Help Support Us
Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost walked through the doors of McDonogh 19 on November 14, 1960, thus beginning the process of desegregating New Orleans.
In partnership with Alembic Community Development, Ms. Tate’s foundation now owns the school which once barred her attendance. The newly renovated campus, renamed the TEP Center, provides deeply affordable senior housing, offices & meeting spaces for organizations dedicated to social justice, and an interactive exhibition space in which the public can explore the legacy of Civil Rights in New Orleans.
Your donation helps to keep the TEP Center thriving.
Your support will help fund Exhibitions and Programs on the history of the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans, to inspire residents and visitors alike.
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Operations—staffing, maintenance, education, safety—is funded by revenue generated through visitor admissions, facility rentals, workshop tuition, senior employment training programs, and grants.
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Thank you for your time, and for considering supporting our work.
Civil Rights Pioneers (L to R) Gail Etienne, Tessie Prevost and Leona Tate at the TEP Center Groundbreaking Ceremony on March 9th, 2020.
Three Reasons to Support the Leona Tate Foundation for Change and the TEP Interpretive Center​
Black Ownership. We know U.S. History is filled with ruinous gaps that exclude African American contributions and successes. The Center exemplifies the importance of owning both the campus and the story told within.
The TEP Interpretive Center serves as an anchor in the Lower 9th Ward. Its programs and partners have a strong record of stability and accountability in New Orleans.
Reliable Partnerships. There are many stories to be told about black life in the 9th Ward, New Orleans, and the United States. The TEP Center demonstrates how like-minded parties working together can create a cultural product and manage its location within a budget that is sustainable.