{"id":423,"date":"2018-03-29T17:36:30","date_gmt":"2018-03-29T17:36:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/?page_id=423"},"modified":"2024-04-03T15:43:05","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T15:43:05","slug":"home_a","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/","title":{"rendered":"HOME"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


We need assistance restarting our children’s programming. We are still waiting?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

\"\"<\/strong><\/p>\n

WHY ARE WE NOT GETTING ANY ASSISTANCE?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It has been over 2 years and six months since I have put this information together only the attorney general sent me an email on one issue that their office felt was a discrepancy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is what we have given the past 10 years from 2005 to 2015 during this time we kept a straight attendance record of the youth we serve as well as adults. \u00a0These numbers can be verified through countless emails of attendance reports sent to NORD
Our children’s Stilt walking and Brazilian drumming program averaged from 12 to 25 kids for the Saturday class
Capoeira the Afro Brazilian martial art class average from 10 to 16 kids per week
Our average attendance for kids per month was 215
Our average attendance for kids per year was 1075
Our average attendance for kids for 10 years was 11,825
Stilts costs\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.. $15,000.00
The total Class price per week for instructors\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.$1070.00
Multiplied times per year\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.$51,360.00
After 10 years\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.$513,600.00
Total cost year-to-date\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026 $528,600.00<\/p>\n

Grand total in contributions for the past 10 years until now..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026$528,600.00 Plus – 10 Jazz Fest kids performace $600-$800 Each for 10 years Any expenses for this trip for our <\/span>community children.<\/p>\n

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\"\" <\/span><\/p>\n

Casa Samba’s Free Programming. Why are we not included in this picture above. Why don’t we received any funds from GiveNola. But I received a email from the NORD Office asking me to donate to give Nola as a business in order to help with their free programming. This is very concerning to me. As a registered business you were asking me to give a donation to you for a program that I am sponsoring already at your annunciation facility and I don’t receive any of the funds that I possibly would donate to give Nola interior of NORD<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"\"\"<\/span>On May 4, 2021, GiveNOLA day, I receive an email from NORD asking me to donate money to their free programming explaining that their donations help to maintain their free programming.
I\u2019m wondering why I am receiving this email as a citizen or organization of the community. I have been doing free programming for NORD for over 25 years and I have never received any funding for Casa Samba’s programming free for children. Now Nord is asking the community for donations. After being repeatedly told that NORD would not be able to pay me for my free classes. I would have to charge for everyone. And on top of that, it puts me in direct competition with the paid instructors from fit Nola because they are teaching free classes and getting paid by some source of income provided through NORD. I am teaching free children’s classes because I feel I can reach more of the children of the community with a free class. Most of the time children’s parents can’t really afford the price for the classes, that’s why I was offering it free for children.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since COVID-19 my children\u2019s program for Saturday has been completely shut down due to the closing of the building on Saturdays.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 When the building was re-open for limited access we were given improper information on social distancing capacity numbers someone came in and measured the dance floor and said that we could only have 7 people in the room with 1 instructor “the normal procedure for Nords paid FitNola instructors”.<\/span><\/strong><\/em> all in actuality we use the whole room they were supposed to measure the complete room not just a dance floor.
Our dance company has needs 2 instructors for dancers and drummers. Not respecting the fact that we are a public company and with these numbers that we would not be able to hold our classes with our regular members if the general public fill the space our priority is to our group members because they all represent our community.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The first thing you may ask yourself, why did we create this website?
After being certified to do quality assessments for the different programs NORDC has to offer to the community, and of the numerous injustices, I decided to do a Quality Assessment on how Programs Partners are being treated overall by NORDC System. I have compiled this website with all of the findings. We would like an audience with the Hon. Mayor Latoya Cantrell,\u00a0 Garden district councilman, NORDC officials, Casa Samba officials, and our community parents and members.<\/p>\n

Casa Samba has put in blood, sweat, and tears into that building, into our city, the youth we serve, into NORD, into NORDC. Casa Samba has done all this along with all of the disrespect and unfair treatment that we have received over the years with these issues. The bottom line is Casa Samba has not received what it originally was seeking at this location “A HOME”<\/strong> yes a home for Casa Samba<\/strong><\/em> <\/span>I will be totally honest I have waited patiently we have given 100% to the dedication to our responsibilities and commitments which is our contributions to both NORDC and the city. We never had a problem with offering our classes free to children but only with the consideration we could be given soon extended time when needed in order for us to sustain our identity as a company and organization the way the system is set up currently there is no Casa Samba personal designated time in exchange for the free services.[popuppress id=”516″]<\/p>\n

\"\"Casa Samba was having a free program in this community since 1999 with the original partnership with an organization called “The KUJI CENTER” who has received many awards for their contribution to the Youth are the St. Thomas project housing. Your major purpose of this organization was dedicated to programs for children like conflict and resolution and pregnancy prevention program. Original CEA [popuppress id=”191″]<\/p>\n

The main reason why I am asking you to be here is over 10 years. We have not been given the proper recognition for the contributions we have given to the city.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We have offered countless children’s programs officially for 10 years for free. To this day we are not represented or recognize as a contributor or sponsor NORDC or the City.\u00a0 These programs\u00a0 translate to services rendered 10 years equals over $500,000 of Free services\"\"<\/p>\n

