Born in Mississippi and reborn in New Orleans, MardiJong founder Kalee Rongey moved to the Crescent City in 2004 and never looked back. She fell hard for NOLA — the art, the food, the people who treat strangers like family. When Hurricane Katrina hit just a year later, she witnessed the fierce, unshakable resilience of a city that refused to quit. That spirit became part of her DNA.

Her love affair with Mahjong started the way the best things do — a friend, a tile set, and one too many snacks. One lesson later, she was hooked. Today Kalee is a licensed Mahjong instructor and the founder of MardiJong, a brand born from New Orleans' spirit of connection, celebration, and color. Her kitchen table is still NOLA's unofficial Mahjong headquarters — open door, open table, always room for one more round.

Welcome to the Krewe.