www.seattleworks.org

Gulf Coast

Seattle Works recently sent its fifth (or sixth?) delegation of volunteers down to the Gulf Coast area to help with the continuing relief from Hurricane Katrina. It was an amazing trip...

Saturday, October 11: Eight eclectic and fearless Seattle Works volunteers left for New Orleans to volunteer with a group called Katrina Corps. After a day of travel, we spent Saturday evening getting to know our Katrina Corps hosts, Ray and Marshall, and went to a place called Bacchanal for an evening of wine and performances by New Orleans artists (blues, jazz, spoken word, etc). Sunday was devoted to getting the tourist-ish inclinations out of our systems, and we spent the day downtown: walking along the Mississippi, having beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde, watching some fantastic street performers, taking in the amazing architecture, buying souvenirs, and doing general sightseeing.

Work started Monday morning -- we spent most of our volunteer hours that week working on a school in the Bywater (Upper 9th) District. The school had been abandoned since Katrina, and was being converted into a community arts center. We moved furniture, painted, scraped paint and grime off the floor, moved carpet tiles, swept, mopped, installed ceiling tiles and fans, and generally did what we could to move the building toward being ready for opening day, November 1. The work portions of our days were tough, but satisfying, and our group bonded over blue paint, grime-covered floors, inside jokes, and hastily-devoured lunches.

 

Marshall talked about how folks in New Orleans work hard and play hard... While the work we did on the school down there was the reason for our trip, we also took time to partake in culture and have FUN. Ray and Marshall were fantastic hosts, and took us to great spots in town we never would've found on our own. We had a fantastic dinner at Bennachin (a great West African restaurant), saw the Rebirth Brass Band (awesome show) at Preservation Hall, watched the third presidential debate at Miss Mae's (one-dollar well drinks!), and had a crazy-fun evening eating crawdads and po' boys at the Mother-in-Law Lounge (where we learned about Ernie K-Doe). We danced and drank and heard some fantastic music on Frenchman Street, center of New Orleans' local music scene.

DEBATE WATCHING AT MISS MAE'S

PRESERVATION HALL

CAFE DU MONDE

We also had some amazing food-for-thought moments. I'm going to cut and paste from the blog of Patrick, our amazing and fearless team leader:

After we left our project today, we took a tour of the Lower 9th. I obviously have been there before, seen it, done it...but please don't think I'm playing the drama card when I say that I was distressed by what I saw. It's been over 3 years. 3 YEARS! Why aren't these people back in their homes??? What is preventing us from accomplishing here what we are able to accomplish in Iowa after a flood, or in California after a wildfire? Why does an organization like this have to go out and cut the grass at a particular residence just to keep the city of New Orleans from serving a lien notice on the property? How is that right? And more significantly, why are we allowing that to happen? We have forgotten what is happening down here. Not what DID happen. What IS happening. When was the last time you heard a non-anniversary report about the recovery efforts? People like us are still needed. Desperately. People like us still have to take this story back, and tell people in our home towns that things are still not right in New Orleans. But don't take our word for it. Come down and see for yourselves.

Through the week, there were hilarious and fun moments, and difficult and poignant moments. But I think we all left feeling the need for more. More for the people of New Orleans. More for those whose lives were turned upside down by a storm more than three years ago, and who are still living in limbo. I encourage anybody who has the chance to take a trip to New Orleans to do it. See what's going on down there now. You'll feel compelled to get involved, I promise.

Now for thank yous... Thank you to Jan for helping organize this trip. I know it's a lot of work, but we are a better country for volunteer efforts like this, I'm convinced. Cheers to Seattle Works.

And thank you to an AWESOME team: Anna, Ashley, Beth, Bill, Erick, Kaitlin, Nia, Pam, Patrick, Ryan, & Scott. It was great getting to know all of you guys, and awesome working and playing hard, side by side with all of you, for the week.

And last, but not least... Thanks to Marshall and Ray for taking care of us, showing us around, and giving us information and experiences to help us absorb the profound-ness of what we experienced that week. It's changed the way I see the world. And you guys rock.

What do you build when your school system gets washed away?

Really interesting article about the school system in New Orleans.

And what do you know? Younger people are stepping up to lead.

