I've heard some people say we can't do it. But it's a very significant anniversary and I can't imagine it going unmarked without some kind of parade. It's in our soul to have Mardi Gras.

There is a private side to Carnival. It started as an event that we did for ourselves and it still is. The economic side is monumental and it's good for the city. But we chose to do this for us.

I started making calls a week after Katrina. The captains all said the same thing: you can take away our homes, but you can't take away our Mardi Gras.

All indicators were that the city just wouldn't be able to pull this off, even as recently as 24 hours ago. Somehow, they managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat.

We owe it to our ancestors and our children to keep this celebration going. We just can't stop. This is so important for us,

I think now more than ever we need a reason to celebrate. It's really at our core. I can't imagine the city rolling over and playing dead and saying, 'I surrender.