Tuere Burns; MEd; 

Executive Director

Mama, servant leader, Freedom Fighter, educator, writer, author, and artist. Flowing with the positive energy, passion, and fervency of a true New Orleanian, Tuere is recognized internationally as a powerful voice for justice, equity and equality for people of Afrikan descent. Infusing activism, education, and art, she has had the honor of being asked to lend her voice, knowledge, experience and most of all passion to the NAACP’s Annual Conference, Malcolm X Day in Houston, Chicago, and Atlanta, Marcus Garvey Day in New Orleans & Detroit, Hands Off Assata! Campaign, the closing down of Tallulah Juvenile Facility, the Reparations Movement in Louisiana and Houston, Annual International Reggae Festival, just to name a few. She has served as chair for Black August International South, original member of the Angola 3 Coalition, Blackout Arts Collective, the Black Afrikan Arts Council, Step Up Louisiana, New Orleans for New Orleans Coalition, Critical Resistance, Claiborne Corridor Cultural Innovation District and various other organizations particularly those regarding Black youth, the prison industrial complex, and political prisoners and numerous injustices that impair Black youth, leaders, and community. Tuere was contracted by Hands On Atlanta to produce the 16th annual Martin L. King, Jr. Service Summit in conjunction with The Martin L, King, Jr., Center for Non- Violent Social Change where she introduced the documentary, to “Trouble the Water” its directors, producers, and New Orleans activists to very broad Atlanta audiences; with BE-NOLA (Black Educators New Orleans) and Black Teachers Collaborative lending her expertise as an  Education Consultant on the need to empower other Black educators so they will provide the same to our youth; Produced the “We Are One” Summit of Youth in Service which is held semi-annually in New Orleans with youth-led workshops; and served as Director of the best seller, “I Am An Emotional Creature” by Eve Ensler (author and producer of The Vagina Monologues), where seven of New Orleans most talented 12-18 year old girls brought to life monologues and stories which are based on topics garnered from girls around the world.

In addition to BAR NONE, Tuere serves as the Creative Programs Director for Ashe’ Cultural Arts Center, Coordinator with the Louisiana Chapter of the Original Black Panther Party. Tuere is raising her 2 brilliant, artistic teens, Aisha and Zion, as a co-parent between 2 different states. Tuere holds a Masters degree in Educational Leadership and another in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Ethics, Equity, and Justice.

Nicole Marshall; 

Operations Director

Nicole W. Marshall, a survivor of relational violence and abuse; an invisible, quiet, yet often recurring theme in our society, who embraced the positive forward energy, creating, PAVE IT FORWARD, LLC., which represents her unyielding commitment to working towards significantly reducing the amount of violence that people experience by the hands and mouth of someone close to them and to helping those caught in the vicious web of an abusive relationship. “Giving back is important to me, so I began a people’s movement to End Relational Violence in my Children’s Lifetime, for I understand that it will take the input of every woman (person) and institution to see long term, substantial changes, but the fight is worth it if we truly desire to heal our nation of the disease and curse.”

In addition to PAVE IT FORWARD, Nicole serves as the Operations Director for BAR NONE and National Coordinator for the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. 

Nicole is a New Orleans native and mother of seven remarkable sons, one who is a Minister. She is happily married to her husband Ronald, who is her lighthouse and castle on a high mountain. 

Arlene Culpepper; 

Public Relations and Communications Director 

Vice-President & Asst. Editor-in-Chief of The Heat Magazine, Arlene is a Louisiana native, Certified Paralegal, Publicist, Owner of MIKODreamz PR, co-owner of 504Diffusion & Genie Marketing Services, writer, producer, certified event manager, all while serving as Public Relations and Communications Director for BAR NONE. 

Heavily involved in her community, she serves as the Media Advisor for New Orleans Union for Entertainment (NOUE), Member of the NOLA Music Awards from 2012-present & Member of the Press Club of New Orleans. Her efforts are nationally published and her PR work has been highly recognized & awarded. 

Arlene is currently working on her first novel & aspires to turn it into a film; while also writing the authorized biography of the legendary Pimp C of UGK. 

She served as publicist for the late great BTY YoungN, 0017th.

Arlene holds a Masters degree in Marketing.

Sunni Patterson; 

Visionary Ambassador

New Orleans native and visionary, Sunni Patterson, is a highly sought after and internationally acclaimed Poet, Performer, Lecturer, Workshop Facilitator, and Certified Life Coach. As a diligent student in the Healing and Spiritual Arts, she deliberately uses Art and Culture as tools to recognize, address, and eliminate all forms of oppression. Her Artistry has allowed her to grace a plethora of stages and platforms. From TEDWomen (2015 & 2018) to “Under the bridge”, you can rest assured, Sunni’s words bring us all to a place of recollection, remembrance, and hope. 

Sunni is a 2020 John O’Neal Cultural Arts Fellow, and she currently serves as a Resident Artist for both the City of New Orleans’ Claiborne Corridor Cultural Initiative and Junebug Productions. She is also co-founder, along with Scientist and Atmospheric Chemist, Cherelle Blazer, of Environmental Arts and Public Health Organization, Breath is Lyfe.  Sunni received her B.A. in English from Tuskegee University. She is a mama of 2 boys and 1 daughter who she lovingly raises with her husband, Trent.