After Hurricane Katrina Casa Samba members and myself patch the roof clean the whole building and got it prepared to do classes within one months time. Casa Samba was online having classes before any other NORDC center in the city.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We have never been offered funding for our programs that we are doing for, officially the past 10 years. For the past 6 years, Casa Samba has observed NORDC aggressively promote the recruitment of NEW partnerships. Some of these new partnerships we’ll be funded by NORDC to teach classes either for their NEW Fit Nola and other youth and adult classes. Casa Samba has never been approached about the development of new dance programs or children’s programs. To my knowledge the two newest programs funded by NORDC
STEM NOLA and STRINGs funded by a donor who is interested in just Strings ensemble being developed as a NORDC program.<\/p>\n

\"\"How does this policy work? did This donor\/individual person decide to walk in the office one day and decided that they want to give this Funding to NORDC? Does NORDC go out and look for these individual Sponsors\/Donor? Does NORDC have a list of sponsors or donors that NORDC would be able to link Casa Samba with?<\/p>\n

Lastly but not least intimidation Casa Samba and several other partners or not employees of “NORDC” all feel the same way about the policies, procedures, negotiations and contracts all forcible manipulations, bullying and the “take it or leave it” scenario<\/p>\n

We would like some resolution. Because of the blatant disrespect and non-representation Casa Samba are now under the impression that the classes that we have offered to the community are basically worthless. So if our classes are worthless we would like to get reimbursed for the services rendered which comes to $528,600 based on your FitNola pay scale of $50 per hour. This is a gross injustice to one of the cultural barrier figures in this city. We feel that this should be sufficient enough reimbursement for services rendered.<\/p>\n

Stilts costs\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.. $15,000.00
The total price of per week\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.$1070.00
Multiplied times per year\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.$51,360.00
After 10 years\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026..\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026.$513,600.00
Total cost year-to-date\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026…..\u2026 $528,600.00<\/p>\n

Grand total in contributions for the past 10 years until now..\u2026………..\u2026\u2026$528,600.00<\/p>\n

10 Jazz Fest sponsorships $600-$800 Each for 10 years Any expenses for this trip for our
community children<\/p>\n

Contrary to what a lot of people may think about the information on this website is not intended<\/strong> to bring harm or to this credit any individual. These are issues that occurred due to poor communications, poor decisions, and misinformed personnel.
This website is about a system that is growing worse and needs to be addressed. The purpose of this website is to make NORDC relationship with its partners and community stronger. We would like to highlight some of the inconsistencies within your organization with its’ partners. As we all know the world is filled with different people, but at the same time with about 15 years of experience of being exposed to the same treatment, we feel that the problem is rooted in the system, not the people. Because everyone is doing something someone else told them to do. I don’t think this website is the complete answer, but I think it clarifies a lot of the systematic problems that have occurred over the years with the partnership of Casa Samba and both N.O.R.D. and NORDC<\/p>\n

Why I have not signed anything or forwarding any information<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have felt intimidated and misinformed to the point where I am so frustrated with the NORDC System that I am afraid to do any more negotiations with the current NORDC team.\u00a0 I feel that we have been used and taken advantage of our services, \u00a0We are not recognized or publicized as a longtime community partner. We receive no funding for the regular free children classes we have offered to the community for more 20 years.\u00a0 Now\u00a0NORDC has threatened to\u00a0withhold our funding for services for our 2018 Service Provider to the summer camp program.<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
As a result, we have received<\/span>\u00a0numerous emails saying it’s okay NOW and that we were approved to come in to sign our documents. I feel pressured to sign documents that needed to be renegotiated. At no point has anyone called me in to negotiate or make changes to Casa samba’s 2018 service provider contract.\u00a0 I refused to go through this humiliation because this is only a small portion of what’s really happening. At the last technical assistance meeting, myself and Mr. Jason Horn were left with the instructions that the answers to all our organization’s questions had to be referred to the law department. Until this day, those answers have never been revealed to us nor has anyone ever resolved this situation. The next time I heard anything from the law department was an email stating that my contract needed to be signed.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
After receiving these two emails (see buttons below),\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>now I am clueless at this point because\u00a0I’m not sure what is going on at NORDC with Casa Samba. Accusations of Casa Samba possibly<\/strong><\/span><\/em> of misappropriation of funds because I refused to provide check stubs for 2017 Service provided supporting documents that were never included in Casa Samba’s Service provider 2017contract. Along with that, they’re sending me intimidating things that I better do by this time limit and different types of messages. We got an email saying turn in our application by this date.\u00a0[popuppress id=”227″] .\u00a0 It was turned in on time and 1 week later we were denied by this email\u00a0[popuppress id=”197″]<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
I am at the point right now with these emails when I go to my inbox and see an email from NORDC<\/div>\n
I am automatically intimidated before I even read. I am sorry I am tired of feeling this way.<\/div>\n
This is too much to ask of one your valued partners’<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n
I sent THIS\u00a0 attached email\u00a0 [popuppress id=”420″] asking\u00a0 NORDC to cease all of the emails that I felt were intimidating or aggressive (see attached the attached letter on March 11\u00a0[popuppress id=”421″] ) I am still receiving the latest one is.[popuppress id=”440″] I did not get any feedback from the staff.<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We need assistance restarting our children’s programming. We are still waiting? WHY ARE WE NOT GETTING ANY ASSISTANCE? It has been over 2 years and six months since I have put this information together only the attorney general sent me an email on one issue that their office felt was a discrepancy. This is what […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/423"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=423"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/423\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":610,"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/423\/revisions\/610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.casasamba.com\/gettonocasasamba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=423"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}