NEW ORLEANS – On Sept. 17-18, The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans will host the NOLA Water Summit 2026: Keep Ya Head Up at the Dew Drop Inn, bringing together community leaders, residents, artists, entrepreneurs, researchers, public officials, and advocates committed to building a thriving Gulf Coast.
Organizers share that this year’s The Summit creates a platform to examine the interconnected environmental and social challenges facing the region, elevate solutions, and center the voices of those most impacted. The program was designed in partnership with the Brackish Artists Collective, a six-week program of The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans designed for local artists exploring water relationships, climate resilience, and environmental advocacy
Inspired by songs from Preservation Hall featuring Pell and Tupac Shakur, Keep Ya Head Up reflects the nuance of living in modern New Orleans: confronting difficult realities while continuing to move forward together. Rooted in the wisdom of Indigenous communities, river cultures, and generations of Black, Creole, and immigrant residents, the Summit explores how communities cultivate hope, belonging, and determination while confronting uncertainty, with water at the heart of the conversation.
Tickets and information available here.
What: The NOLA Water Summit 2026: Keep Ya Head Up
Where: Dew Drop Inn – 2836 LaSalle St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Who: The NOLA Water Summit 2026 brings together community leaders, residents, artists, entrepreneurs, researchers, public officials, and advocates committed to building a thriving Gulf Coast.
When: Sept. 17-18
Thursday Sept. 17: Art & Cultural Day (doors open to the public at 8 a.m.)
9-9:30 a.m.: Welcome, Intention Setting, Land Acknowledgment
9:30-10:45 a.m.: Keynote Speaker: Award-winning Journalist Michelle Miller Morial
Known for her inspiring work during Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath and decades of journalistic integrity, Michelle Miller Morial will share challenges and highlights of covering the region, followed by questions and answers.
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Media Roundtable: Moving from Media Sensationalism to Policy Change
Moderated by Jessica Dandridge-Smith, executive director of The Water Collaborative, panelist will discuss Water data access, consumer advocacy and transparency, and media sensationalism vs. what’s real, as it works to meet these challenges and ensure New Orleans remains a global example of resilience, creativity, and cultural preservation. Panelists include:
· John Sabo, Director of Tulane University’s ByWater Institute
· Katy Reckdahl, Editor at The Lens
· Aubrey Avocado, Content Creator & Founder of Platform creative company
· Charles Sutcliffe, Senior Advisor for Resilience at National Wildlife Federation
1:30-4 p.m.: The Waves that Weave Us Together: Water and Art Sensory Experience
Designed by our Brackish Artist Advisory Committee, this experience will take participants on a Water journey, touching on each of your senses.
4:15 p.m. Event Closing Ceremony
7:30-10:30 p.m.: Dance & Dissent Party with Glass Half Full & GLBLWRMNG featuring ANTWIGADEE!
Following a day of serious discussion, this party brings people together to process climate anxiety, challenge harmful narratives, and celebrate the people who continue fighting for this city every single day.
Friday, Sept. 18: Policy Day (doors open to the public at 8 a.m.)
9 a.m. Welcome, Intention Setting, Land Acknowledgment, and Recap of first day
9:30-10:45 a.m. Waterside Chat: State Senator Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans
Senator Royce Duplessis will discuss two major water-quality bills passed during the 2026 Louisiana Legislative Session and explore the realities of public service today, the importance of civic engagement ahead of this fall’s elections, and how communities can advocate for policies that protect Louisiana’s people, water, and vulnerable ecosystems.
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. The Truth Hurts: Breaking Down Why Louisiana is 50th in the Nation
Anissa Hyde, data analyst at the New Orleans Data Center, and The Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans will set the stage for the realities facing Louisiana and New Orleans at this historic and challenging moment. Drawing on The Data Center’s Pathways to Prosperity report and The Water Collaborative’s 2026 Legislative Report, the session will examine data, policy decisions, and broader trends shaping our communities today, providing important context for the region’s challenges and the conversations to follow throughout the day.
12:30-2 p.m.: Let’s Keep it Real Lunch & Learn: Discussion with Local Policy Leaders
The panel will feature insights about advocacy at the state and federal levels from local policy leaders, including:
· Liz Russell, Louisiana State Director at Environmental Defense Fund
· Jackson Voss, Government Affairs and Policy Coordinator for The Alliance for Affordable Energy
· Peter Robins Brown, Assistant to the President of Louisiana AFL-CIO
· Nicole Barnes, Executive Director of Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative
6-9 p.m.: The Water Gala
The event will honor three individuals who have helped shape New Orleans’ water and environmental legacy: David Waggonner, founding principal of Waggonner & Ball and a driving force behind the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan; Andreas Hoffmann, founder of Green Light New Orleans, whose grassroots environmental work has supported residents since Hurricane Katrina; and Keree Blanks, a former Water Collaborative team member and community liaison whose life and contributions to community will be celebrated with a special award dedication.
The 2026 Summit builds on the success of our inaugural NOLA Water Week in 2025, which welcomed more than 1,000 attendees over 10 events and field excursions.