Cat in New Orleans

On the fourth day of our trip, I spent most of my time at the Xavier University Art Department working on various projects. I assisted Megan MacMurray in constructing the blog for the Porch project and began to work on the Lower 9th Ward Homeowner’s Association blog, including constructing the header and writing various static pages explaining the association’s goals. I also met with Ashley Thomas, an Xavier student, to discuss possibilities for the Voices of New Orleans project, a call-in freeformed open circle that the freeformed group created to facilitate easy means of conversation about various topics facing the citizens of New Orleans. Ashley provided some valuable input into the structure and purpose of the circle. She also offered to re-record the opening menu of the circle. This was a very necessary and important change to the project because it would provide those who called in with someone who sounds like them in accent, thus giving more familiarity to the project. Ashley also introduced the idea of specific topics for callers to discuss. She felt that three very important areas for discussion were the Road Home project, crime within the city and a space for teenagers to voice their specific concerns. Ashley also offered to be a local advocate for the project and plans to take business cards advertising the number to call to various places within the city including local high schools. She hopes that if the project takes off she will be able to present to the Mayor through an ongoing relationship that the radio station she works for maintains with him.