"...But it wasn’t only sympathy for the survivors of Katrina that drew them to New Orleans. The city’s disastrously low-performing school system was almost entirely washed away in the flood — many of the buildings were destroyed, the school board was taken over and all the teachers were fired. What is being built in its place is an educational landscape unlike any other, a radical experiment in reform. More than half of the city’s public-school students are now being educated in charter schools, publicly financed but privately run, and most of the rest are enrolled in schools run by an unusually decentralized and rapidly changing school district. From across the country, and in increasing numbers, hundreds of ambitious, idealistic young educators like Hardrick and Sanders have descended on New Orleans, determined to take advantage of the opportunity not just to innovate and reinvent but also to prove to the rest of the country that an entire city of children in the demographic generally considered the hardest to educate — poor African-American kids — can achieve high levels of academic success."

A Teachable Moment: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/magazine/17NewOrleans-t.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=katrina%20school&st=cse&oref=slogin

- Tara

A lighter perspective on New Orleans' recovery

Today marked the first time since Katrina that the Times-Picayune published what used to be a staple: a restaurant review. There are not only enough restaurants back in business to do reviews, things are also feeling stable enough that it's fair to be a critic again. It put a smile on my face and at the same time it was seriously concerning - you know it's bad when it takes nearly three years to just feel like you can review restaurants again. 

There's a few interesting facts about the economy and some glimpses at New Orleans culture in this article. Light reading with a Gulf Coast twist for your weekend: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/dining/25orleans.html

- Tara

8 Days, 7 Nights in LA HEAT...

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

Well since we lacked internet all week and didn’t get to write about each day as it happened I’m going to take it upon myself to summarize the trip.  And because I’m hardly going to make the effort to write a novella (or even a novelette for that matter) here is 8 days in NOLA in digest form.

 

* Note to readers: this is entirely based on my personal experience and week old memories (as I wrote down very little during the week)…I just call it as I see it.

 

Day 1:

a) People aren’t lying, New Orleans is actually hot, hot, and more hot…in fact some may call it La Heat…with a lot of humidity mixed in

b) The Bywater church (our abode for the week) comes complete with cockroaches and mosquito friends

c) When someone says 1 block over, 7 blocks up…it really means 3 blocks over and 14 blocks up…i.e. Walgreens is NOT that close to the Bywater

d) The drunk guy we passed on the way to the Walgreens does not want Lee to walk him home…everyone else however, he’s open to

e) Don’t mess with NOPD

f) Don’t let other people order stuff for you…it’ll cost you…

g) Ask for “tap” water…bottled water costs $2…not to mention creates waste

h) It may be only 7pm in Seattle, but the next thing you know it’ll be 3am on Bourbon

Street

…ah, good times

i) Somebody has a man crush on Obama...that's B.A. Barack to you

j) Only one key among 9 people = lame

 

Day 2:

a) New Orleans functions on Italian time (i.e. 9am means 1pm-ish)...it's Sunday...church say amen”

b) Food does taste better in the South…especially when it’s home cooked…mmm ham and mashed potatoes…thanks to Brother Jones and Sister Joanna.

c) Wandering the French Quarter and, for some, a trip to Wal-Mart with Ray

d) mmm…beignets…a lot (if I could underline that twice I would) of powdered sugar

e) Tammy likes Zydeco music and can play a mean washboard

f) We adopt Ali (from San Francisco) into our Seattle Works group…she does not know the awesomeness she is in for...that is awesomeness spelled F-U-N

g) At dinner, Ray is impressed that I can fit the large turkey sandwich into my mouth as well as eat the entire thing…as he should be, I’m impressive like that

h) Orientation to Katrina Corps IS better when done down by the river

 

Day 3:

a) Going for a run at 7am is not early enough…it’s already la HOT

b) Work at Colton Middle School = painting next to the trim with a stiff brush (might as well have been using a tough depressor…).  It’s hard to see the progress when tasks are detail oriented.

c) Recycling in New Orleans is a rarity...the environmentalist in me died just a smidge each time I had to throw a plastic bottle into the trash

d) Bayou Tour…alligators are cute, and they like marshmallows

e) The group finally splits, but don’t worry, it was only for a few hours…there were no rumbles between gangs a la West Side Story…some people wanted dinner first, others wanted a shower first…in Lee’s case, he wanted a shower first and then two dinners

f) People give strange directions in New Orleans…and by strange I mean the really, really long way…in the end though we discovered some pretty awesome sights (e.g. Jesus statue...it was a lot more exciting than it sounds) and stores by going the long way

 

