Luisa, Arien, and Layla Support Funds

Hi, my name is Andrew, and I am starting this gofundme campaign for two of my dearest friends, Luisa and Arien, plus (of course) their loving and loveable dog Layla. Recently, their home was broken into, many of their most important possessions (including keys) and documents were stolen, and Layla was badly beaten and locked in the bathroom. Days after, Luisa's truck was stolen, likely by the same person or persons who broke into the house.

Luisa and Arien are owners and operators of their own construction company specializing in green-building, and stormwater management. They are not only being the change by operating a woman-owned construction business, but they are extraordinarily intentional and conscious about how they do it. Their approach is crucial in a city and ecosystem like New Orleans, where water is both friend and foe. New Orleanians and their neighbors are on the front lines of climate change and the impacts of environmental injustice.

Luisa and Arien have already spent significant funds on equipping their home with locks and other means of security, stolen equipment for their business, and costs derived from the loss of a vehicle. They will continue to make short-term investments in their business to keep up with their business commitments. Notwithstanding their enumerable individual acts of generosity towards causes and people they care about, Luisa and Arien have also made significant investments in community members most in need of assistance or a second chance. They have employed fellow New Orleanians navigating re-entry from the justice system, participated in or mentored cohorts of other under-represented/minority business owners, and performed many services pro bono.

We hope that our friends, family, and community across the country (Louisiana, New York, California, Wisconsin, wherever) can pitch in what they can to help Luisa and Arien. We hope it will help them bounce back from this terrible invasion of their privacy and sense of security beyond recovering from the loss of essential documents and tools required to sustain their livelihoods. Just as significantly, it can help restore their faith in community.