tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-229166532011-06-08T02:25:29.964-04:00Alternative Spring Break at NYU - New OrleansReflections on 9 NYU Students' Alternative Spring Break 2006, helping with clearing and reconstruction in Katrina-afflicted New Orleans.GAGSnoreply@blogger.comBlogger491100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-37835949735104090602008-02-14T14:25:00.002-05:002008-02-14T14:28:26.874-05:00Emily went back to New Orleans in August 2007. To read about that trip, visit her journal here.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1152752741145463732006-07-12T20:55:00.000-04:002006-07-12T21:05:41.190-04:00I was never going to post forever. I don't think I was even really planning to go on posting for as long as I did. I'm not taking this down, and if anyone else from the trip ever wants to pitch in, that would be great. If I ever go back to New Orleans, I'll write about it - but elsewhere, as it will be a different trip, probably different people. I'll link to it from here though - and to this GAGSnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1150078925970978472006-06-11T22:20:00.000-04:002006-06-11T22:22:05.990-04:00US Hurricane Leaves Lasting Marks - a not-so-happy story from the BBC about the experiences of Hurricane Floyd survivors in North Carolina - seven years after the fact.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1149599215898908082006-06-06T09:06:00.000-04:002006-06-06T09:06:55.910-04:00Clamoring to Come Home to New Orleans Projects - from the New York TimesGAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1149209632081756342006-06-01T20:51:00.000-04:002006-06-01T20:53:52.106-04:00For Many, Education Is Another Storm Victim - positively heartbreaking story from the New York Times. Storm evacuees are missing out on education at all levels as a result of displacement, and the article describes fears that many of them will never go back.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1149169849077967252006-06-01T09:49:00.000-04:002006-06-01T09:50:49.086-04:00New Orleans 'Sinking Even Faster' - From the BBCI definitely didn't expect Mayor Nagin to be re-elected, but I guess maybe continuity is good.We shall see.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1147490165401116912006-05-12T23:09:00.000-04:002006-05-12T23:16:05.416-04:00Friday March 17th - Lower Ninth Ward & St Bernard ParishGAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1146283956115886502006-04-29T00:11:00.000-04:002006-04-29T00:12:36.123-04:00Jazzfest! (the official site) - I really hope it goes well - if you're going (or there), have a fabulous time - and spend lots of money!GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1146141820899464682006-04-27T08:42:00.000-04:002006-04-27T08:49:58.486-04:00Katrina Agency Faces Closure Call, from the BBC (interesting that that's how the Brits define FEMA, actually)GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1145930833238571542006-04-24T22:02:00.000-04:002006-04-24T22:07:13.253-04:00Vote for Mayor Points to Change in New Orleans, from the New York Times. The run-off between Nagin (the incumbent) and Landrieu isn't for a couple of weeks so things may change, but I agree with the sentiment of the above article - many of the votes cast for other candidates seem to have been intended as votes against Nagin, and as such are likely to go to his opponent in the second round. In GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1145737253534031872006-04-22T16:17:00.000-04:002006-04-22T16:20:53.553-04:00Lots of coverage of the elections in New Orleans...New Orleans Votes for New Mayor, from BBC NewsNew Orleans Elections Officials Report Strong Voter Turnout, from the New York TimesNOLA.com's Complete Election Guide... and there's much, much more out there. Now we just wait and see...GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1144803447522124312006-04-11T20:41:00.000-04:002006-04-11T20:57:27.536-04:00Wednesday March 15th/Thursday March 16th - Hermes StBelow are photos from the house we saw through from beginning to end, on Hermes St. We spent the whole of the Wednesday and most of Thursday working on it, and the final walk through with the contractor confirming we had finished the job was one of the high points of the trip for me.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1144724748190023582006-04-10T23:05:00.000-04:002006-04-10T23:05:48.563-04:00In Attics and Rubble, More Bodies and Questions, from the New York Times.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1144246591537202212006-04-05T10:15:00.000-04:002006-04-05T10:16:31.546-04:00FEMA Trailer Park Fails to Survive Storm from Residents - from the New York TimesGAGSnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1144118525610320492006-04-03T22:21:00.001-04:002006-04-03T22:42:05.626-04:00Tuesday, March 14thWe spent the day salvaging the contents of a warehouse belonging to Rose Marie Sand. She runs a production company, Shine, and the warehouse also had supplies from screen-printing and stained-glass business, as well as personal items, including paintings by her late husband, who passed away earlier this year.All of the day's team with Rose (holding the sign). The group includedGAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1144117619913386002006-04-03T22:21:00.000-04:002006-04-03T22:51:41.203-04:00All of the photos in the next post - see above - are by Manuel (as well as the Monday, March 13th post).Below are a selection of photographs by Leah from Tuesday, March 14th.