Day 4:

a) The bugs are eating me (us) up!!!  The label may say apply only once a day, but apparently that’s only if you want to get eaten up…Eleni disregarded that warning and now sweats Deet

b) Ali and I trade jobs.  Tearing up flooring is much better than painting.  In fact, I actually liked tearing up flooring! (…all 6 hours of it.)  However, I did not appreciate the flooring flying everywhere…shockingly enough, getting hit by a 6” x 6” piece of press board does hurt and causes blood to flow…I heart Neosporin

c) IMAX Hurricane on the Bayou…instead of just blaming the levee break and talking conspiracy theory let’s actually look at the human impact on the environment and how decreasing wetlands means less natural protection from hurricanes…think about it…there’s a bigger picture out there…and it’s called the IMAX

d) Spaghetti and meatballs in mushroom sauce a la Brother Jones…damn good garlic bread!

e) Zydeco music and blackened alligator…the gater was pretty tasty

 

Day 5:

a) And then there were only 2…more tearing up flooring…my ass was actually a little sore from the day before

b) Lower 9^th Ward tour given by Marshall...the statistics were a bit skewed (thanks to Sarah for actually trying to present the flip side), but the reality is there are plenty of empty lots now and still many homes and buildings that remain untouched since Katrina

c) It is a chilling experience to be standing in an attic of a gutted home and know that the water line is above your head

d) Spicy fried chicken provided by Brother Jones and Co is some of the best friend chicken ever!

e) Ms. Antoinette and the Mother-in-Law Lounge is a trip…one that all should go on

f) Army with harmony…karaoke, karaoke, karaoke…hilarious…rahrrr!

 

Day 6:

a) More tearing up flooring with a little pulling up of nails and staples…finally done with room #1!

b) 6 people tearing up flooring in a room #2 (instead of only 2…Sarah was awesome to work with!) makes the process go a whole lot faster

c) Not going to lie…a dust pan makes for a nice cushion when sitting on a floor covered in staples

d) mmm…West African food

e) Experiencing Preservation Hall IS actually experiencing Preservation Hall a la the 1960s…no air conditioning, small space, good music…just close your eyes and you are there

 

Day 7:

a) A broom makes for an even nicer cushion when sitting on a floor covered in staples

b) It’s somewhat unfulfilling to not be able to finish pulling up the floors in room #2 (we were soooo close to being done) because it’s decided that it’s Friday and therefore only a half day of work

c) Nawlins Flava…mmm…fried chicken and mac & cheese…although, pretty sure it was Velveeta…and who could forget our server (and magician) Ramone…dot.com…not going to lie…he was pretty cute

d) Listening to reggae in the French Quarter

e) Burning the candle at both ends = making it an early night by Friday

 

Day 8:

a) That’s a whole lot of grits!  But once again, another good meal provided by Brother Jones and family

b) Go Fish!  Lee does not know how to protect his cards from a 6-year-old...that’s just sad

c) Last minute souvenir shopping…Rebecca’s leadership/herding skills kick in…someone needs to get the woman some bright orange flags or something

d) Goodbye to Tara, Ali, Ray, and Marshall…good people, good times…

There you have it, done and done…8 days, 7 nights in LA HEAT. 

 

- Stephanie

Real Gulf Coast details

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

The government has contributed over $33 billion to Gulf Coast recovery for individual assistance (including $7.6 billion for IHP, $2.3 billion for rental assistance for over 720,000 households, $436 million for home repairs for over 185,000 homes, $344 million for over 34,000 households to assist them towards the purchase of replacement housing), public assistance (including nfrastructure - $8.3 billion, schools alone - $1.325 billion) and mitigation; with the Education Department allocating $45 million to help open or reopen Louisiana charter schools.  RSD and Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) FEMA Public Assistance grant funding is making it possible for the RSD and OPSB to repair and rebuild schools in New Orleans.  The Colton School reopened shortly after Hurricane Katrina; however decreased attendance compounded by years of deferred maintenance issues led to its closing after the 2007 school year .  CANO (Creative Arts New Orleans) has worked with the RSD (New Orleans Recovery School District) to plan for a community-based educational alliance at the school, with the first enrollment of high-school students to take place in fall 2010.  $87,841.39 was obligated by FEMA to the State for Colton School and as of 4/08, only $4,977 was drawn down by School District from the State for the school.

