NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Two Jefferson Parish residents are reigning as King and Queen Zulu for 2026.<\/p>\n
Ron Tassin, Ph.D., is King Zulu, and he chose his niece, Sharell Monique Chatman, to be his queen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am the 110th king of Zulu,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
Recently, they exhibited their specially made Zulu coconuts.<\/p>\n
\u201cKing\u2019s logo of 2026 and it actually comes with the queen\u2019s logo for 2026,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
Both grew up attending Zulu parades.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was just amazed,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
He has a bachelor\u2019s degree and a master\u2019s degree in criminal justice from Southern University New Orleans and a doctorate in management in criminal justice from Colorado Technical University.<\/p>\n
Tassin currently serves as the manager of student partnerships and programs at Inspire NOLA schools.<\/p>\n
In 2006, he joined the Krewe of Zulu.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey used to call me committee man because I was on every committee,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
He did not rush to become king.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter my mother had passed in 2017, and my parents had passed, my father as well, you know it took me some time to really, really get back, get my soul back,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
In 2025, he decided to run for king and won.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said to God, like, God, thank you,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
Per Zulu tradition, the queen is unveiled at an airport ceremony.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmazing. When I stepped off the plane,\u201d Chatman said.<\/p>\n
She earned dual degrees from Northwestern State University of Louisiana in industrial engineering and sociology and later completed a master\u2019s degree in computer engineering at Colorado State University.<\/p>\n
The king did not immediately tell Chatman she would serve as his queen.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told her mother. Her mother is my sister,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
Chatman said, \u201cThey both came to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tassin\u2019s contributions go beyond education.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually run an actual behavioral health clinic for kids and adults,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
And Tassin founded the Audrey Mae Tassin Foundation in honor of his late mother.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe actually do scholarships for kids from out the neighborhood, kids that are pushing hard,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
Both the king and queen hope their reign inspires young kids to aim high.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I go and I talk to little girls and young ladies, I tell them, look, um, beauty is only at the surface, but your character matters,\u201d Chatman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat every kid that actually sees me and sees the queen as well, um, saying that one day that they can be the same person that we are,\u201d Tassin said.<\/p>\n
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