Rachel Fisher has spent the past 10 weeks in Shreveport as part of the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, working alongside Mayor Tom Arceneaux’s administration to tackle one of the city’s most stubborn challenges…blight.
Fisher, an urban planner, was matched with Shreveport through the program, which pairs graduate students with cities that have recently completed Bloomberg Harvard training. Her role? Focus entirely on understanding how blight is perpetuated here and recommend practical steps to break the cycle.
Boots on the Ground in Shreveport
When Fisher first arrived, she didn’t start with a clipboard and orders, she started by listening. “For the first several weeks, I was just present,” she explained. That meant attending city council meetings, neighborhood gatherings, and environmental board sessions, as well as meeting with residents and stakeholders not directly tied to City Hall.
Her aim was to gather every perspective possible, building a clearer picture of the roadblocks slowing revitalization efforts and identifying where different city functions intersect.
More Than Just a Blight Story
While her assignment focused on neglected properties, Fisher said her experience here was far from bleak. “The people are so kind,” she said. “That gives me a lot of hope. Shreveport has a community that is ready to rally around big issues.”…