Prior to Hurricane Katrina, 59% of the households in the Lower Ninth Ware were owner-occupied, in contrast to 47% of the Orleans Parish and 68% of Louisiana State.  However, as a result of low investment due to homeowners financial constraints, many of these homes were in poor physical condition which made them extremely susceptible to damage.  Construction of the majority of the homes occurred in the 1950s (62% were built in the 1950s or earlier and 83% were built in the 1960s or earlier). The median home value of the Lower Ninth Ward was significantly lower than that of the Parish at $52,420 versus $88,100, a reflection of the depreciation in home values from lack of upkeep and investment.  Pre-Katrina, the Lower Ninth was also characterized by a high vacancy rate.  Of the 5,600 housing units in the Lower Ninth, 14% or 781 units were unoccupied.  These homes were often abandoned as a result of dilapidation and unsafe living conditions and contributed to the blighted image of the neighborhood.

Katrina Corps is a volunteer organization that was formed in December 2006; however they do not have their own federal 501(c)(3) charitable organization designation.  As such, they are operating under Pangaea Quest, Inc. to take advantage of the tax deductible status of their umbrella Pangaea Quest, Inc.

Cited from the US Census Bureau, FEMA, Prospect New Orleans, AllBusiness, NOLA Public Schools

New Orleans in July

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

You do not know what hot is until you swing a hammer with all your might for an hour in 90 degree heat and 60 percent humidity.  A person would have to be out of their mind to do this on their dime, for no pay, and with no hope of success.

We came down practically strangers to each other.  We joined a rag-tag operation that didn’t have money for shiny vans with logos, t-shirts, or swag.  We were refurbishing a three-story, 111 year-old school; a project that has no budget, no resources, and a deadline to be done by September when school starts.

It was nuts.

But on the first day, we all grabbed hammers and brushes and started doing what we could, with what we had.  And it was hot, insanely hot.

And at night we lamented our fate, laughed instead of cried, and got to making lemonade out of the hill of lemons we found.  The food tasted better.  The drinks were more refreshing.  You looked across the table and saw someone who knew your pain and was laughing with you.

It was New Orleans!  And we mixed our sweat with her soil, fed our blood to her mosquitos, and hopefully drank so much that those little leech-bastards flew right into the path of an oncoming bus.

But I digress.

In the lower 9^th Ward, we saw a rural-looking area of sparse houses and fields of waist-high grass.  This used to be a dense neighborhood of shotgun houses, packed like sardines.  This neighborhood had the highest homeownership rate in the USA – over half – and for many, these houses were the only bastion they had against destitution and ruin.

It’s gone now.  The neighborhood where families had lived for generations without ever leaving New Orleans has been destroyed.  When the waters crested at 26 feet in the wake of the Katrina floods, anything less than two stories was submerged.  Houses floated up off their foundations, were crushed by currents, or just so damaged that the only way to rebuild was to gut them to the studs and start over.

I heard a cabbie in the French Quarter calling the citizens of the 9^th Ward ‘lazy’, citing that “after Hurricane Betsy there was 8 feet of water in the 9^th Ward, and that the people stayed, worked together, and were nearly back to normal in three months.”

People don’t leave New Orleans.  Betsy was 40 years ago.  The ‘lazy’ people he was talking about are the same ones that rebuilt the city in 1965 too.

But the people who lived here have been scattered across the country.  There are no neighbors to “work together” with.  The insurance companies will not be paying for replacement homes.

The neighbors then, have to come from somewhere else.

 

“I don’t know if you know this, but July is STILL SUMMER in Louisiana.”  This was the most common reaction I got when I told people I was headed down to work with Katrina Corp in New Orleans.  And, unfortunately, what they imagined was pretty much the way it was.

But what they didn’t get to see was that it also allowed the best in people to come out.  Katrina Corp basically consists of two guys that came down from Michigan and dedicated their lives to helping heal the grieving city of New Orleans.  They get room, board, and $100/week.  They handle groups of a single volunteer, on up to 300.  If FEMA or Habitat or some other big name outfit gets stuck or can’t do something, Ray and Marshall jump into the breach.  And if nobody shows up to volunteer (like because it is the middle of July) no work gets done.

As a volunteer you get to see where your money is being spent: there’s the van, there’s the coolers and tools, and there’s the two guys that have been working on this school before you showed up and will be working on it after you leave.  Ray and Marshall are the epitome of volunteering and service; and for one ridiculously hot week in July, so were we.

When I look back on what we did without budget or t-shirts or fancy photo ops; but with only our backs, our hands, and our teamwork and desire, I have to believe in the impossible.  I was there and watched it happen.

To Alli, Ariel, Eleni, Karianne, Lee, Rebecca, Sarah, Stephanie, and Tammy:  You gave a damn and made a difference.  Thank you and it was an honor to serve beside you.  You are all heroes in my eyes.

