Photograph: Lena Fontenot Charles of Opelousas, LA (Submitted photo)
Lena Fontenot Charles of Opelousas has been selected to receive the 2023 Richard J. Catalon Créole Heritage Award. The award will be presented during the Créole Culture Celebrate set for Sunday, June 11. 2023 at Vermillionville in Lafayette, LA.
The following is an announcement on the Vermillionville web site about the upcoming celebration and the presentation of the Richard J. Catalon Creole Heritage Award:
Créole Culture Celebration 2023
The public can enjoy a FREE FESTIVAL at Vermilionville for the 21st annual Créole Culture Celebration on Sunday, June 11, 2023 from 10AM – 5PM. We’ll celebrate with live music from Herb Green Drummers, Cedryl Ballou & the Zydeco Trendsetters, and Donna Angelle and the Zydeco Posse. There will be cooking demonstrations by Sweet Envie, our own Ms. Deloris and a wine-making demonstration with Mr. Paul Cluse. Louisiana Poet Laureate Johnathan Mayers will share his writing, and Joe Hall will speak about the history, changes and traditions of Creole & Zydeco music. Also, enjoy juré performances, storytelling, kids’ crafts, art from Erica Melancon Fox, museum, and photography exhibits, Zydeco dance lessons, genealogy experts, traiteur garden tours, documentaries, and much more! Another highlight will be the presentation of the Richard J. Catalon Creole Heritage award to a distinguished advocate and supporter of the Créole culture. This year’s recipient is Ms. Lena Charles of the Southern Development Foundation.
The Award
The Richard J. Catalon Sr. Creole Heritage Award was first established in 2004, honoring one of Vermilionville’s first artisan-interpreters, Richard J. Catalon Sr. Shortly after retirement Mr. Catalon become engaged in his “dream job” at Vermilionville, where finally, he could talk about his life experiences as a Creole. For over ten years Mr. Catalon worked in the Mouton house and not only shared with guests his expert craftsmanship, but regaled visitors from around the world with the Creole history, often in his fluent French Creole language. He was known to visit local schools in furtherance of the history of the culture, traditions, and to encourage the Creole language.
This award honors contributions made by individuals who actively promote the advancement of the Creole Culture, through language, food, art, music, dance, Creole language studies, education, and traditions.
To date, eighteen local individuals have received the award for their outstanding contributions in the community and the furtherance of the culture, each of which meets the vision of the Catalon family by depicting character values as role models for the future generations, being involved with local cultural organizations, and are active ambassadors and promoters of the Creole culture and heritage.
Lena Fontenot Charles
Lena Fontenot Charles is a native of Opelousas, St. Landry Parish. Retired from BellSouth in 2009 after 37 years of employment, she has worked to improve economic development, enrich the lives of marginalized populations within her community, as well as being a cultural innovator. She served as president of the Southern Development Foundation and established the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. She is also involved with the Opelousas Downtown Development District, serving as chair of the board, the St. Landry Economic Development Board and the Child and Youth Services Board, among many others. A woman of faith, Charles has served as a Holy Ghost Pastoral Council member, and the diocese of Lafayette’s Advisory Board on Justice & Peace.
Charles has been recognized for her good works, being named the Opelousas Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce; receiving the St. Landry Lifetime Achievement Award from Governor Edwards, as well as Women of Heart Award from the United Way of St. Landry/Evangeline, and many other accolades. We honor her today as our Richard Catalon Sr. Creole Heritage Award recipient for 2023.