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143948264681254802006-04-01T22:21:00.000-05:002006-04-01T22:24:24.693-05:00The Big Easy in the Big Apple - Check out a sample of the New Orleans Museum of Art's collection at the AXA Gallery in New York City.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143693113139175982006-03-29T23:31:00.000-05:002006-03-29T23:31:53.150-05:00Crime Returns to New Orleans - from the New York Times. *sigh*GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143645239953837292006-03-29T09:56:00.000-05:002006-03-29T10:14:00.016-05:00Monday, March 13thBefore being assigned to work on our first house, we went for a walk......met two of the hazardous materials recovery crew, who told us their stories......admired our new steel toe capped shoes (the girls model their "amys" for the camera)... ...and eventually, got suited up to start work.We were joining a team who had already been working on the house for a while, and had GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143599464602118722006-03-28T21:25:00.000-05:002006-03-28T21:33:43.183-05:00We Will Be BackMany more photos to come, but this is my absolute favorite. And of course, I simply had to put up a shot of our lovely selves in full biohazard gear:Standing: Bea, Leah, Athena, Bryan, Kim, Lauren, Emily. Crouching: Fareed and Manuel.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143509037172734722006-03-27T20:03:00.000-05:002006-03-27T20:24:13.630-05:00I still haven't been suddenly struck with the right words to express what we saw and heard in New Orleans - or to qualify my reactions to the news that's been coming through since ( see below, and Relief Spark's Website for some of it).I don't want to leave the blog languishing for too long. I'm not going to waste my time and yours rambling pointlessly, though.So, for lack of the right words to GAGSnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143134605907630492006-03-23T12:19:00.000-05:002006-03-23T12:23:25.956-05:00Katrina Lost Child Mission Ends - from the BBCThis is heartwarming.... but six months? Really?GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1143047871352085012006-03-22T12:16:00.000-05:002006-03-22T12:17:51.370-05:00Evacuees' Lives Still Upended 7 Months After Hurricane - from the New York TimesGAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142995552325374522006-03-21T21:44:00.000-05:002006-03-21T21:45:52.340-05:00Hard Cash Provides Light Relief for Relief EffortWad of Cash Found in New Orleans Home - from Yahoo! News (Thanks Alisha :-))GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142968891822680812006-03-21T14:18:00.000-05:002006-03-21T14:21:31.843-05:00Oxfam America Report on the Gulf Coast, February 2006GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142957080567605942006-03-21T10:58:00.000-05:002006-03-21T11:04:48.706-05:00Nagin Rejects Limits on Rebuilding New Orleans (From CNN)GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142910335098473652006-03-20T21:01:00.000-05:002006-03-20T22:39:01.103-05:00My War of the WordsI'm having a much harder time than I expected telling people about the trip. I literally don't know where to start. On the one hand, I want to get all excited about how amazing an experience it was, how wonderful the people on the team were, and how much I learnt and how much it meant to me - but on the other hand, I want to tell people how angry and sad I am about the fact GAGSnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142826153912390422006-03-19T22:17:00.000-05:002006-03-19T22:42:33.986-05:00A few reflections now that we have returned:We are back in NYC getting ready for classes tomorrow. I am exhausted and irritated. I'm not sure why I'm irritated. Is it from the devastation that I saw and the slow relief effort? My disappointment in my government to help its citizens efficiently? My being back in hectic New York and the possibility to get sucked back in the fast pace and not Beahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022689375551731929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142649929510957462006-03-17T21:27:00.000-05:002006-03-17T21:45:29.523-05:00Drove our Chevy to the LeveeToday we drove into the Lower 9th Ward, which is one of the worst affected areas, right next to the levee breach. The level of destruction was beyond anything we had seen so far next week - not just damaged houses, but no houses left all. I understand now why the words "lunar landscape" were heard so often in the immediate aftermath of Katrina. We then went into St GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142605757521529572006-03-17T09:18:00.000-05:002006-03-17T09:29:17.533-05:00Some more news