To the rest, 'impossible' is still out there, but it's not so sure of itself now.  Come down in October!

 

Rian Booker, July 14, 2008

An experience I will never forget...

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

The trip to New Orleans last week was amazing in so many ways. Good friends, good food, good fun and a great organization; much beyond what my expectations were.

This was my second time to New Orleans. The first time was last April when I had travelled down to work with Habitat for Humanity. While Habitat was a great organization to work with, and I have volunteered with them in the past and will continue to in the future, I was saddened that I had not been made fully aware of all of the issues still surrounding Katrina. I am so grateful that we were able to work with Katrina Corps. Even though they are all volunteer and have only two “staff”, they are small, mighty and passionate, which made it one heck of a lot easier to get through the work days with 95 plus degree heat!

I had my first REAL tour of the lower 9^th ward this week. I had a spot driving tour the last time, and was able to see damage from a car. This time, I realized, this is real. I was both emotionally overwhelmed and numb at the same time because I kept thinking to myself, there is no way this is real. No way. Some things in New Orleans look like they did almost three years ago. Three years. Marshall took us into a house that he had gutted. He told us about when he gutted the upper bedroom. He noticed that two little girls shared the room, most likely sisters. All of their belongings including clothes, pictures, awards, posters, all gone due to the flooding. Not only that, but all of the memories that were created in that home came to an abrupt halt due to such a terrible tragedy. We then went to a church that was still in the condition it was the day that the water subsided. You could tell it had been ready for Sunday service. Music stands and silk flowers were out, but in extreme disarray. A thick layer of sludge covered everything, just as it had almost three years ago. I wondered where all of the members of the church had gone. What was their experience? Where are they now?

Our work was very rewarding. We were refurbishing a school that had been hit by Hurricane Katrina itself (wind and rain mostly) and received minimal flooding compared to other places. Like many schools, the building has set vacant since the storm. It will be rented to various arts related non-profits for art classes to be held. We did a variety of tasks like ripping up flooring, removing nails, painting the theater (many of us learned how to work a 30 extension paint pole pretty good J), spraying for mold and assembling desks. The school is set to open in September- I am jealous of the team going down in October- you’ll get to see the final product!

One thing about Katrina Corps was that they gave us the WHOLE New Orleans experience. They felt, and I agree, that in order to fully understand what was lost, you must understand the full culture. And boy, did we get it! From swamp tours with a true southerner, to listening to local bands on Frenchman, to visiting bars for the locals and everything in between, we got to see how vibrant New Orleans really is!

I couldn’t have had such a great experience without all of my team mates. This group was the best set of people that a girl would ever want to spend 24 hours a day for 7 days with J Big arm pumps goes out to all of you!!

 

Rebecca :)

Gulf Coast Reflections...

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

If you want to volunteer in an atmosphere that is a combination of a middle school field trip and a college spring break trip, then this program is up your alley.  I would encourage any participants not interested in the daily afternoon/evening drinking on Bourbon Street (and behaviors that follow heavy drinking) to feel free to break from the group to make their own cultural experience of New Orleans, particularly related to jazz, local art and exploration of the neighborhoods.  The Gulf Coast trip partnering with Katrina Corps is an unusual experience.  The work can be hard and satisfying if you make the conscious decision to opt for tasks that keep you busy and there is plenty to do; however the work days were abbreviated by the personal vacation motives of a vocal volunteer who dictated all activities of the group.  Also, the tasks are not always related to hurricane damage (as opposed to long term neglect by the owners) and the business practices by Katrina Corps are atypical for a LTRO.  Only a two man operation, Katrina Corps is quite unorganized (e.g. leaving the team waiting for over 4 hours one day) and not the most effective communicators. The construction quality is amateur (temporary “band aid” fixes as opposed to long term reconstruction) and not the most effective use of resources (e.g. gutting homes that the homeowners have still not made plans a year later to rebuild, thus accruing more damage from neglect). While their intentions mean well and are based upon the emotions of their personal experiences, both staff members have limited knowledge of disaster response and recovery phases which is solely based upon their personal experiences after relocating to New Orleans post-Katrina. As such, take their comments with a grain of salt as many of the “statistics” that they site are grossly inaccurate and they present their personal opinions as fact, particularly when it comes to the disaster response and recovery phases, their unrealistic expectations of the governmental “obligation to return each citizen to pre-disaster state” and their presentation of the residents as victims (as opposed to empowering them).  Ironically, there is no involvement from community residents/volunteers in the projects this past week, which alludes that they do not have the engagement from the community and as thus reinforcing the victimization role as opposed to empowering recovery. If you are truly interested in a disaster response and the particulars of Katrina, I would encourage one’s own research independent of Katrina Corp’s statements. While the experience is a fun mixture of half partying and half community service that can appeal to some participants, it is truly unlike the usual and well established LTROs involved in disaster recovery and future participants should take this into consideration when deciding if this is an opportunity they would like to partake.

