Former Lee Circle was dedicated to confederate general, Robert E. Lee, and when Lee's statue was finally removed there was a huge uproar, both for and against. The removal of the confederate monuments from around the city divided us, but that is not the NOLA way. We are an inclusive city. We welcome everyone with open arms and that is what makes our city great.

And that brings me to the proposed name change. If you knew Hollise Murphy, that's enough said, but for those of you who didn't know him, let me introduce you to the late, GREAT HOLLISE MURPHY. Hollise had been in the Metal scene for 20+ years when he passed away in his sleep on July 30, 2021 at 36 years old. Up until his passing he was a consummate ambassador for New Orleans. He made an impact on almost everyone who met him and he was THE welcoming face on the underground metal scene. But he was so much MORE than that. As a human being, you couldn't meet a nicer one. He treated everyone like lifelong friends from hello, and treated friends like family. Hollise wasn't hard to miss, he was the biggest, COOLEST guy in the Pit that would also be the first one to pick you up off the floor. If he was there, it was a great show.

Hollise was everything New Orleans strives to be. He stood out. He was THE FRIENDLIEST. He was the friend you never knew you wanted, but damn, you wanted to keep him. I feel that he is the perfect person to replace Lee. He was one of the many "characters" that our city is known for and his passing has been felt world-wide. This was a man who was known and respected by all, from the homeless man on the street to officers of the law. Let's honor his legacy for he was taken far too early.