For the last three days I have been in New Orleans with 12 other students and two faculty members from ITP. We are down here thanks to a grant that ITP secured to work with Xavier University. At first I don't think any of us knew exactly what to expect. We had met the Xavier students and had researched some of the community groups that we were going to be meeting with, but I don't think any of us had a concept of what it was going to be like to actually be in New Orleans. I don't have time to fully explain what has happened so far, as we have been working non-stop since arriving here. However, I can say that this experience has been unlike any I have ever had. Yesterday, the longest and most difficult day so far, we went to the Lower 9th Ward, a neighborhood virtually destroyed by hurricane Katrina.

This neighborhood borders the Industrial Canal, the site of one of the breached levees. It is eighteen months later and the neighborhood is still painfully broken.

Site of the levee breach:

I am completely horrified at the lack of compassion and assistance afforded to these people who have lost everything, not simply their homes, but their community as a whole. It is heartbreaking and indescribable what it is like to stand on the street where the levees broke and look around at the weed and debris ridden fields that was once home to a community that boasted 80% home ownership. Especially knowing that many of them who want to come back are unable to because of financial obstacles and lack of any form of government assistance. And its not just in this neighborhood. I drove through mid-city a couple days ago, a reasonably middle class neighborhood it seemed, where the water line was still visible more then three quarters up the side of every house on Tulane Ave. But what has been especially hard to see is the markings on the houses that the various rescue teams used to let others know that a house had been searched. These markings are readily visible in almost every neighborhood.

Again, I do not have time at this moment to fully describe what we are trying to accomplish with this large scale project. However, I can say that I am dedicated to helping out in any way I can for as long as I have to. What has been done to many of the citizens of New Orleans is disgusting and reprehensible. And the worst part is, we have all forgotten. I hope that any who reads this will visit the New York to New Orleans blog and and visit the site daily for updates. Megan MacMurray and I are working on a specific site to help the Lower 9th Ward Homeowner's Association, which is trying to raise money to pay the taxes on the land of former residents so that investors, like Donald Trump, will not buy it up and prevent the former residents from ever returning. With the help of Caleb, we are teaching Xavier student Mary Hill how to use the wordpress blogging software so that she can assist the association with updates and changes. IT IS THEIR LAND!!!! Soon we will have a donate button that will allow people who visit their blog to give money with their credit card. My donation will be the first. Hopefully, many more will follow.

More on all of this to come....