Day 1 in New Orleans

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

Guess we are all going to have our own separate posts since we all have our own perspectives on this trip. 8 of us caught the 7am flight yesterday to get here (well ... it was almost seven but all eight made it). We sat around the waiting area in separate groups since most of us had met at most once and didn't necessarily know who the others were. "Wonder if that person over there with a pillow is on the trip with us". :) The flight was uneventful if you discount the mediocre food in the Dallas aiport ... but we were hungry. Some were already getting the weekend off to the right festive start with an all liquid lunch. Despite the seriousness of what Katrina had done and the situation that still existed, everyone had a fun attitude which is really the way it should be. You have to enjoy this kinda stuff.

When we got in, Marshall picked us up in the "Gold Van" with Sarah, our ninth team member and took us to the Bywater Church of Christ. Its a very non-descript looking warehouse but they have done a really nice job with it and the upstairs with our beds was cool and clean and inviting. We got settled and then took a walk to Walgreens. It is really hot and humid here ... reminds me of growing up just outside DC ... and picked up some supplies. Then we kept on wandering down to the French Quarter. The area is really beautiful. Even with all of the destruction that has happened some places have been restored and even the areas that still have damage, you can feel "New Orleans" around it. Makes you really want to help get everthing back so more people can keep coming home.

The night was a "trip". This week clearly will not be dull. With dinner, everyone had a Hurricane, one of the two "famous" local drinks (along with the Handgrenade at the Tropical Isle ... don't worry ... that came later). Then we found a spot for some Jazz music at a bar that professed to be the first in the US to serve Jager. From there, another Jazz bar and then we somehow ended up at what had become just a basic dance club. I wasn't exactly feelin' it, but there was a sketchy dude tryin' to dance with the group (which is mostly women except for Rian and I) so what the heck. :) By the end of the night we had a ton of "great" pictures :) and I had learned that this group clearly liked to have fun, that Rebecca must be a staunch Obama supporter (or is now), and that catching a cab is surprisingly difficult (you call the cab company and give them a cross street and they ask for the name of a local establishment??? I gave them a cross street ... I don't get it). Eventually, at 3am we made it home and crashed. Already today, the stories are building, but I will wait for tomorrow.  Good start to trip. :) :)

Lee

The Summer 2008 New Orleans Team has arrived!!

Posted by a volunteer who participated in our July volunteer trip in New Orleans.

After settling into our "home" in the upstairs of an abandoned warehouse (turned local church in the Bywater region of the French Quarter), we headed uptown to our first historical visit to Walgrens (major quest for bug spray!) and 30 blocks later we arrive sweaty, tired and eager for our first Hurricane, some gumbo and hushpuppies.  It was uphill from there to loud jazz, wild clothes, lots of cleavage (not Seattle works - well, not at least in the bright neon), crowded streets, big ass beers, Hand Grenades (some nasty green drink) and many adventures to getting home.

While Ariel and I stood outside our pad banging on the door, our lovely gracious cabdriver and another passenger shared their stories, of moving out, of losing their homes, of the struggle of the Black educated male in the job market.  Giamco told us he had lived there for 23 years - "Will we vote for Obama?" he challenges us as we continue to pound and holler on the door to be let in.  Thus we all enjoy a banter about the hope which is what separates man from every other mammal - our indomitable hope for change.  They wait with us for 40 minutes and at 3 am we stumble upstairs - our friends have cab stories of their own and we all crash in bed.  The goal of morning jog set aside for a few more hours of sleep.,

Ready to meet our team debrief at 10 we are still waiting at noon, and are invited to join the church group downstairs for a bit of ham, sweet potatoes - some true Southern hospitality and delightful insight to the real spirit of hope and survival - the deep bass of Brother Jones - and his amazing capacity to bring people there too...

we have stumbled out finally to this internet blog opportunity - seeking a swamp tour and hiding from the 94 degrees (with the real feel of 111) and for the most part are at least enjoying the hell out of each other!

Tammy Small (writing this first blog because Rebecca promises to inspire you later!)