However, I realize that because of the jam-packed week in New Orleans combined with the slight sleep deprivation and limited internet access in the dorm (I could get one bar of wireless sitting in small closet with a broken chair), my recent posts have been focused on WHAT we were doing but not on WHY we were doing it. So here goes.
Like most Americans, I watched the news in shock and horror as the levees broke and water flooded into New Olreans, filling it like a plugged sink. I read about the nightmare of the Superdome and saw the images of people sitting on their roofs waiting to be rescued. Like many others across the country, I immediately donated money to the American Red Cross. Then a year passed, and I donated a little more. But new stories came up and our collective attention turned to other topics like the war, the election, the earthquake in China, and any variety of other breaking news headlines. Life had moved on and, as a country, so had we. Katrina became old news and the plight of the people of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast had moved to the proverbial “back burner.”
Eric and I visited post-Katrina New Orleans in December 2007 for our friends’ wedding. And while one could feel that it was a city rebuilding, things didn’t seem that bad. After all, it had been a few years since the levees broke. Of course, we were staying right near the French Quarter and Warehouse District – two areas least impacted by the flooding. What we missed during that trip – and what I vastly underestimated – was the devastation to the rest of the city and surrounding areas.
On our first day as CulinaryCorps volunteers, Ashley Graham – Director of Share our Strength for Louisiana – took us on a recovery tour of New Orleans. We toured the Ninth Ward – both the Upper and Lower districts. Only then did I truly understand the true horrors of what these residents dealt with in 2005 and the huge challenges that they still face today.
This is an image prominent throughout New Orleans. These marks identify who searched the house after the flooding, whether there were any issues like exposed power lines, and tragically, how many bodies were found in the house. Some thoughtful people would also add whether they saw any pets at the house.
The Upper Ninth Ward is still fairly congested – houses line up right against each other with very little space – typical urban residential setting. There are houses that have been completely rebuilt, some that are in process, and a significant number that are still boarded up. Some residents have painted over these spray paint symbols, but many still remain, manifesting how much work still remains.
As for the Lower Ninth Ward…that’s a completely different story. Originally just as congested as the Upper Ninth, the Lower Ninth Ward is now sparsely populated. There is a lot of new construction – from Brad Pitt’s “Make it Right” organization to the work of Habitat for Humanity. But there are tons of empty lots with overgrown grass and cement front stairs…an indication that the houses were destroyed and nature had taken over. Today, only 10% of the residents are back in the Lower Ninth Ward.
The levee in the Lower Ninth Ward. The cement in the foreground was once a house.
In addition to the physical destruction that Katrina caused, there was also a significant impact to the infrastructure of the already struggling school system of New Orleans. Many of the schools were rendered unusable and new schools and programs had to be developed. A number of charter schools have been opened in the past few years and a feeling of hope now marks educators and residents of the city. But progress is still slow.
CulinaryCorps was founded in 2006 by Christine Carroll, a graduate of FCI (I found out about the program through our alumni email newsletter). We were the sixth group to go to New Orleans. In its inception, CulinaryCorps was more about service to the community at that present moment (e.g. feeding volunteers). And while that is something we did this past week, we were also involved in a number of programs developed to create a better future for the children and the community.
Overall, it was an amazing experience. I will provide updates on some of the other activities (and food) from the week soon. At the moment, I’m still mentally sorting out everything we did while trying to catch up on both sleep and work. But for now, just know that four years later, New Orleans is still a city recovering and rebuilding from Katrina…and while it may not be the leading headline on the news, the city and its residents should not be forgotten.
Graffiti art from English artist Banksy on a building in New Orleans.
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