, White & Blue
5728 Jefferson Hwy. (New Orleans)
605 Lapalco Blvd. (Gretna)

• Bridge House
4243 Earhart Blvd. (New Orleans)
7901 Airline Dr. (Metairie)