Helena Moreno has waged courageous fights on behalf of the people of New Orleans to win a better future for everyone. She's dedicated to championing change on behalf of our communities by demanding a fair, effective and unbiased justice system; health care as a right, not a privilege; living wages for our working families; strong climate action; and by securing and expanding civil and voting rights.
Since her first election in 2017, Helena has built a reputation as a tireless advocate on behalf of the people of New Orleans. Over the past four years, she’s led the fight for a safer, more affordable, more equitable, and more accountable city. In 2021, the people of New Orleans overwhelmingly endorsed her re-election: Helena won 85% of the vote and won every voting precinct in New Orleans.
As a Councilmember – and a Legislator before – she’s won victories to broaden economic opportunity, reform our criminal justice system, promote gender equality, lead on climate action and a cleaner environment, and protect and uplift the most vulnerable in our society. Among her victories for working people include banning no-knock warrants, instituting a public police accountability dashboard, promoting sane drug policy by decriminalizing cannabis, sparking citywide Wi-Fi to increase digital equity, authoring laws to shield victims of sexual assault, reducing incarceration by preventing unnecessary arrests, restricting weapons from domestic abuses, transforming New Orleans into a renewable energy trailblazer, and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure both above and below our streets.
Helena began her career in New Orleans as an award-winning investigative reporter for NBC affiliate, WDSU-TV. She was part of a team awarded an Emmy for outstanding coverage during Hurricane Katrina. Too often, however, her reports turned up problems in the political system. In 2008, she decided to not just report, but do something about it. Setting aside her promising broadcast career, she entered public service.
In May of 2010, she was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. As the voice of District 93, she served as an advocate for a richly diverse area that includes neighborhoods such as Treme, the Garden District, Central City, St. Roch, the French Quarter, Mid City and the CBD.
While a Legislator, Helena was honored as a champion for women by various organizations. Her work to fight domestic violence in Louisiana is featured in the award-winning documentary film called Five Awake. To continue to advance issues important to women and their families, Helena founded the non-profit Ignite Advocacy Network. It serves as an awareness and policy alert network for individuals interested creating a better Louisiana for women.
Helena has also been recognized for her past work in criminal justice reform, public safety, drug policy, health care, early childhood education and care for the elderly.
On the City Council, she chairs the Climate and Sustainability and formerly chaired the pivotal Utilities, Cable, Telecom, and Technology Committee, both of which regulate New Orleans’ Investor-Owned Utility, Entergy New Orleans LLC. She also chairs the Councils Economic Development Committee, and formerly chaired the Council’s Budget committee.
A strong supporter of the Biden-Harris campaign, Helena was an early backer of Vice-President Kamala Harris and chaired the Vice-President’s presidential campaign in Louisiana.
Helena Moreno was born in Xalapa, Mexico and lived there until she was eight years old when her father Felix moved the family to the United States in search of better opportunities. Spanish was Helena’s first language which made school in the U.S. challenging for her early on due to language barriers. Her mother Nancy pushed Helena to do extra reading and writing in English after school - of which Helena was no fan - but caught her up to speed quickly in learning English. Helena remains fluent in Spanish and has family living throughout Mexico.
Upon her election to the New Orleans City Council, she has worked to support and uplift the Latino population in New Orleans, which has historically been ignored and underrepresented.
Helena holds a degree in Journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She lives uptown with her husband Chris Meeks.
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Latest News
September 7, 2023
NEW ORLEANS - Today, Councilmember Helena Moreno announced the allocation of $300,000 to prioritize a first-of-its-kind urban heat analysis in partnership with the City’s Resilience and Sustainability Office and the City Department of Health.
April 19, 2023
NEW ORLEANS - Today, Climate Chair Helena Moreno released the following statement on Entergy's resiliency suggestions and called for real ratepayer protections before committing to future investments.
April 17, 2023
NEW ORLEANS - Councilmember Helena Moreno, chair of the Economic Development Committee, welcomes the arrival of the national headquarters of United Utility to New Orleans. United Utility has quickly become one of the nation’s top power transmission and distribution companies, an especially critical sector during the rapid deployment of new renewable energy resources.
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