President’s Message
Community and commitment to our mission are what define L’Union Française. For over 150 years, we have created a space with a sense of belonging for the francophone and Francophile community in New Orleans and Louisiana. As the oldest continually operating Franco-Louisiana organization, our mission has remained true to whom we are: to preserve and promote the French language and French and francophone cultures. Our roots run as deep as the Francophone heritage in our city and state whose mark is seen in everything from our street names to our cuisine to our music and to our family names.
Today, our mission is manifested in our French language classes for adults, our Vive la France cultural series, our Cajun music jams, our social events, our sponsorship of the French Film Festival, and our support of local French language programs through grants to elementary schools and awards to high school students.
Through a partnership with Nous Foundation, we have brought French back to the French Quarter with our language classes taking place at the Historic BK House & Gardens on Chartres Street. Marking a historic return to the heart of New Orleans, we are expanding our outreach to the city’s downriver community. Additionally, we continue to diversify our programming to reflect the breadth of the Francophonie – including two dynamic classes this spring: one on literature and cinema of Haïti and one on cinema of Québec.
Record enrollments in our adult language classes and our cultural series over the past year plus robust attendance at our events demonstrate the vitality of our community and the belief in our mission.
If you have not taken one of our classes or attended one of our events, I invite you to do so. Everyone is welcome at L’Union Française and we would love for you to be a part of our community.
La communauté et l’engagement envers notre mission sont ce qui définit l’Union Française. Depuis plus de 150 ans, nous avons créé un espace doté d'un sentiment d'appartenance pour la communauté francophone et francophile de la Nouvelle-Orléans et de la Louisiane. En tant que plus ancienne organisation franco-louisianaise en activité, notre mission est restée fidèle à ce que nous sommes : préserver et promouvoir la langue française et les cultures françaises et francophones. Nos racines sont aussi profondes que l'héritage francophone de notre ville et de notre état, dont la marque se retrouve dans tout, des noms de nos rues à notre cuisine en passant par notre musique et nos noms de famille.
Aujourd'hui, notre mission se manifeste dans nos cours de français pour adultes, notre série culturelle Vive la France, nos jams de musique cajun, nos événements sociaux, notre parrainage du Festival du film français et notre soutien aux programmes locaux de langue française par le biais de subventions aux écoles élémentaires. écoles et récompenses aux lycéens.
Grâce à un partenariat avec la Fondation Nous, nous avons ramené le français dans le quartier français avec nos cours de langue qui ont lieu à l'Historic BK House & Gardens, rue Chartres. Marquant un retour historique au cœur de la Nouvelle-Orléans, nous étendons notre action à la communauté en aval de la ville. De plus, nous continuons de diversifier notre programmation pour refléter l'étendue de la francophonie – avec notamment deux cours dynamiques ce printemps : un sur la littérature et le cinéma d'Haïti et un sur le cinéma du Québec.
Des inscriptions records à nos cours de langue pour adultes et à nos séries culturelles au cours de la dernière année ainsi qu'une forte participation à nos événements démontrent la vitalité de notre communauté et la croyance en notre mission.
Si vous n'avez pas suivi un de nos cours ou assisté à un de nos événements, je vous invite à le faire. Tout le monde est le bienvenu à L’Union Française et nous serions ravis que vous fassiez partie de notre communauté.
Joseph Mistrot
Président
2024
Past President’s Message
Those of us who call this place home know Louisiana, and New Orleans in particular, is like no other. Nor would we want them to be. Our unique identity is the result of a myriad of factors, not the least of which is three hundred plus years of Francophone influences--whether they be French, Creole, Cajun, Canadian, Caribbean, African or any delightful combination thereof.
That our exceptional identity perseveres in an era of globalization is not a matter of chance; rather its preservation and growth require continued dedication. As Louisiana’s oldest Francophone organization and now a remarkable 151 years old, L’Union Française is proud to be a part of the ongoing effort to keep French alive and well through a full range of adult language classes, our Vive la France cultural series, Cajun music jam sessions, multiple yearly events and gatherings as well as sponsorships to the French Film Festival, grants to elementary school programs and awards for high school speakers of French.
These past years have seen tremendous organizational growth at L’Union: expanding our classrooms and creating a back courtyard; overhauling our website and upping our social media presence; increasing our thematic course offerings and partnering with other Francophone and cultural organizations for events. More signs of L’Union’s positive development: we’ve recently signed on administrative assistant and all-around hand, Mason Page, and this summer we welcome Oumar Diaw to our language teaching staff.
While much has changed since our inception in 1872, what has not is L’Union’s deep rooted sense of community: as friends and colleagues gathered in the pursuit of a common mission. That mission remains as relevant today as it was at our founding. Language and culture are meant to be shared experiences, and many of our supporting members and students come back year after year, having made lifelong friends.
Whether you’re already a fluent French speaker or have never spoken un mot, we invite you to join us for a class or event. Please consider becoming a member today.
Allison Alsup
Présidente
2023
