OUR STORY

Our foundation was born out of a family tragedy: on November 27, 2018, Nadia’s mother was murdered during the commission of a carjacking in front of Nadia’s home in Gentilly.  Nadia’s husband Kristian suffered a traumatic brain injury while attempting to stop the crime; her mother died on her way to the hospital. In the wake of this tragedy, Nadia and her family underwent intensive therapy to process their experiences. It was during her long road of recovery, it became clear to Nadia and her family that they were not the only individuals who had fallen victim to the vicious cycle of trauma present in New Orleans. Learning of the trauma the three defendants in her mother’s murder trial endured, without proper mitigation, compelled Nadia to launch Love Your Neighbor NOLA. Comparing and contrasting their stories of being raised in single parent homes, estranged from their biological father and raised in a home with domestic violence, she began to wonder if a solution to the cycle of violence began in the home. She came to realize there are violence-ridden communities where trauma begets trauma, a cycle caused by a lack of access to resources, such as mental health care, and support systems. Bearing these observations in mind, Love Your Neighbor NOLA was created to be a refuge and resource for parents and children alike. Today, Nadia, alongside her husband and sister, continues the work her mother started and carries on her legacy of love. At Love Your Neighbor NOLA, we believe that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord (Jesus) above all else and second to that is to love your neighbor as yourself.