LAFAYETTE, La. — New stadium, new mascot? A grass roots campaign is taking the Ragin' Cajun community’s vote to see it it’s finally time for a new University of Louisiana at Lafayette mascot.
UL has seen many changes with mascots over the years, from bulldogs to Ragin' Cajun chickens. However, up until 10 years ago, the Ragin' Cajun mascot Cayenne was beloved by many but the costumes got too costly for the university to keep up and the college currently does not have an official mascot.
A former student is looking to revamp the college mascot by campaigning for Albineaux "AL" Boudreaux. An albino alligator to represent the school and Cajun culture.
One mother is happy to see this campaign not only for the school but also for her young son.
Blaire Desormeaux, whose 5-year-old son Sam has ocular albinism, believes that the introduction of a new mascot can play a crucial role in promoting inclusivity.
She envisions that if her son attends UL in the future, the new mascot could become a relatable figure for Sam and others with albinism.
"It's also really neat for someone like my son who happens to have ocular albinism I think he might come to appreciate it the connection he can have with this mascot because of the shared condition. I think that would be really cool for him because it's not he sees represented often in the media or anywhere," says Desormeaux.
Cory Stewart, the creator of Al, expresses joy at witnessing how the albino alligator can become a connecting force for others, as stated in a message provided to KATC.
"When I was designing Albineaux, I was dreaming of the positive effect he could have on kids just like Sam. Acadiana is a special community. The Cajuns here come from a heritage of people who were casted out, but settled in this region and found space to celebrate their differences. That is why I think Albineaux is perfect spirit leader for our university. He is not just any alligator. Hes a Ragin Cajun alligator who loves being albino as much as he loves being Cajun!"
To see more photos of "Al" check out the campaigners Facebookpage.
