Article By: Silas Lee, III, Ph.D. In 1983 and 2003 I wrote analyses that examined the social and economic disparities of African Americans and Whites in New Orleans. In those initial reports, I observed the following: THE MASK “New Orleans is a very exotic and intoxicating city. From our distinctive culture, our fun, food and festivals, to our socially and economically diverse neighborhoods, this is a city of contrasts and contradictions. An aura of tranquility anesthetizes t