Preparation for M.OM.s ball at a local house party.

New Orleans has a deep and powerful cultural vibration because its history, music, food, and fascination for costumes. Becoming a member of a krewe is a significant aspect of New Orleans culture. Each "krewe" in New Orleans consists of a distinct group of individuals with a distinct identity. In the mid-1800s, women, African Americans, Jews, and Italians were all barred from joining the earliest krewes, as were white men of low social status. Today's krewes don't discriminate but are selective.

Thousands of years ago, a tribe might use shells, flowers or a flag to identify its members. A krewe in modern-day New Orleans uses lights to illuminates themselves at its annual secret ball. No tourists are permitted, and information about the event is never disclosed. The event is commonly referred to as the "M.O.M.S." ball, an acronym for Mystic Orphans and Misfits.

We have an innate need to join groups, which inevitably leads to forms of inclusion and exclusion. Membership in any secret organization appears to be more desirable as it becomes more secretive and exclusive.