coverage of the Spring Break volunteer effort in the Times Picayune today (" Spring Ache"). The newspaper content isn't available online, but it is on Lexis-Nexis for anyone who may have access. Very excited about today - we're going to visit the Lower Ninth Ward and more of St Bernard Parish before going to join the after school program. This means that we're done with GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142572727459010252006-03-17T00:12:00.000-05:002006-03-17T00:18:47.476-05:00Last night a group of us (Bea, Lea, Athena, Manuel) attended a town hall meeting from the French Quarter. It was great to hear local perspectives. The moderator began the meeting by bringing up some local political issues such as whether the mayoral elections should be further postponed in order to give more time for displaced residents to return and vote. His opinion was that no local people Manuel Rosaldohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08284362088081044756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142552419004925862006-03-16T18:26:00.000-05:002006-03-16T18:40:19.020-05:00Before I start rambling, some words from today's edition of USA Today: Kids Trade Spring Break For Chance to HelpThere was also coverage on the local news channel about a 200-strong group of volunteers from Common Ground breaking into a school in the Lower Ninth Ward so they could begin clearing it out and hopefully get it re-opened faster. As for us... everyone was really tired today. We did GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142466180813075442006-03-15T18:41:00.000-05:002006-03-15T18:43:00.830-05:00Today two Fema representatives walked through the courtyard of the W Hotel where we are staying. I recognized them as FEMA representatives from the badge on their shirts so I flagged them down and told them that I was volunteering in New Orleans for the week and wanted to learn more about FEMA. One of the representatives was a tall black man in his 40s named George, the other a white lady who Manuel Rosaldohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08284362088081044756noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142463025423893372006-03-15T17:38:00.000-05:002006-03-15T17:50:25.450-05:00I feel the same way Manuel feels about taking photographs. I am not sure if I should be taking them or not. When we were speaking to a native citizen of New Orleans the other day he said he couldn't believe people were coming down here to look at the destruction as if it were a museum. I do, however, feel that taking pictures can really help me to realize what we have accomplished. I like the L Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13581248298550633679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142461122972887032006-03-15T17:13:00.000-05:002006-03-19T22:17:08.956-05:00I need to document how I'm feeling, what I'm experiencing, but I'm still in the midst of soaking it all in. And believe me there is plenty to swallow. I don't know where to begin. I guess I'll just write and see where it leads me. The Katrian survivors whom have managed to return to New Orleans are extremely kind and more then willing to share their stories. I'm making it a point to learn Beahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022689375551731929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142428984205921292006-03-15T08:22:00.000-05:002006-03-15T08:23:04.220-05:00I am so glad to have come on this trip. It is turning out to be much more meaningful of an experience than I had ever imagined. I think it is so inspiring that Rose, the woman whose life was shattered by the hurricane, then lost her husband of 40 years to heart failure, has the courage to restart her comedic theater company to help people laugh and to remind them of their humanity in a time of Manuel Rosaldohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08284362088081044756noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142394199836911922006-03-14T22:23:00.000-05:002006-03-14T22:45:59.206-05:00today was really amazing. i think lauren did a great job of putting it into words, so aside from reiterating just how wonderful rose is and urging you to check out the website of her production company, Shine, i'll talk a little bit about a more general issue i've been thinking about - leaving, or coming back, after the storm.before i get too philosophical, i think it's important to remember thatGAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142389530024653672006-03-14T21:24:00.000-05:002006-03-14T21:25:30.026-05:00P.S.We all better get together and go dancing to some dirrrty south music.: )this is the way I live... L Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13581248298550633679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142389409513038222006-03-14T21:03:00.000-05:002006-03-14T21:23:29.536-05:00(Warning: I work through my thoughts when I write... so if it seems like I am struggling, I am!)Rose... Rose was this amazing woman. She had been through a lot from what she told me. 40 years ago she met her husband during Hurricane Betsy when they were evacuated to her high school. He died in January after they both survived Hurricane Katrina. 