Why Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s Travel Isn’t the Real Issue—And the Criticism is Getting Ridiculous

Let’s get this out of the way first: if you don’t want LaToya Cantrell to be mayor, just say that. If you don’t like her policies, her tone, her decisions, or her administration—that’s your right. You’re entitled to your opinion, and if it’s grounded in fact and principle, speak your truth.

But what we’re not going to do is pretend that every single thing the mayor does is outrageous, especially when it’s something as normal and expected as travel. The courts have ruled not only can she travel, but that the city council can do nothing to stop it. You might not like that, but that’s the way it is.

Yes, LaToya Cantrell went to Canada when several inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish jail. Yes, she was on official city business. And yes, she still managed to communicate with city departments, law enforcement officials, and her staff. Because this is 2025, and believe it or not, we have phones, Zoom, FaceTime, and about 500 other ways to work from a distance.

The criticism that she was not physically present in the city while prisoners were on the loose is not just unfair—it’s ridiculous.

Are We Expecting Her to Personally Chase Inmates Now?

Do we expect the mayor to cancel all city operations every time one department faces an emergency? Should the city stop trash pickup because prisoners escaped? Should workers pause construction, staff halt permits, and officials shut down economic development meetings just because of a jail break?

What, exactly, is she supposed to do? Run through neighborhoods with a flashlight and a baton?

Let’s be real.

This isn’t about public safety. It’s not about emergency preparedness. And it’s not about concern for the city. It’s just another excuse to criticize this particular mayor—a mayor who happens to be Black, female, and unwilling to play the obedient role some expect her to.

Travel Is Part of the Job

Mayors of major cities are expected to travel. They meet with investors, speak at conferences, and build the kinds of relationships that bring money, jobs, and innovation to their cities.

New Orleans doesn’t operate in a vacuum. We’re a global tourism destination, an energy hub, and a port city. That means we need to be present outside our borders to protect and promote our interests.

And guess what? Every other mayor does the same thing. Mitch Landrieu traveled. Marc Morial traveled. Mayors from Houston to Atlanta to Seattle travel. The only difference is when LaToya travels, she gets dragged—often with no connection to the facts of what she’s doing or why.

Real Criticism Is Welcome. Nonsense Is Not.

There are legitimate criticisms to be made of Mayor Cantrell’s time in office. Real debates to be had. Questions to ask. Decisions to challenge. That’s what a healthy democracy looks like.

But if every criticism turns into a personal attack, if every action is twisted into some kind of scandal, then we’re no longer engaged in public accountability—we’re just doing petty politics.

And when the focus becomes silly things—like whether the mayor should be standing on Claiborne Avenue holding binoculars during a prison escape—it makes all criticism look shallow, unserious, and motivated by something other than logic.

What’s Really Going On?

Let’s be honest. Some of these critics don’t really care where the mayor is or what she’s doing. They just want her gone. And instead of organizing around a real political vision or presenting better leadership options, they’ve decided to weaponize every detail of her day—no matter how minor.

But that’s not leadership. That’s obsession. And it damages the public’s ability to separate noise from news.

Let’s be real: the media’s coverage of Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been unusually harsh. That’s not just about politics—it’s about race and gender too. When you’re the first Black woman to lead New Orleans, you’re not just in office, you’re on trial every day. Yes, some of her choices have raised eyebrows, and she’s made a few missteps of her own creation. But we can’t ignore the deeper story here. The criticism isn’t coming from a vacuum—it’s coming from a long history of discomfort with Black women in power. If we’re going to judge her, let’s do it fairly, with all of that in mind.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to like LaToya Cantrell. You don’t have to support her personally. And you don’t even have to support a single policy she pushes.

But if we want to maintain credibility as a city, we need to stop turning normal mayoral behavior into controversy just because we’re mad she doesn’t bow down. Arrogant is the word people like to use. And we know America has little love for arrogant Black women.

But, LaToya Cantrell didn’t cause the jail escape. She didn’t drop the keys, she didn’t open the doors, and she certainlydidn’t hide them on her flight to Canada. Investigators are arresting the people responsible for allowing the escape. Law enforcement officers are actively hunting the escaped inmates. And the mayor? She’s doing her job—just not the way some of y’all would prefer.

And maybe that’s the real issue.