19 years ago, she lost her 2 year old daughter. L Crowleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13581248298550633679noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142290114784051642006-03-13T17:25:00.000-05:002006-03-13T17:49:04.466-05:00First day working with Relief SparkGot to the Sheraton at 7.30, had breakfast, and then set off... except that by the time we'd got the vans from where they were parked, the convoy had left. We then had to kidnap one of the relief spark coordinators, Albert, to show us the way to the acorn offices (acorn being the organization coordinating the house clearing efforts). from there we (eventually) GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142215112841940112006-03-12T20:29:00.000-05:002006-03-12T21:05:18.190-05:00ROAD TRIP!!!!! Who: Athena, Bea, Bryan, Emily, Fareed, Kim, Lauren, Leah, and ManuelHow: Betsy and The Cool Car (Our two rented Chevy Uplanders)Departure: New York City, Specifically in front of Kimmel at NYU, Washington SquareWhen: Saturday, March 11, 2006 at 2:30 p.m.States: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and LouisianaTop Ten Beahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022689375551731929noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142214308688227892006-03-12T20:28:00.000-05:002006-03-12T20:45:08.706-05:00This does NOT feel like a volunteer trip... we're sat with our laptops in the warm breeze of the courtyard of the W hotel, enjoying the free wi-fi, ordering dinner... we just wandered through the french quarter to and from our meeting with relief spark, which was at another hotel nearby.It is, however, a volunteer trip, and we'll be up around 6.30 tomorrow morning to go and help gut a house GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142212587433394242006-03-12T20:08:00.000-05:002006-03-12T20:16:27.486-05:00Why am I going down? I feel an incredible sense of duty to my fellow New Orleans family. I wouldn't feel right knowing that people need a helping hand and not extending mine when I know that I am capable of doing so. I don't want them to feel forgotten and in order to survive in this world we all must support each other especially in their time of need. I want to hear stories. To find out Beahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01022689375551731929noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142103131144862132006-03-11T13:44:00.000-05:002006-03-11T13:52:11.156-05:00ASB minus 17 minutes!Me - and my four bags - are at Kimmel, waiting for the rest of the team and the vans so we can hit the road. I've managed not to forget anything crucial (at least I hope that's true!), and now that all the administrative preparation stuff is (mostly) out of the way, I've had a chance to really think about what this trip means to me and to get pretty excited about it. I feel GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1142102014569606062006-03-11T13:32:00.000-05:002006-03-11T13:55:45.310-05:00From Manuel:Molly McClure spent three weeks working at the Common Ground ReliefClinic in New Orleans. In an article about white outsiders (she is awhite outsider herself) coming to assist in New Orleans she writes:So I have some questions for white folks thinking about going down,questions I am still asking myself: first of all, why you? Why are yougoing? Could our resources and energy be better GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1141966845534991182006-03-09T23:58:00.000-05:002006-03-10T00:01:42.836-05:00Another Google Earth shot, using the hotel's zip code instead of the camp's - we're going to be further east and a little bit further south, in the French Quarter instead of Algiers.GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1141966425304543952006-03-09T23:43:00.000-05:002006-03-09T23:53:45.323-05:00Lots of changes - we're not staying at Camp Algiers anymore! Instead, we're being housed in the W Hotel in the French Quarter (which is what the picture is of) - which puts a whole new spin on the experience. Definitely brings into perspective the amount of backing there is for the cleanup operation: this is a pretty fine establishment, but they're taking us (and other volunteers) in, in support GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1141707157944741122006-03-06T23:51:00.000-05:002006-03-06T23:54:22.943-05:00New Orleans from the sky (thank you Google Earth!). Camp Algiers is right under the letters LA - check back after Sunday for photos from the ground!GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22916653.post-1140728245364928442006-02-23T15:54:00.000-05:002006-02-23T16:10:58.536-05:00This blog will be updated by all the participants from the ASB New Orleans Tulane/Paint Rally team, live from the FEMA Tent City, Camp Algiers, which houses volunteers from all over the world. We'll all be there for the same reason - to help New Orleans recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina at the end of August 2005.Check back for stories from our Alternative Spring Break, GAGSnoreply@blogger.com0